Overload from factory to landfill in Lam Dong

Overload from factory to landfill

P'ré landfill, Phu Hoi commune, Duc Trong district ( Lam Dong province) has long been a hot spot for environmental pollution. Located right next to Phu Hoi Industrial Park, the open-air landfill of more than 3 hectares was established many years ago, receiving an average of about 100 tons of garbage per day. After being collected, the garbage is "processed" by burial, without a collection system or closed fence.

Ten years ago, the landfill was on the list of facilities causing serious pollution. In 2020, Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee decided to close the P'ré landfill in the period of 2020-2023, however, by the end of 2023, Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee extended the closure date to the end of 2025.

Leachate from the P'ré landfill has long been a hotspot for environmental pollution. Photo: DOAN KIEN

At the Lam Ha district landfill (Xoan residential group, Dinh Van town, Lam Ha district), for many years now, the landfill has been regularly on fire, causing environmental pollution. There have been fires at this landfill that lasted up to 2 months, affecting the lives of about 400 households in the area.

P'ré landfill. Photo: DOAN KIEN

Environmental pollution from solid waste does not only occur at landfills but also in waste treatment plants. For example, at the solid waste treatment plant in Dai Lao commune (Bao Loc city) of Friendly Green Environment Joint Stock Company, due to its design on a high hill, the amount of waste collected here is not covered, so every time it rains heavily, the leachate flows down Dai Lao stream to Bao Loc city, on hot days, the stench from the waste plant also spreads to the surrounding area, causing air pollution.

A similar situation also occurred at the solid waste treatment plant in Xuan Truong commune (Da Lat city) operated by Green Energy Environment Company Limited. Both plants, which are invested with the most modern technology and are the largest in Lam Dong, have been fined hundreds of millions of VND for discharging wastewater that exceeds technical standards on waste dozens of times; these plants have also operated "at a standstill" many times due to lack of resources.

Mr. La Thien Luan, Head of the Environment Department, Department of Agriculture and Environment of Lam Dong province, said that currently, on average, about 1,092 tons of waste are generated every day in Lam Dong province, the average collection and treatment rate of solid waste is about 88%, of which, in urban areas it is 96%, in rural areas it is 80%. The locality has 3 waste treatment plants in operation in Da Lat city, Bao Loc and Don Duong district, processing more than 500 tons/day. In addition, Lien Dam solid waste treatment plant (phase 1), in Lien Dam commune is in the trial operation phase with a phase 1 capacity of 150 tons/day, while the locality has up to 10 landfills in the districts that do not ensure sanitary conditions and do not have a wastewater collection and treatment system.

Long term solution

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Phuc, Vice Chairman of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee, said that the amount of waste from agricultural waste (vegetables, flowers) in the area is quite large. In the near future, the province is expected to have two large tourist cities, Da Lat and Phan Thiet, so the need for waste treatment is also very large.

“The locality is facing certain difficulties in sorting waste from the beginning. In fact, there was a pilot project, but after sorting, there were no vehicles to sort each type, which was ultimately ineffective. In addition, Lam Dong has a very large area and a wide radius, so collection is extremely difficult. The factory serves 3-4 districts, but the long travel distance is also less attractive to investors,” said Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Phuc.

Lien Dam Solid Waste Treatment Plant in Di Linh District, Lam Dong Province has just been put into trial operation. After being treated, waste will be used to produce biofertilizer, unburnt bricks, and recycled plastics in a closed, circular model. Photo: DOAN KIEN

According to Associate Professor Dr. Phung Chi Sy, Vice President of the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (VACNE), in Lam Dong, it is necessary to consider waste as a resource, from waste destruction to waste recycling, from "waste management" to "integrated waste management".

DOAN KIEN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/qua-tai-tu-nha-may-toi-bai-rac-tai-lam-dong-post795918.html