The HCMC government plans to call a press conference next week to publicize the cause of odor which has recently plagued the southern districts of Binh Chanh, Nha Be and 7, according to the city’s Department of Natural Resources and the Environment.

Nguyen Toan Thang, director of the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment, speaks at a meeting on environmental issues on September 14

Nguyen Toan Thang, director of the department, told reporters about the plan on the sidelines of a meeting on environmental issues in HCMC on September 14. He said all information about the odor will be made clear early next week and added that less odor has been felt in the districts in recent times.

The department said the city has about 830 sources of industrial waste gases with 70% of them having treatment systems.

HCMC discharges about 7,500 tons of garbage per day, with 76% of it buried, 14.7% recycled for composting fertilizer and 9.3% incinerated. Of the total, 5,000, 1,200 and 1,000 tons was treated by Da Phuoc integrated waste management facility in Binh Chanh, Vietstar waste treatment complex and Tam Sinh Nghia, respectively. The rest was buried at Landfill No. 3 in Cu Chi District.

According to the department, many people have bemoaned odor and noise pollution at waste transfer stations and landfills.

The department said the city will install automatic monitoring systems to check post-processed leachate quality and air quality at landfills. It required waste treatment units to spray more deodorants, treat leachate properly, separate leachate reservoirs, ensure effective collection of rainwater and leachate, and wash garbage trucks before they leave the sites.

HCMC chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong said a lot of people keep a close watch on environmental issues. He furthered waste treatment complexes should plant trees and investors need to weigh the waste collection time to limit odor from spreading.

Recently, residents in the south of HCMC including the districts of Binh Chanh, Nha Be and 7 complained that they had been attacked by ill smells, particularly at night.

From September 7 to 10 the city’s environmental agencies sent out people to determine where the odor comes from.

As many as 30 odor monitoring staff inspected all possible sources including rivers, canals, production facilities, waste transfer stations, wastewater treatment facilities, wastewater reservoirs and waste treatment complexes.

The monitoring team will focus on residential areas which have been recently affected by unpleasant smells like Phu My Hung; Belleza, Duc Khai and Phu My condominiums, and Lacasa building by using sensors and wind direction determination to locate sources of odors.

The city is drawing up a master plan for solid waste treatment in the 2016-2020 period with an aim of recycling 40% and bury 60% of the total. However, 75% of the city’s total garbage discharged is still buried.

SGT