Garbage causes serious environmental pollution in Lach Van

Right at the beginning of the concrete dike road along Lach Van in Trung Hong hamlet, Dien Ngoc commune, has long been a place for local people to illegally dump garbage. Although the local government has built a temporary garbage collection point to take garbage every 2 days to Nghi Yen landfill (Nghi Loc), many people still carelessly litter along the dike roof, then dump it directly into Lach Van, causing serious pollution in this area.

Due to the accumulation of waste over a long period of time and not being cleaned up, the area of ​​the concrete spillway to prevent saltwater intrusion has become contaminated.Lach Vanhas become a floating garbage dump, emitting a strong stench.

Garbage accumulated for a long time without being cleaned up, so it drifted into the corner of Lach Van spillway. Photo: Tien Dong

On the roof of Lach Van dike, all kinds of household waste and construction waste are thrown everywhere. Occasionally, people collect and burn them, however, the burning is not thorough, so after a while when it rains, the garbage is carried back down to Lach Van by the water.

All kinds of waste are thrown onto the dike roof, causing serious environmental pollution. Photo: Tien Dong

While we were working in this area, we discovered a man pulling a modified cart dumping garbage onto the canal roof.

When he saw us filming, the man in the photo continued to throw away the trash as usual. Photo: Tien Dong

Not only in the area on Lach Van dike through Trung Hong hamlet, near Lach Van fishing port through Dong Loc, Yen Thinh, Hai Ly hamlets (Dien Ngoc), the situation of garbage being dumped on the roadside and along the canal mouth is also very serious. Garbage is dumped between the mangrove forest and the roadside, after a period of decomposition, emitting a strong smell.

Right in the area near Lach Van port, garbage is dumped between the mangrove forest and the roadside. Photo: Tien Dong

Even in the area adjacent to Lach Van fishing port, a large pile of snail and clam shells is dumped directly into the environment.

Ms. Van, a resident living near Lach Van fishing port, said indignantly: Dead snails and clams are dumped right next to the port yard, gradually forming large piles. When the snails and clams die, the stench is so strong that people have complained many times but still no solution has been found.

Mr. Ngo Xuan Thuy - Port Manager,Lach Van fishing portsaid: The situation of dumping snail shells and clam shells around the port has been going on for a long time, and monitoring is also very difficult, because people mainly dump illegally. According to Mr. Thuy, the port is currently coordinating with the commune to hire people to remove the snail shells and clam shells to another place, however, the cost of hiring people to remove them is currently estimated at 30 million VND.

Shells of seashells and snails are dumped right at Lach Van port. Photo: Tien Dong

Mr. Nguyen Van Dung - Vice Chairman of Dien Ngoc Commune People's Committee said: The large amount of garbage in the fishing port area makes the government and people very worried. Because people mainly dump illegally, management is also very difficult. The commune also considered hiring a supervisor at the garbage collection point, but with 5 million VND/month, there is no budget to pay.

Mr. Truong Van Duc - Head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Dien Chau district said: For a long time, waste in the communes surrounding Dien Chau town has been collected and transferred to Nghi Yen landfill for treatment. However, there are still people secretly dumping waste into Lach Van. The district has also directed the communes to manage and monitor, but it is very difficult to catch them in the act.

Tien Dong