The Department of Environment, under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, has directed the Northern Environmental Protection Sub-department and Ninh Binh Province to inspect and assess the current state of the Quen Kho landfill.

Located in Trung Son Ward, Quen Kho is the largest landfill in the province and has been used for the burial of household waste from the former Ninh Binh Province for more than a decade. VietNamNet previously reported on the serious pollution and overflow at the site.

At Pit A, which has been in use since 1999, waste has piled up meters high. Wastewater flowing into a nearby pit has turned black and scummy, with dark water spilling over the concrete road.

Pit B is in an even more critical state, with trash mounds rising like small hills, highlighting the overwhelming load.

Residents have reported enduring foul odors and worrying about leachate seeping into farmland and livestock areas. Some fear long-term contamination of groundwater due to the untreated waste lingering for years.

Although the Ninh Binh Solid Waste Treatment Plant is operational, it cannot handle the daily volume of waste brought in, which has resulted in severe overcapacity at the burial site.

Despite the urgency, other projects such as a waste-to-energy plant and expanded treatment facilities have faced delays.

Following an on-site inspection, Nguyen Anh Chuc, Vice Chairman of the Ninh Binh Provincial People's Committee, issued a directive on October 21 requiring the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to expedite procedures for waste collection and processing units to complete documentation and receive payment for services rendered.

He also stressed the need to speed up the selection of investors for new waste treatment and waste-to-energy plants, urging administrative support for companies to quickly begin construction and operation.

The province has mandated that companies working at the Quen Kho site immediately implement measures to contain and treat wastewater and minimize environmental damage. These include using tarpaulins to cover waste, spraying biological disinfectants, and managing leachate.

The Ninh Binh People's Committee has also asked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to allocate funds to support the local government in rehabilitating the site and resolving longstanding pollution issues.