VietNamNet Bridge – The first phase of a new rubbish treatment plant in central city was inaugurated yesterday (June 28), making it the first plant in Viet Nam to get updated technology.

Khanh Son dump in Da Nang -- Photo: danangonline

The plant, located at Khanh Son dump, the largest tip in the city, will process 200 tonnes of rubbish per day in the first stage and 700 tonnes after the second stage becomes operational by 2016.

"It's a step forward for the city's garbage treatment efforts as 100 per cent of daily rubbish will be recycled to produce oil, unbaked bricks, and bio charcoal," said vice chairman of the city's People's Committee Nguyen Ngoc Tuan.

Tuan said he hoped the plant will eventually help turn the city into a green zone by 2025, adding that 90 per cent of the city's daily rubbish is currently buried.

Director of the city's natural resources and environment department Nguyen Dieu said:

"This is the city's first-ever successful rubbish recycling project. The processing plant will solve the problem of limited land for dumping garbage and ease air as well as underground pollution caused by existing dumps".

The city reserves an annual fund of VND7 billion (US$333,000) for waste collection and treatment, but it could not solve the problem of pollution from dumps.

According to Nguyen Van Tuan, Director of the Viet Nam Environment Joint-Stock Company, his plant will process daily wastes from all the dumps, including plastic waste, which is the toughest to dispose of.

Khanh Son dump, which expanded from 9.8ha in 1992 to 48.3ha in 2007, will be closed down by 2020.

The old dump, which stored 1.4 million tonnes of rubbish between 1992 and 2006, has polluted underground water and the environment in suburban Lien Chieu District

The plant, built on an area of 20ha, has locally made equipment and cost VND400 billion (US$19 million) in the first stage construction work.

VNS