The Da Nang Department of Natural Resources and Environment has worked with the Municipal Management Board for Infrastructure Construction and Urban Development Investment Projects to conduct comprehensive assessment of waste transfer stations in line with the direction from the Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee.

Vehicles at the two stations meet environmental standards for waste transportation. Photo: DIEP NHU

Since November 15, the Thanh Khe Environmental Enterprise has transported waste to the Le Thanh Nghi Waste Transfer Station, boosting the station's operational capacity to 100%.

Every day, there are 9-10 trips of 5-ton transport trucks brought to the station with a combined total of 45-50 tons of garbage collected from such main streets in Thanh Khe District, as Ham Nghi, Hung Vuong, Le Duan, Hoang Hoa Tham, Nguyen Tri Phuong, Le Dinh Ly, and Hai Phong.

The efficiency of waste collection has significantly improved compared to the previous operation of 7-ton transport vehicles, attributed to the shortened time and route for garbage transport, as opposed to sending it to the Khanh Son Landfill, thereby enhancing environmental cleanliness on the above- mentioned streets.

Mr Nguyen Viet Hung, the Director of Thanh Khe Environmental Enterprise, shared that the garbage collection route to the Le Thanh Nghi Waste Transfer Station encompasses various streets and areas demanding elevated urban aesthetic and sanitation.

After a month of garbage collection and transportation along this route, the process has become more stable, with reduced vehicle turnaround time contributing to an improvement in urban sanitation.

Trucks start their rounds from 6:00 a.m., enabling waste collectors to begin early and reduce the accumulation of waste on the roads during peak hours.

The swift return of trucks to collection points implies that sanitation workers don't have to wait long while the arrangement of three garbage collection rounds at night becomes feasible, resulting in cleaner streets and a reduction in residual waste until the following morning.

Mr Hoang Van Tung, a representative of the SEEN - SAMCO contractor consortium that is responsible for construction and operation of two waste transfer stations, has highlighted that the activation of the city's two waste stations has notably escalated the level of professionalism and considerably improved the tasks of waste collection and transportation across Son Tra, Hai Chau, Cam Le, and Thanh Khe districts.

The operation of waste transfer stations, along with the concurrent investment by Da Nang Urban Environment JSC in over 20 compact garbage collection trucks, has eased the process of waste collection and transportartion on narrower urban roads and within the waste transfer station itself.

This has not only upgraded the city's sanitation quality but also ensured a cleaner environment and increased traffic safety on various streets, as well as create a healthier living environment for local residents compared to the past.

The investment and operation of waste transfer stations strategically align with the city's directive to build waste-to-energy plants or waste treatment plants using advanced technology. This approach separates and treats leachate at the transfer station and wastewater treatment stations, thus reducing 40-50% of costs compared to a centralized leachate treatment station. Simultaneously, it reduces waste treatment costs as the overall waste volume decreases but thermal treatment increases, improving the efficiency of waste burning to generate electricity. This process also minimizes corrosion to the incinerator materials and decreases harmful emissions.

According to an assessment from the Da Nang Management Board for Infrastructure Construction and Urban Development Investment Projects that is responsible for managing these two stations, the waste transfer stations have achieved acceptable standards for waste water and emissions quality over a period of operation.

Odor has not spread beyond these facilities and the noise level has reduced. The process of maintenance and replacement of compressing equipment, which are domestically produced, has been facilitated; the waste compressing lines are installed separately so both stations operate continuously without interruption for maintenance or servicing.

The Municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment has conveyed that through the collective feedback of organizations, units, and districts, the activation of waste transfer stations has significantly enhanced waste collection and transportation across Da Nang, thus contributing to urban aesthetic improvements and environmental amelioration.

The time allocated for waste collection in the city’s streets and residential areas is now set to a fixed schedule; the round-trip time for waste collection trucks has been shortened from 45 minutes to the Khanh Son Landfill to just 10 minutes to the transfer station.

This optimisation has facilitated steady and prompt waste clearance, without causing waste congestion in residential areas. The number of waste collection stations and temporary waste collection stations have decreased while the volume of waste transferred from the Son Tra district waste transfer station to the Khanh Son Landfill has reduced by 9.8%, and from the waste transfer station on the Le Thanh Nghi Waste Transfer Station by 7.9%. This reduction aids in decreasing the cost of transporting to the Khanh Son Landfill, and the waste treatment costs by 7.9-9.8%.

The waste transfer stations are yielding economic benefits by enhancing urban aesthetics, living conditions, supporting growth in the service sectors, tourism, and other industries. Since the operation of these transfer stations, there have been no public complaints regarding environmental issues; their activities are effectively in line with the city's approved investment goals.

To enhance the operational efficiency of waste transfer stations, the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment has asked the municipal government to continue working with the municipal Management Board for Infrastructure Construction and Urban Development Investment Projects for continued monitoring and assessment of these stations in line with the city’s regulations.

At the same time, importance will be attached to creating plans and procedures for operating the transfer stations on weekends, public holidays, festivals, New Year and Lunar New Year, or even in emergency situations when the city experiences spikes in waste volumes  in an attempt to ensure efficacy, safety, and environmental sanitation.

The authorities in Hai Chau, Thanh Khe, Cam Le, and Son Tra districts are coordinating with the municipal Management Board for Infrastructure Construction and Urban Development Investment Projects and Da Nang Urban Environment JSC to review and adjust the waste collection and transportation plans. This also includes the management of bulky waste to ensure the service scope of waste transfer stations and adopt waste collection schedules in line with the actual situation.

Reporting by Diep Nhu - Translating by Hoai Trang