VietNamNet Bridge – Residents in HCM City’s District 7 have demanded that authorities should resolve the environmental problems caused by the Da Phuoc solid waste treatment complex and the bad odour from its landfill.

A dumping site at the Da Phuoc Solid Waste Treatment Complex in HCM City’s Binh Chanh District. VNS File Photo

On Monday the city Department of Natural Resources and Environment issued a document with proposed measures in reply to their demand, but they did not go far enough in dispelling the odour.

Meanwhile, environmental experts said the volume of waste dumped at the Da Phuoc site needed to be reduced.

The District 7-based Phu My Hung Development Corp., which has developed an urban area in District 7 where thousands of people live, has petitioned relevant agencies to take measures to prevent the odour since it has no authority to deal with environmental problems.

According to Dr Pham Viet Thuan from the HCM City Institute for Natural Resources and Environment, before deodorising the area the volume of waste dumped at Da Phuoc has to be reduced.

The enormous volumes of wastes dumped there – 5,000 tonnes a day – cause the emission of large volumes of gases such as methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide, which then spread around the Sai Gon South area.

Da Phuoc needs to return 2,000 tonnes of waste per day to the Phuoc Hiep waste treatment facility in Cu Chi District and spray air fresheners at Da Phuoc.

He said taking solid waste to the Phuoc Hiep dumping site would also help the city reduce costs since Da Phuoc charged higher.

Huynh Minh Nhut, director of the HCM City Urban Environment Company Limited, said his company was ready to dump wastes at Phuoc Hiep if city authorities agree.

Constant complaints about odour

Lan Ngoc, who lives in Lacasa Phu My Hung apartments, said the bad odours start at 6.30am everyday. She would like to take a walk but could not because of it, she said.

Thuy Duong, who lives in Belleza apartments, said she no longer sat by the window for fresh air because she could not stand the odour, but authorities had done nothing to tackle the problem.

“We have yet to be informed about the remedy to the environmental problems at the Da Phuoc waste treatment complex, from where the bad odour comes.”

The stink has not only affected her personal life but also her business.

Nguyen Thi Hong Ha, a resident of Chateau apartments (in Phu My Hung area), said the smell affects 12,000 households in the area with some 30,000 members.

Environmental violations must be fined and repeat violators must be shut down, she said angrily.

Source: VNS