Household waste collection: Establish service prices and appropriate collection hours

In the first two months of 2025, the rate of household waste collection in urban areas reached more than 94.8%, and in rural areas it reached nearly 80%, ensuring the target assigned by the Provincial People's Committee. However, to make household waste collection more effective, it is necessary to urgently develop service prices and organize more suitable collection time frames.

Increase frequency, expand area

According to the Department of Environmental Protection (Department of Agriculture and Environment), up to now, 11/11 districts, towns and cities have increased the frequency and area of household waste collection. In urban areas, the amount of household waste collected is more than 533 tons/day, in rural areas more than 401 tons/day.

With the goal of collecting 98% of waste in urban areas by 2025 (equivalent to about 20,077 tons/20,500 tons of waste generated), An Nhon Urban Services Management Board has increased the frequency of household waste collection to 7 times/week in Binh Dinh, Dap Da, Nhon Hung, Nhon Thanh, Nhon Hoa wards. Deputy Head of the Management Board Ho Van Quang said: Currently, the unit has 9 specialized garbage compactors with 70 workers to collect and transport 3,240 tons of household waste/month in An Nhon town. In addition, the unit is equipped with 86 handcarts and improved carts specializing in collecting waste on small roads and alleys that specialized garbage compactors cannot enter to expand the collection area.

In addition, localities have focused on checking and controlling the volume of domestic waste at landfills to improve the efficiency of waste collection and treatment. To date, 6/6 centralized landfills that meet hygiene standards and 1 incinerator (in An Lao district) have installed weighing stations and surveillance cameras, and connected to data.

According to Mr. Tran Dinh, Head of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hoai Nhon Town, the locality connects the data of the weighing station and the camera to monitor the volume of household waste collected at the centralized treatment area. Along with that, through specialized software, it will directly monitor and supervise in real time to report data according to regulations.

An Nhon Urban Services Management Board collects household waste in Binh Dinh ward. Photo: VL

Build service prices and organize appropriate collection times

In addition to the achieved results, the collection, transportation and treatment of domestic waste in the province still has some shortcomings, which significantly affect the effectiveness of this work. Some localities have not yet agreed on a fixed schedule and collection time, or the collection time is not suitable, which limits the collection efficiency. Some localities have issued quite detailed plans for the collection, transportation and treatment of domestic waste in the management area, but the implementation is not complete and accurate. Moreover, along with the public waste collection plan, the issue of waste collection in canals also needs to be paid more attention; the capacity of the collection unit also needs to be strengthened and improved to be able to divide and expand the collection area better.

Ensuring the successful completion of the targets assigned by the Provincial People's Committee is currently facing many difficulties because the project of the domestic and industrial waste treatment plant in Cat Nhon commune (Phu Cat district) and the landfill project in Vinh Thanh district have not yet been completed despite exceeding the prescribed time. The progress of closing temporary landfills is still slow, currently only 12/34 landfills have been closed, while 22/34 landfills continue to operate, affecting environmental sanitation.

“Recently, there has been a situation where some localities have neglected the inspection and supervision of the collection and treatment of domestic waste in their management areas. This will significantly affect the results of the implementation of the target of domestic waste collection in 2025,” said Mr. Nguyen Viet Cuong, Head of the Department of Environmental Protection.

According to Ms. Ha Thi Thanh Huong, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, to further improve the efficiency of collecting, transporting and treating domestic waste, localities need to speed up the implementation of projects on treatment plants and landfills for domestic solid waste; speed up the progress of environmental improvement and restoration and the closure of temporary landfills.

In addition, urgently develop a price plan for collection services for people according to regulations, send it to the Department of Agriculture and Environment for appraisal and submit it to the Provincial People's Committee to issue specific prices. Develop a price plan for collection, transportation and treatment of domestic waste applicable to investors and collection, transportation and treatment facilities based on correct and sufficient calculations to serve as a basis for ordering and bidding according to regulations.

The commune-level authorities maintain the management of domestic waste in the area. The waste collection unit arranges a scientific and effective collection schedule and time frame, suitable to the living habits of the people to ensure that the waste is collected on time as prescribed.

VAN LUC

Source: https://baobinhdinh.vn/viewer.aspx?macm=5&macmp=5&mabb=343314