Description

For more than 10 years, local residents have suffered the pollution caused by the uncontrolled dumpsite of domestic solid waste of Ngọc Hồi district. The dumpsite is located in the middle of a rubber garden area in Đăk Kan commune, only 300 meters away from the residential settlement. The pollution comes from the emissions of smoke, dust, stinking smell, and leachate caused by the burning and rotting of the waste, not mentioning to the intensive presence of flies. For the time going, it has become more and more polluted. The dumpsite has been overloaded and garbage overflows outside. Local residents reported that since 2005 this situation has begun, many people have respiratory diseases and suffer from cough, asthma, bronchitis, and stunting.

Domestic waste dumpsite located in Đăk Kan commune, Ngọc Hồi district, Kon Tum province. Source of photo: https://baotainguyenmoitruong.vn

It is known that the Kon Tum province’s People’s Committee has approved the adjustment of the construction project of the solid waste treatment complex in Ngọc Hồi district. According to this project, the new landfill is still located in Đăk Kan commune but will be about 10 kilometers away from the residential area. It is total funding of 49.3 billion VNĐ. Part of this is provided by the state budget and another half is from the counterpart capital of Ngọc Hồi district. The new landfill is expected to be completed and operated in July 2023. Until then, hundreds of households living near the dumpsite still have to suffer the environmental pollution.

Mismanagement of domestic waste landfills or dumpsites causing serious environmental pollution is not rare in Vietnam, especially in rural or suburban areas.

Source & further information: ”Kon Tum: Người dân phản ánh bãi rác huyện Ngọc Hồi gây ô nhiễm môi trường” at https://baotainguyenmoitruong.vn, accessed on 7 January 2022.