HCM City sanitation workers load waste onto trucks that will carry it to landfills (Photo: VNA)HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh Cityauthorities are calling for investment in the form of public privatepartnerships (PPP) to build golf courses, parks, trade centres or propertyprojects on three closed landfill sites.
Nguyen Toan Thang, director of the city’sDepartment of Natural Resources and Environment, spoke at a recent meeting withcity leaders about the proposals.
HCM City has three landfills that havestopped receiving garbage, covering a total area of about 118ha,including Dong Thanh landfill in Hoc Mon district, GoCat in Binh Tan district and Phuoc Hiep in Cu Chi district.
These landfills still contain more than 25million tonnes of waste.
Six investors, mostly local, have submittedproposals to the city. Some investors have proposed resolving all the buriedwaste and using the land to build golf courses and parks.
Thang said the city is considering theproposals.
Dr. Che Dinh Ly of the Institute ofEnvironment and Resources at Vietnam National University said the landfill areashould be used for a new park and recreational sports area.
If property is built on the land, the cityshould give priority to warehouses rather than housing because of the risk topeople’s health, he said.
The city also needs to collect publicopinions on how to use the land, he said.
Dr. Nguyen Dinh Tuan of the University ofNatural Resources and Environment said the city’s top concerns should be withthe environment.
A landfill can have an environmental impactafter closure for 10 years.
Dr. Le Hung Anh, head of the Institute ofScience, Technology and Environmental Management of the HCM City University ofIndustry, said the city should consider waste as a resource that bringsbenefits.
“I think it’s important to use the land toserve the community. Golf courses only serve a small group of people,” he said.
HCM City discharges between 7,500 and 8,000tonnes of garbage every day, most of which end up at landfills, according tothe department.
Under an urban development plan, the citywill need 500 trillion VND (22.4 billion USD) to develop infrastructure by2020. Of the fund, 34 percent is expected to come from the State budget and therest from investors.-VNA
VNA
