Mekong Delta province calls for investment in $26.3 mln waste treatment plant

Tien Giang is looking for an investor for its VND640 billion ($26.3 million) Tan Lap 1 waste treatment plant project, which would be the largest of its kind in the Mekong Delta province.

Under its investment plan just approved by the provincial People's Committee, the plant will cover a total area of 13.66 hectares on the existing landfill in Tan Lap 1 commune, Tan Phuoc district, with a designed capacity of 750 tons of waste per day.

The project will be implemented over 50 years from the date of land lease by the state.

The Tan Lap 1 landfill is overloaded, causing environmental pollution and affecting locals’ lives.

In the master plan for Tien Giang province in the 2021-2025 period, with a vision to 2050, the locality will have two solid waste treatment complexes and three waste treatment plants.

The two solid waste treatment complexes will be located in Go Cong Dong district in the east of the province and Tan Phuoc district in the west. Meanwhile, the three waste treatment plants will include Binh Tan in Go Cong Tay district, Tan Lap in Tan Phuoc district and another specializing in collecting and treating industrial and hazardous waste.

Despite efforts by the province, only one enterprise has applied to invest in the VND51.3 billion ($2.1 million) Binh Tan project. However, the People's Committee of Go Cong Tay district said this investor failed to meet stipulated requirements.

Tien Giang province is home to 60 concentrated landfills, including Tan Lap in Tan Phuoc district, Long Chanh in Go Cong township, Kieng Phuoc in Go Cong Dong district, and Vinh Binh, Long Binh and Thanh Nhut in Go Cong Tay district.

Currently, most landfills in the province are overloaded, leading to serious pollution. According to Nguyen Tri Dong, deputy director of the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Tien Giang collects 600-700 tons of waste every day.