Hanoi (VNA) - Urbanisation and a sharp increase in population havepresented a number of challenges for Hanoi, one of which is the collection andtreatment of household waste in a way that causes minimal impact to theenvironment.

Hanoidischarges nearly 5,400 tonnes of household garbage per day, of which 3,200tonnes come from urban areas, and the remaining waste from rural areas,according to the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

However,only 70 percent of the garbage was transported to treatment zones.

Lastyear, four main districts Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, Hai Ba Trung and Dong Da usedtrucks to collect garbage. But in other districts, collections were stillconducted with handcarts, which are less environmentally friendly and tend toexacerbate traffic congestion.

NguyenXuan Tuan, who works as a motorbike taxi driver in Hai Ba Trung district, saidthat water leaking from the garbage has a bad smell and attracts a large amountof flies.

NguyenThi Xuan, another resident in Yen Hoa ward, Cau Giay district, said that afterthe carts were emptied they were not covered or cleaned, thus causing anunpleasant odour for local residents.

Areport in the Hanoi Moi (New Hanoi) newspaper showed that in suburban districtssuch as Phuc Tho, Quoc Oai, Ba Vi and Chuong My, daily collection and treatmentof garbage was undertaken only in main towns, while remote communes sawcollections only once every three days.

NguyenHuu Tien, Director of the Hanoi Urban Environment One Member Co Ltd (URENCO),told the newspaper that main districts of the capital city now lacked garbagecollection stations, so garbage is gathered on the street before being taken togarbage treatment zones, causing environmental pollution.

Thegarbage collection stations had not been built because districts could notarrange proper land for them, said Tien.

Besides,some residents often left their rubbish on streets and in public places, makingcollection difficult, he said.

Recently,the Hanoi People’s Committee asked URENCO to use trucks to collect andtransport household waste in main districts, and complete procedures to set upa garbage collection station in Bo De ward, Long Bien district.

Themunicipal People’s Committee also asked the Hanoi Department of Planning andInvestment to call on investment to build another garbage collecting station ofabout 1.5ha, in Tay Mo ward, Nam Tu Liem district.

Otherdistricts were requested to conduct surveys and research to find suitableplaces to set up garbage collection stations and then report back to the municipalPeople’s Committee.-VNA