Garbage flooded Lam River bank through Thanh Chuong

The area at the foot of Ro bridge, Vo Liet commune, Thanh Chuong district is becoming a giant landfill. Photo: Diep Phuong.

According to the people of Lam Giang village, Vo Liet commune, Thanh Chuong district, in this area, every day, dozens of garbage trucks are dumped into Lam river. The main sources of waste are from Ro market, animal carcasses and household waste from people in neighboring areas. Garbage is piled up, stretching from the foot of Ro bridge down to the riverbed. Just a little rain, the water from the pile is black.This huge amount of garbage flows straight into the river, giving off a foul smell.

After Tet, the amount of garbage piled up even more, giving off a foul smell throughout the area. Photo: Diep Phuong

Mr. Phan Duc Ly in Lam Giang village, Vo Liet commune said indignantly: “We, the people here, have had to live with this situation for many years. Every day, they bring large trucks of garbage to dump here. Especially after Tet, there is more garbage dumped, from dead animals, waste products, and household waste. The garbage is dumped continuously all day, most in the early morning and late afternoon.”

People living next to the landfill have their lives turned upside down by flies and the stench. Photo: Diep Phuong.

Mr. Ly said that during the rainy season, the Lam River rises, and a lot of garbage flows into the river, floating around. During the dry season, the garbage pile becomes a place of foul odor, spreading into every corner, disrupting people's lives. "Many days I have to wear a mask to sleep, there are countless flies, from the kitchen to the bedroom, flies are everywhere" - Mr. Ly sighed.

Water in the canals around Ro bridge has changed color and emitted a foul smell, flowing directly into Lam river. Photo: Diep Phuong

Located next to a landfill, Vo Nam (in Lam Giang village, Vo Liet commune) is always a pioneer in maintaining hygiene and has spent millions of dong to hire a bulldozer to clean up the trash. He shared: "Many times, seeing trash piled high near the house, emitting a pungent smell, I had to hire a bulldozer to rake the trash away from the house, calling on the surrounding households to help clean up the trash. One day, while we were cleaning up the trash, on the Ro bridge, there were still people carrying large bags of trash and throwing them down nonchalantly."

In addition to waste from Ro market, this is also the place where daily waste from surrounding people is collected.

Mr. Vo Trong Hoan, a long-time resident of this area, is worried: “A few years ago, there was too much waste, and no one managed it, so people buried a large amount of waste underground along the Lam River. Now, we are worried because the amount of waste buried underground and the amount of waste being brought here will cause water pollution.”

Vo Liet Commune has put up signs prohibiting littering, but people still litter freely. Photo: Diep Phuong

The situation of garbage flooding the Lam River banks not only disrupts people's lives due to pollution but also causes unpredictable consequences because the Lam River's water source is polluted, tens of thousands of households living on both banks of the Lam River and using Lam River water will be affected.