BACKGROUND:
Operation from recycling factories in Hung Yen province (north of Vietnam) is having negative impacts on the environment:
- During the smelting process of plastic waste recycling, factories are discharging lots of black smoke directly into the environment, causing air pollution.
- Hazardous wastewater generating from the plastic recycling process is not collected and treated, but discharged directly to the nearby river, causing congestion and serious pollution of the water environment.
In addition, although plastic wastes are all inflammable and explosive materials, the fire protection work is completely ignored and not safe.
This project aims to review the recycling process at these factories and propose solutions to minimize the negative environmental impacts as well as potential risks.
As it is impossible to travel overseas at this moment, students will conduct the research from Australia. However, they will be collaborating with local staff from Hung Yen Plastic Recycling Factory and National University of Civil Engineering (NUCE) in collecting data and organizing project activities.
POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES:
- Investigate waste flows in a waste recycling factory.
- Review current practices (safe handling and pollution control) at the plastic waste recycling factory.
- Propose practical options for minimizing the air and water pollution from the plastic waste recycling factory.
- Present the results and a report to the factory, RMIT and NUCE
DELIVERABLES:
| No. | Main Deliverable | Description | Estimated Timing |
| 1 | Project Plan | Students discuss RMIT and NUCE academic supervisors about ideas that would lead to detailed and implementable project plans. | February 2021 |
| 2 | Literature Review | Current situation and practices. | March-April 2021 |
| 3 | Data Collection and Analysis | In collaboration with NUCE’s staff and students, collect the data for analysis. | April – August 2021 |
| 4 | Draft reports | Drafting reports | September 2021 |
| 5 | Presentation | Presentation on research findings | October 2021 |
| 6 | Final reports | Final Research Theses* | End October 2021 |
* ideally, the theses would provide scope for one or more peer-review publications
WORK METHOD:
- Students enroll in a relevant course and will be supervised and assessed by an academic at RMIT.
- Students will work remotely to implement this project. Local staff at Hung Yen Plastic Recycling Factory and NUCE staff will be remote co-supervisor during the project.
- Students will have remote check-ins with RMIT and partners on a bi-weekly basis.
- Data collection will be assisted by Bac Ninh WWTP and NUCE’s staff and students. This include surveys, interviews, and consultation workshop/seminar.
FUNDING:
The project is fully funded by the New Colombo Plan, which will cover all project-related costs.
Only Australian undergraduate students are eligible for this project.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
- Students submit EOI together with their latest CVs and academic records to Dr. Nina Nguyen at nina.nguyen@rmit.edu.au
- Students are selected subject to approval from partners.
