Hanoi’s Nguyen Khang Street has faced mounting piles of rubbish as collections have halted for two days following protests over a waste treatment plant.   

As of 9 pm on July 22, tonnes of rubbish on the Ring Road 3, Nguyen Trai, and Nguyen Khang streets had piled up. A leader of Yen Hoa Ward said long rainy days resulted in increased rubbish.  

Many people threw their rubbish on the river banks, creating more difficulties for sanitation workers. The workers can only collect the rubbish into dumping locations and wait for the rubbish trucks.

The main cause is because dozens of people blocked the roads to Nam Son Waste Treatment Complex on July 21 and 22 to demand the local authorities to quickly relocate the households living within 500 metres of the complex. They also asked the authorities to deal with health care and other services for the households in the polluted area. 

Hanoi Vice Chairman Nguyen The Hung visited Soc Son District to deal with the case on July 22. Some rubbish trucks were stuck along the streets while others had to go to a dumping site in Son Tay Town.

The manager at Nam Son complex said, "After many units arrived to talk with the locals, the roads have been cleared."

Nam Son Waste Treatment Complex has the capacity to deal with 4,000 tonnes of rubbish every day from Hanoi's inner districts. It covers 83.4 hectares and is considered the biggest waste treatment facility in Hanoi.

Rubbish pile up on Nguyen Khang Street on July 22

An environment worker collects rubbish on the evening of July 22 

Laodong/dtinews