7,000 tons of waste are "forgotten"
In recent months, many households living around the landfill in Thoi An Hoi commune (Can Tho city) have had to live with environmental pollution due to prolonged accumulation of household waste.
Garbage is too high, uncovered, black leachate flows into the surrounding area, directly affecting people's lives, health and production.
According to research, the Thoi An Hoi inter-commune landfill has an area of nearly 10,000 m2, built about 15 years ago. Currently, about 20 tons of household waste are received every day from many communes in Ke Sach district (old).
However, because the incinerator has stopped operating since November 2024, the amount of waste collected daily is not processed, leading to a backlog of about 7,000 tons.
Household waste is overloaded, giving off a strong stench, especially in the early morning and on rainy days. Flies and rice fields are densely populated, posing a potential risk of disease. Wastewater is not collected and thoroughly treated, leaking into the environment, flowing directly into people's fruit gardens.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim (Thoi An Hoi commune) indignantly said that the stench from the landfill has seriously affected her family's coffee business. "In the morning, the stench is very strong, there are countless flies, some meals cannot be sold because customers cannot stand it," said Ms. Kim.
Sharing the same concern, Mr. Luu Huu Tri said that every time there is heavy rain, the water from the landfill overflows and gives off a strong stench. Children and the elderly in the area often suffer from respiratory diseases. The windy season means having to close all day because the stench is unbearable, Mr. Tri shared.
Not only affecting daily life, pollution from landfills also directly affects agricultural production. Mr. Tong Van Trieu shared that leachate flowed into the garden, causing many fruit trees to die. According to Mr. Trieu, the water is black, when it rains, it flows into the river, and everyone who sees it is afraid.
Prolonged pollution, waste treatment infrastructure waiting for investment
Ms. Ly Thi Mien Kim - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thoi An Hoi commune (Can Tho city) - confirmed that the inter-commune landfill is in a state of overload and serious pollution. According to Ms. Kim, the incinerator was invested in 2018 but has been damaged and has stopped operating since November 2024, causing all the waste generated to not be treated.
The locality has repeatedly sent documents to relevant departments and branches to request funding support for handling immediate difficulties, especially garbage collection and overcoming environmental pollution. During the waiting period, the commune can only apply temporary measures such as spraying and covering to reduce the odor," said Ms. Ly Thi Mien Kim.
Not only Thoi An Hoi, in Thoi Nhut 2 residential area (Tan An ward, Can Tho city), the pollution from the landfill at the end of the residential area has also lasted for many years. Dozens of garbage trucks coming and going every day caused garbage to spill onto the road, the road surface was muddy and degraded, affecting people's travel and daily activities.
Mr. Pham Nhut Thanh, a resident on Road No. 1, who has lived on Road No. 1 since 2022, said that the stench from the landfill is getting heavier, especially when garbage has been stagnant for a long time. "The family has to be closed all day and every day, afraid to accept guests. When it rains, the road is muddy, when it is sunny, the dust flies everywhere, said Mr. Thanh.
Regarding the people's reflection, Mr. Nguyen Thai Bao - Vice Chairman of Tan An Ward People's Committee (Can Tho City) - informed that the locality has sent a document requesting the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City to rectify the garbage collection unit, requesting the full arrangement of means for transporting and storing garbage in accordance with standards, not allowing garbage to accumulate causing pollution.
The prolonged waste pollution in many places shows inadequacies in waste treatment infrastructure, while the amount of household waste is increasing. People hope that the authorities will soon have fundamental solutions, invest in a synchronous waste treatment system, and end the situation of "living together with waste" that has lasted for many years.
