Ho Chi Minh City faces waste backlogs as landfill restricts daytime operations

The treatment complex in Hung Long Commune will daily receive waste from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am, which is expected to disrupt the city’s collection and transport operations.

According to the municipal Department of Agriculture and Environment, many wards and communes citywide currently send their waste to Da Phuoc, with an average of 4,550 metric tons of waste per day, equivalent to 443 truckloads.

This volume is traditionally split between daytime and nighttime shifts: about 1,800 metric tons (175 trips) during the day, and 2,750 metric tons (268 trips) at night.

Under the city’s current vehicle restriction rules, the full cycle of collection, transfer, and transportation requires around 17 hours each day for completion.

However, with the new decision, garbage trucks will struggle to complete their routes and return within only 11 hours daily.

Some may be forced to divert to the Tay Bac Solid Waste Treatment Complex, doubling travel distances from an average of 22 kilometers to 47 kilometers.

As a result, public service companies will find it increasingly difficult to ensure full daily collection across the city.

In some wards without transfer stations, garbage must be transported directly to waste treating facilities.

Meanwhile, with many events and high visitor traffic, downtown areas face the highest pressure.

Waste from markets, streets, and public buildings must be collected on fixed schedules, with no room for delays.

With Da Phuoc closed during daytime hours, trash from markets and commercial areas may not be picked up in time, increasing the likelihood of waste piling up on streets and at designated collection points.

As for wards with transfer stations, they are at risk of garbage accumulation as these stations are operating beyond capacity.

The adjustment to collection shifts have left stations unable to handle the daytime volume.

To address these mounting challenges, the department has proposed several measures:

Solution 1: Redirect the daytime volume of 1,800 metric tons to the Tay Bac Solid Waste Treatment Complex.

Solution 2: Send the daytime volume of 1,800 metric tons to local transfer stations instead.

Solution 3: Shift source-level collection across the city from daytime to nighttime.

Solution 4: Prioritize and redirect waste from certain areas at risk of overflow to the Tay Bac complex.

The fourth solution is considered the most feasible.

The department has also hinted at revising the city’s vehicle restriction schedule and issuing traffic permits for waste management vehicles, ensuring they can operate without hindrance during peak collection times.