Youth volunteers collect rubbish in An Giang Province. — Photo baoangiang.com.vn

AN GIANG — An Giang was planning to close 33 polluting rubbish dumps by 2025, deputy director of the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE) Võ Hùng Dũng said on Thursday at a conference about collecting and treating solid waste in the province.

On average, the province discharges more than 1,100 tonnes of solid waste per day, of which about 505 tonnes are from urban areas and more than 600 tonnes rom rural areas, according to DONRE.

The province collects about 718 tonnes of rubbish per day, and the remaining, from poor remote areas, is treated by local residents. They often bury, burn or simply dump it.

At present, rubbish is buried using hygienic measures at three plants in Châu Thành, Châu Đốc and Phú Tân districts.

The plan is expected to cost more than VNĐ200 billion (US$8.6 million). Most of funding will be sourced from the State budget due to the provincial budget's limit.

DONRE has asked the provincial Department of Construction to speed up construction work on three rubbish treatment plants in Long Xuyên, Châu Đốc and Phú Tân districts to cope with the extra burden. They are scheduled to go into operation next year.

The department has also asked the An Giang Urban Environment JSC to complete procedures to open two incinerators in Thoại Sơn and Tri Tôn districts and one hygienic landfill in Châu Thành District. — VNS