Lao Voices

Waste disposal in Vientiane is harder than ever

(KPL) Vientiane Capital currently produces more than 200 tonnes of garbage daily, which is a challenge for Vientiane Administration that needs to handle the problem with a high sense of responsibility.

This is quoted from a report of the Vientiane Urban Development Administration Authority (VUDAA).

The report demonstrates that the volume of garbage produced by the Capital residents has amounted to about 250-300 tonnes per day and this trend is expected to keep rising, compared to the previous years’ figures at only 100-150 tonnes a day.

The waste disposal conducted by the Capital waste collection service in the seven districts of the capital accounts for 32 per cent only, amounting to 22,819 households, of the total number of 70,000 households in 266 villages.
However, the waste disposal in Vientiane Capital poses a chronic problem to the VUDAA.

In the past 10 years, Vientiane Capital received US$700 million of grant aid from the Japanese Government for the construction of a waste disposal dump at km18, the purchase of garbage collection trucks and other facilities. Moreover, now the waste disposal dump at km18 has been removed to km 32, which increased the transport expenditure for waster disposal in Vientiane Capital.

The waste disposal does not receive good co-operation from local residents due to their misunderstanding that the task was the sole responsibility of the Government.

“If we educate more on the waste disposal procedures we would know some garbage can be reused and recycled,” said a VUDAA official. “This will lead to the reduction in the number of garbage that was now on the rise.”

KPL Lao News Agency