Vinh City: The problem of illegal dumping of construction waste

(Baonghean) - The rapid urbanization of Vinh City in recent years has led to an increasing volume of construction waste. However, instead of dumping it in the city's construction landfill, drivers and many residents choose to illegally dump construction waste on roadsides, sidewalks, and vacant lots in residential areas.

Looking tired after a sleepless night with the neighborhood militia force ambushing truck drivers who illegally dumped construction waste, Mr. Nguyen Tat Thao - Vice Chairman of Trung Do Ward People's Committee and Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, an urban officer of the ward, said that for more than a year now, these have been regular activities in the ward. As a unit located adjacent to Hung Loi Commune (Hung Nguyen), surrounded by a low dike system with many lakes and vacant lots, Trung Do has long been a place where truck drivers illegally dumped construction waste and solid waste. Currently, the ward has 4 large construction projects: the project of Hanoi Housing Company, Dai Thanh Construction Company, the Vinh River dike construction site and the resettlement project of the Le Mao extended road.

Due to economic difficulties, some construction projects are being carried out at a slow pace. Taking advantage of this, solid waste and construction waste transporters often send trucks to illegally dump waste. The ward has set up a hotline and coordinated with all sectors to inform people that if they discover any violations, they need to call urgently. Upon receiving the report, the urban regulations force and the ward's environmental officers must immediately be present to take preventive measures, request unloading and impose fines. Every night, the ward sets up patrol teams and checkpoints to promptly detect and handle violators. In the last months of 2013, the ward People's Committee coordinated with the ward police to administratively sanction 6 cases of illegal construction waste dumping, with an administrative fine of 10 million VND. Since the beginning of 2014, the ward has repeatedly caught and promptly stopped many truck drivers who were planning to illegally dump construction waste. For these subjects, the working groups only prevent dumping, remind and absolutely prohibit illegal dumping of construction waste in residential areas.

Construction waste dumped by people on Ho Tong Thoc street, Vinh city.

In Ha Huy Tap ward, the situation of dumping construction waste occurs frequently in some vacant land areas in Phong Toan block, Pham Dinh Toai street and some temporary garbage collection sites. Ms. Dang Thi Hoa - Chairman of Ha Huy Tap ward People's Committee said, in the face of the situation that some drivers illegally dump construction waste at night, the ward's urban regulations team coordinates with the blocks and hamlets to regularly inspect and handle administrative violations against violators.

In addition to the illegal dumping of construction waste in vacant lots in residential areas, in Vinh City, there has long been a phenomenon of households constructing or renovating their houses dumping construction waste into garbage trucks, causing many difficulties for collection. Mr. Nguyen Tien Dung, Head of Inspection Department, Nghe An Urban Environment Company, said that illegal dumping of construction waste has become a problem. Homeowners who are renovating or building houses have taken advantage of the dumping of household waste to illegally dump construction waste.

In the process of urbanization of the city, the generation of waste and construction waste is inevitable. Since 2009, Vinh City has developed a project for temporary construction waste collection. According to the plan, the city has selected 5 locations for construction waste collection sites, including 2 sites in Hung Dong commune (with a total area of ​​30,000 m2), Nghi Lien commune (area of ​​more than 35,000 m2) and 1 site in Vinh Tan ward (area of ​​more than 16,000 m2). These are low-lying locations, far from residential areas, convenient for trucks to enter and exit and ensure other factors. In the beginning, these landfills were directly managed by the People's Committees of wards and communes. By 2013, the City People's Committee transferred them to Nghe An Urban Environment Company for operation and management. Currently, the company is using two landfills in Vinh Tan ward and Hung Dong commune as a point to serve the needs of construction waste collection of the people. When dumping construction solid waste in this area, people do not have to pay any fees. However, drivers and people still do not dump construction waste in the right place but often dump it illegally in residential areas.

According to the regulations of Vinh City People's Committee, organizations, families and individuals with solid construction waste must classify it for recycling and use for different purposes before it is collected and transported to the right location and at the right time, to avoid causing environmental pollution. However, for a long time, this has been left unanswered. "For a long time, according to habit, when there is construction waste, the homeowner often only contracts with the driver to transport it, but the responsibility of the driver to dump the waste is not the homeowner's responsibility. Because they are afraid of spending money on gas, many drivers have chosen to dump it illegally. Some households do not even rent trucks but choose to dump it at night, mixing construction waste with household waste, causing pollution and loss of urban beauty," said Mr. Nguyen Tat Thao, Vice Chairman of Trung Do Ward People's Committee.

Discussing the solution to prevent the situation of construction solid waste being dumped everywhere, affecting people's lives as well as urban beauty, Mr. Nguyen Tien Dung said that if the urban regulations force in wards and communes work seriously and handle the situation strongly, the situation will certainly be controlled. In addition, it is also necessary to build a severe penalty regime that is strong enough to deter. In addition, construction licensing agencies also need to have additional mandatory regulations, requiring construction owners to sign contracts to transport construction solid waste in accordance with regulations, ensuring that it is classified and collected in the right place. If there is a violation, there may be a penalty, if there is a repeat offense, the project may be suspended.

In addition, agencies and units of the Vinh City People's Committee need to closely coordinate with relevant agencies such as the police force, construction inspectors, traffic inspectors, officers of the City Urban Environment Company and residential groups to promptly detect and handle violations. In the immediate future, organize strict inspections and handling to create order and awareness for people in handling construction waste. By doing so, the situation of "garbage thieves" in wards and communes in Vinh City will certainly be reduced and gradually ended. This is also one of the goals to build Vinh City into a civilized, clean and modern urban area.

Article and photos:Nguyen Khoa