Environmental workers 'fight' huge amounts of waste during Tet

After 10 years in the profession, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang, sanitation worker of group 5, Urban Environment and Construction Joint Stock CompanyNghe Annever once knew the feeling of gathering with family to celebrate New Year's Eve. That sacred moment of transition, for everyone is a reunion, congratulations, but she and her colleagues still silently go on every street of Vinh city to do their duty. Sometimes suddenly stopping, seeing people cheering, congratulating, gathering around the family dinner table, she can't help but feel sad...

Many streets in Vinh City are flooded with garbage after Tet. Photo: NC

Environmental sanitation workers in Vinh City have to work through Tet to ensure green, clean, and beautiful streets for the people. Photo: NC

Ms. Hang sadly recalled: "On the 30th of Tet, the amount of garbage increased 4-5 times compared to normal days. I went to work from 2pm, through the night, and only returned home at 7am on the first day of Tet, only having time to clean up briefly and then continuing work on the afternoon of the first day.

After Tet, the amount of waste did not decrease at all. Every day, women worked dozens of hours on the pile of garbage. In the blink of an eye, it was the 6th day of Tet. Everyone went back to work, had a little rest, and Tet passed without anyone noticing...".

After Tet, the amount of waste in Vinh City is estimated to reach 1,000 tons/day, garbage trucks are continuously transported to the collection site. Photo: NC

Not only Ms. Hang but that is also the common situation of hundreds of people.Workersanitation in Vinh City during Tet this year. It is known that from December 20, the amount of waste began to increase, after Tet, the amount of waste reached its peak. Sanitation workers have to work throughout Tet, without days off to ensure the streets are green, clean, and beautiful to serve people to enjoy Tet and welcome Spring.

Ms. Bui Thi Dung, a workertoiletshared: "Last year, there were fireworks on New Year's Eve. Even though we were dirty, we still took out our phones to take souvenir photos. This year, it's very sad. On New Year's Eve, the streets were quiet. I also quietly did my work."

On New Year's Eve, sanitation workers in Vinh City had to clean up thousands of kumquat trees left behind by traders, leaving them unable to gather with their families. Photo: PV

Sharing her wishes for the New Year, Ms. Dung said: "I just hope that people are aware of littering the environment, gathering garbage in the right place and at the right time so that we can collect it conveniently and quickly, that's enough to make me happy."

Understanding the hardships that sanitation workers have to go through during Tet, it is known that after the peak period of garbage collectionLunar New YearThis year, sanitation workers will be given compensatory time off to take care of family matters and visit relatives. Although it is a bit late, this is a precious consolation for those who work as sanitation workers.

Nghe An Provincial Youth Union and Vinh City Youth Union presented gifts to environmental sanitation workers on New Year's Eve. Photo: PV

According to statistics, if on normal days, the amount of domestic waste in Vinh City fluctuates from 280 - 300 tons/day, during the recent Tet holidays it has increased to nearly 1,000 tons/day. Currently, Nghe An Urban Environment and Construction Joint Stock Company has directed 100% of its human and material resources, including 450 sanitation workers and nearly 40 specialized vehicles to work continuously after Tet to soon return a green, clean and beautiful environment to the city.