Tet trash overwhelms cleaning staff

By Vu Thi Minh Huyen   January 30, 2025 | 03:00 pm PT
Many families in Vietnam tend to discard old mattresses, broken furniture, and piles of trash before the Lunar New Year, leaving cleaning staff scrambling to clean them up.

Last weekend, I visited a close friend who has lived in a Hanoi apartment complex for years. As we talked about various things, she sighed, "It's almost Tet, and the trash is piling up everywhere. The cleaning staff is overwhelmed, and their pay is so low. I feel bad for them but don't know how to help."

She was right. However, this isn't just an issue for apartment complexes—it’s a daily struggle for all cleaning staff in Hanoi. Working behind the scenes, often unnoticed, the staff do their best to keep the city clean and livable.

Their job is more than just cleaning; without them, the city wouldn't just be messy—it wouldn't even function.

As Tet was near, the sight of exhausted cleaning staff pushing carts overflowing with trash became all too familiar. The waste piled up faster than they could clear it, especially in the final days of the year, after Lunar New Year's Eve, and following every major celebration.

A cleaning staff picks up trash to put into his trash cart. Illustration photo by Pexels

A cleaning staff picks up trash to put into his trash cart. Illustration photo by Pexels

Once the festivities end, hundreds of workers would toil for hours clearing the trash left behind.

Many of us glance at a garbage truck for a few seconds, wrinkle our noses, and move on. But for these workers, this is their livelihood. And it's not just the stench—they also face hazards from improperly disposed waste.

Littering remains a persistent issue despite strict rules. My apartment friend has seen people toss trash from balconies, while ground-floor residents complain about garbage piling up near their doors. It’s a frequent topic at neighborhood meetings. Some residents have even pooled money to hire extra cleaning staff, but within days, the trash piles return.

Usually during the week before the Lunar New Year, Hanoi's daily waste output rose by 20-50% compared to normal days. To prevent trash overflow, cleaning staff work around the clock.

The job is demanding year-round, but it's especially grueling during Tet. Families discard everything from broken chairs to tree branches, forcing workers to chop up large items for easier transport. While most people gather with loved ones on New Year's Eve, these workers remain on the streets, clearing trash.

A cleaning staff I spoke to shared her Tet routine: "On normal days, I do one round of trash collection after the scheduled pickup time. But during Tet, new trash piles would keep showing up, and our company requires us to keep streets clear at all times. Some years, I've worked until 4 or 5 a.m. after New Year's Eve. I get one day off to celebrate Tet, then return to work the next day."

Wanting to help, I make it a habit to sort my recyclables. I pack old clothes, bottles, and used notebooks in clean bags so workers can use or sell them. I also separate aluminum cans and plastic bottles to make their work easier.

Even after Tet, their workload doesn't ease. A few days after the holiday, flowers used for decorations during the holiday are discarded en-masse. Cleaning staff must remove flowers from their pots before hauling them away, which adds effort and increases the number of trips needed due to the sheer volume of waste.

Changing people's habits around Tet won't happen overnight. Still, small but consistent actions can lighten their load.

Only then can the joy of Tet be truly shared by everyone—including those who work hardest to keep our cities clean.

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