The emergence of large, illegal garbage dumps has plagued several districts in Hanoi over the past two months, with authorities unsure of how to curb illicit dumping in the Vietnamese capital city.  

Piles of trash lined the sides of many streets in Cau Giay, Hoang Mai, Tay Ho, Quoc Oai, and Thanh Tri Districts on Tuesday, when Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters surveyed each district.

Residents in the affected areas complained that the garbage has blanketed their neighborhoods in a foul, unbearable smell. 

Notably, an illegal dump has been growing in size in Yen Hoa Ward, Cau Giay District for more than a year, and authorities have yet to step in and resolve the issue.

Illegal dumping is not unprecedented in Hanoi but the local government has yet to curb it.

In its latest actions with regard to the situation, the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment released a statement on February 23 which required the People’s Committees of related districts to deal with makeshift dumping grounds.

The statement, however, seems to have had little effect.

Vietnam produces more than 61,000 metric tons of domestic solid waste a day, including 9,100 metric tons in Ho Chi Minh City and 6,500 metric tons in Hanoi, according to Nguyen Thuong Hien, deputy head of the Vietnam Environment Administration under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

According to current regulations, dumping garbage on sidewalks and roadways is punishable by a fine worth VND1-2 million (US$42-84).

This penalty is not harsh enough to deter such wrongdoing, said Truong Anh Tu, a member of the Hanoi Bar Association.

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