The capital city of Hanoi is calling for investment from both domestic and foreign investors in waste treatment; however it is struggling to sell the idea due to a number of obstacles.

According to the city’s People’s Committee, there has not any been a waste treatment project put out to a tender yet. The difficulties mainly relate to the high cost, need for sophisticated technology, low profits and long wait to earn back capital, it said.

Current projects are all proposed by investors and submitted to the city for approval.

In the time ahead, if the city’s plan on the treatment of solid waste by 2020 is approved by the prime minister, the implementation of the projects, including those in the form of auction, will comply with the rules of law.

Some said the delay in deciding technological standards in the field and inconsistent policies have contributed to halting the work.

However, the municipal authorities argued that it is impossible to figure out a common standard and price for all facilities of waste treatment right away as each factory use different technologies.

Anyway, the work is intended to be fulfilled in 2014 in an effort to save on the budget and prevent wastefulness, the city explained.-VNA