"People" landfill
According to many people in Sam Son ward, Thanh Hoa province, the landfill located next to the Do river has caused serious pollution for many years. The stench from the landfill directly affects people's lives, especially households near the landfill area.
The landfill is terribly polluted. During the peak tourist season, the amount of garbage dumped here increases dramatically. Garbage has accumulated over the years, so now it is no different from a hill. The water from the landfill flows black, the stench is extremely unpleasant" - Mr. Nguyen Dong, residing in Sam Son ward said.
According to Mr. Dong, not only his family but many households living near the landfill are always suffocated, especially on rainy and windy days. People want the landfill to close and relocate to another location, but the petition has not been resolved for many years.
According to the reporter of Lao Dong Newspaper on November 18, the landfill is in a state of serious overload. The waste is piled up into large blocks, surrounded by a system of ditches and black reservoirs. In this area, although there is a tarpaulin system, most of them are torn or damaged, making the stench worse.
The landfill will be closed
Mr. Trinh Tien Dung - Chairman of the People's Committee of Sam Son Ward, Thanh Hoa Province - confirmed the pollution situation at the above landfill area. According to Mr. Dung, in response to the people's reflection and the urgency in handling, after operating the 2-level local government apparatus, the Sam Son ward leadership has determined that solving pollution at the landfill is an urgent task and must be implemented immediately.
"We are completing procedures to close the landfill. The treatment options have been agreed upon and it is expected to stop receiving waste from December 31" - Mr. Dung said.
According to Mr. Dung, the landfill has been overloaded for many years. Leaders of Sam Son ward and Nam Sam Son ward met to discuss and agree on solutions. Nam Sam Son Ward is responsible for speeding up investment procedures for the waste treatment plant project - a project previously approved by the old Sam Son City. In case the waste treatment plant project has not been completed on schedule, the old landfill will still close as planned on December 31. The amount of waste generated will be collected and transported to the new planned landfill.
"For the current huge amount of garbage, the locality is studying a plan for on-site treatment by incineration, then transporting it to the landfill in Nam Sam Son ward. The handling is quite difficult, but the ward is closely coordinating with Nam Sam Son ward, studying carefully and will submit to the Provincial People's Committee for direction" - Mr. Dung said.
