Heavy rainfall led to a landslide of the banks of the mud storage tank at Nam Sơn Waste Treatment Complex on May 3. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI - The Hà Nội People's Committee has called for stringent measures to prevent incidents during the operation of the city’s centralised landfills, particularly at the Nam Sơn Waste Treatment Complex, following recent environmental issues.

From April 30 to May 3, continuous heavy rainfall (about 100mm in total) led to a landslide of the banks of the mud storage tank at Cell 1, Stage I of the Nam Sơn Waste Treatment Complex on May 3.

Following the incident, the Sóc Sơn District People's Committee coordinated with the Technical Centre for Resources and Environment (under the Hà Nội Department of Natural Resources and Environment) to direct the operating unit, the Joint Venture of 68 Service and Trading Joint Stock Company and Sơn Tây Urban Environment Joint Stock Company, to mobilise machinery and manpower to promptly address the incident. Efforts were made to minimise the leak of waste and sludge to prevent environmental contamination.

Deputy Chairman Nguyễn Trọng Đông emphasised the need for relevant sectors and districts, including Sóc Sơn and Ba Vì districts, and Sơn Tây Town, to coordinate closely and adhere strictly to their responsibilities.

The City People's Committee has assigned the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to lead efforts, in collaboration with the Sóc Sơn District People's Committee, to thoroughly address arising incidents. They are tasked with identifying both objective and subjective causes, clarifying the responsibilities of units and individuals involved in the incident that occurred on May 3, 2024, at the Nam Sơn Waste Treatment Complex, and reporting the findings within May 2024.

Hà Nội's Department of Natural Resources and Environment will conduct a comprehensive inspection of the city's centralised waste treatment facilities. They are to proactively detect and handle issues, develop and implement effective prevention plans to ensure security and safety, and prevent incidents during operation, especially during the rainy and stormy season. Results are to be reported in May 2024.

According to Deputy Chairman of the Sóc Sơn District People's Committee Phạm Quang Ngọc, the Nam Sơn Waste Treatment Complex currently receives and processes an average of 6,600 tonnes of waste per day and night from the entire city of Hà Nội. The infrastructure of this treatment facility has significantly deteriorated, with landfill cells no longer able to accept waste and large amounts of leachate accumulating in ponds. However, daily waste disposal by landfill methods continues, posing a high risk to safety and security in the area.

In light of this situation, the Sóc Sơn District People's Committee has requested the City People's Committee to direct the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to enhance inspection and supervision of the waste treatment processes of the operating units in the treatment complex. They urged for timely solutions to issues arising from the operation, particularly the odour of waste and the outbreak of flies affecting local residents' daily lives, and for reporting and proposing solutions for issues beyond their authority to minimise environmental pollution and public discontent.

The Sóc Sơn District People's Committee also requested the City People's Committee to direct relevant departments and sectors to thoroughly handle incidents arising during the operation of the Nam Sơn Waste Treatment Complex and to propose long-term solutions for operational issues.

Additionally, they called for the renovation and reconstruction of deteriorated infrastructure posing safety risks at waste and leachate storage cells, the study and construction of additional waste treatment plants (waste incineration) at the Nam Sơn Waste Treatment Complex to meet the daily waste treatment needs of the city and the waste buried over the years, and the decisive handling of remaining leachate in the storage cells. VNS