Huong Khe Town in the central province of Ha Tinh has been covered in rubbish and a foul smell as their only dumping site is overloaded.

"We're still paying the fees but no one comes to take the rubbish away in the past month. The foul smell from illegal rubbish dumping is unbearable," Nguyen Van Tuan, a local in Huong Khe Town said.

Rubbish is accumulating on every street and corner. According to the locals, the authorities told them to try to deal with the rubbish themselves. However, the rubbish is mounting up over time and the town may be completely covered in rubbish if the authorities don't do anything soon.

Rubbish from Huong Khe Town is often moved to Trai Lon dumping site but the site was overloaded and caused pollution. Huong Khe District authorities had decided to close it on May 26. But since the new waste treatment facility hasn't completed, the district opened the site again.

People living near Trai Lon dumping site opposed the decision because of the foul smell and pollution and blocked trucks carrying rubbish from entering.

Le Huu Thai, chairman of Huong Khe District, said the town produced 10 tonnes of rubbish each day and there was no space left to dump rubbish. They are calling for the people living near Trai Lon dumping site to open the road so they can collect and classify the rubbish on the streets.

"But it's a temporary plan. The problem can only be solved when the new treatment facility is completed and put into operation," he said.

Dtinews