In the early morning of Wednesday, over 100 people living near the Khanh Son Waste Dump in Da Nang’s Lien Chieu District blocked garbage trucks from going to the waste dump.  Their move expresses their annoyance about the serious environment pollution problem in the area.  As a result, dozens of garbage trucks had to be parked bumper-to-bumper along Hoang Van Thai street.

Most of the local residents said that they could no longer stand the unpleasant odour being emitted from the landfill areas and rubbish treatment plants at this site.

Some of the garbage trucks parked on Hoang Van Thai street

In the afternoon of the same day, an inspection team was set up by the municipal Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and the Lien Chieu District People’s Committee to check the performance of the waste dump, a hazardous-waste incineration plant, and a leachate treatment plant there.  The results showed that the city's Urban Environment Company has not strictly complied with the regulations about the processing of, and disposal of, waste.  In particular, landfills have not been covered with sand, and odour-controlling chemicals have not been sprayed effectively.

The Director of the city’s Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Mr Nguyen Dieu, asked the company to minimise the volume of leachate from the landfill areas and sludge from septic tanks at the waste dump.  He added that the landfill areas must be covered with canvas sheets in order to contain the bad odour and prevent rainwater from seeping into these areas.

Meanwhile, the Quoc Viet Company which manages the operation of a leachate treatment plant at the waste dump was urged to ensure that its treated liquid from garbage must meet the city’s wastewater treatment regulations.