| Abstract | Rapid urbanization, industrialization and population growth generate many problems related
to environmental management in Viet Nam such as air, water, soil, and noise pollution, traffic
jams, solid waste, etc. In particular, the municipal solid waste management has faced and is
facing many problems in HCM City in quantities of waste generation, storage, collection,
transportation and transfer to landfill sites, and treatment and disposal. Moreover,
inappropriate and inefficient disposing of municipal solid waste of the city has become a
serious threat to environmental and community health (due to air pollution, contamination of
water sources), bad odors and accident hazards as well as the creation of insect vectors of
disease. Disposal is still done by open dumping for all of the existing landfill sites. The city
lacks planning for disposal sites while the waste generation increases daily. Deficiencies in
strategies, institutional strength and disposal safety prevent long-term improvement in terms of
environmental protection.
This study reviews the present situation of solid waste and identifies and assesses the problems
related to this system concentrating on landfill disposal and waste management of collection
and transp01tation. The aim is to investigate municipal solid waste management to understand
and solve the gap of problems relate to collection, transportation and disposal. It also evaluates
current solid waste disposal practices at landfill sites in HCMC.
The methodology of the study involved collection of data and information through interviews,
observation, and in field survey questionnaire. Up to now, solid waste has been thrown into
the holes and open dumping. The existing Dong Thanh and Go Cat landfills are still open
dumping and will be full by the end of year 2001(HOWADICO). In the present context,
municipal solid waste has become one of urgent problems in HCMC.
This study concentrated on the field survey of resident and scavengers, observation, secondary
data, and of discussions and interviewing of 20 staff, directors of organizations related to
municipal SWM in HCMC such as DTPW, District Enterprises, CITENCO, HOWADICO,
private sector, Cong Nong cooperation, Centema, EPC, etc. It evaluated current solid waste
management with relation to collection, transportation and disposal in the city. It recommends
new sanitary landfill sites to satisfy the demand of disposal capacity of the city. Those will
minimize the effect of landfills to residents and scavengers including serious problems like
odor, dust, noise, contamination of soil and water resource, and health risks such as respiratory
disorder fever, disease of fever, ear, nose, and throat disorder, etc.
The study recommends new sanitary landfill sites that ensure standards, hygienic conditions,
and minimize the impact of landfills on the environment and public health. It also
recommends an action plan to improve solid waste collection, transp01tation and disposal and
strengthen the solid waste organization. Further, this study recommends for efficiency in
municipal solid waste landfill disposal and treatment of waste by regulatory, economic
instruments and raising public awareness and environmental education of people of the city. |
