The strong stench enters residential areas
The centralized landfill located on the border of Ai Tu and Trieu Phong communes (Quang Tri province) for many years has been a place to receive domestic waste from many localities in the old Trieu Phong district. The amount of waste is increasing while the treatment infrastructure is not invested commensurately, causing the landfill area to become overloaded.
In the afternoon of July 7, Lao Dong Newspaper reporters' records at the scene showed that after the rain, soil vapor mixed with the pungent smell of leachate rose up and spread around. The closer you get to the landfill, the thicker the stench becomes, sticking to clothes and causing a feeling of suffocation.
A large amount of domestic waste piled up outdoors. Plastic bags, plastic boxes, leftover food and many other types of waste are exposed, many locations have not been covered with soil according to procedures. While strong winds carry plastic bags everywhere, densely packed in the melaleuca forests surrounding the landfill.
Only about 1km from the landfill is Nai Hiep village, Ai Tu commune with 135 households, 646 people. People said that on hot sunny days or after rains, the stench rises strongly, spreading in the direction of the wind into residential areas. Flies appear densely, many families have to close their doors all day to limit the stench.
Mr. Nguyen Duc Hung, Head of Nai Hiep village, said that the overload situation at the landfill has been repeatedly reported by people to the local authorities. "In the hot season, the stench from the landfill is blown directly into residential areas by the wind. There are many flies, many times people are afraid to invite guests to their houses. If there are no melaleuca forest patches blocking it, the garbage will spread further," Mr. Hung shared.
According to Mr. Hung, every rainy season, black leachate from landfills is at risk of flowing down to lower areas, seeping into the soil and affecting the Ai Tu River if not thoroughly treated.
Waiting for funding to overcome
Ms. Le Thi Thu Trang, Head of the Economic Department of Ai Tu commune, said: "Before the pressing reflections of the people, the local government proposed that higher authorities pay attention to considering, resolving, and comprehensively assess the actual situation of the landfill's operation, and soon have solutions to definitively handle the pollution situation. At the same time, strengthen management and supervision to minimize the impact on the environment and people's lives in the area.
According to Mr. Dang Sy Dung, Chairman of Trieu Phong Commune People's Committee, the landfill has been handed over and managed by the Department of Agriculture and Environment.
Mr. Phan Van Hao, Head of Trieu Phong Clean Water and Environmental Sanitation Station (a unit directly under the Quang Tri Provincial Clean Water and Environmental Sanitation Center), said that the plan to close the old pit and open a new landfill pit is ready, the core issue now is waiting for the Provincial People's Committee to officially approve and allocate funding.
Recently, the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Quang Tri province sent a document to the Department of Finance requesting to allocate funds to overcome the overload situation and close the landfills. In which, Trieu Phong landfill is classified as priority group No. 1, along with Gio Linh landfill and Quang Tri ward landfill because they are both overloaded and do not have new waste receiving locations.
According to the proposal of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Trieu Phong landfill will be closed the overloaded landfill No. 2, built landfill No. 3, and upgraded and repaired the leachate treatment system with a total estimated cost of more than 11.25 billion VND.
