Workers' strike halts operations at HCMC's largest landfill

The HCMC People's Committee mandated the relocation to Cu Chi District, around 43 km away, to prevent waste accumulation, particularly during the Lunar New Year holiday. Workers at Da Phuoc, which handles over half of the city's trash, began striking on Thursday due to unpaid wages and missing holiday bonuses.

As a result, hundreds of trash-collecting trucks formed a 1.5-kilometer queue on Thursday night. The landfill gates were closed, blocking vehicle access.

Vietnam Waste Solutions (VWS), the operator of Da Phuoc landfill, has been instructed by the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment to investigate the strike, especially in light of a similar incident in April 2023. If VWS cannot collect the diverted waste, it will be transported to the Tay Bac waste treatment complex in Cu Chi.

The Cu Chi complex, managed by HCMC Urban Environment Company (Citenco), can process up to 6,000 tons of solid waste daily. Le Cong Phuong, Citenco's director, reported that over 9,000 tons of trash have been rerouted since Thursday night, raising pollution concerns. Additional personnel have been deployed to manage the increased waste.

"Over the coming days, the volume of trash will increase due to the peak days of the Tet holiday. We are implementing several solutions to handle the surge," Phuong said.

The HCMC People's Committee has directed the Department of Transport to implement potential urgent measures, including allowing trash-collecting vehicles to operate around the clock.

The Da Phuoc solid waste treatment complex spans 128 hectares with an investment exceeding US$107 million. It is the city’s largest waste facility, processing over 5,000 tons of trash each day. HCMC generates approximately 9,800 tons of domestic waste daily, a number that can rise to 11,000 tons during peak periods like Tet.