The capital’s 19 suburban districts will all have access to rubbish dumps by 2015.

Hanoi’s Rural Environment Hygiene and Safe Water Centre on October 24 announced a plan to build four new waste treatment centres in the districts of Soc Son, Chuong My and Phu Xuyen for the city’s suburban areas.

The suburban districts will also have waste dumping sites.

On average, more than 5,500 tonnes of domestic waste is discharged by the city’s citizens every day. However, nearly 70 percent of the city’s communes do not have any dumping areas or waste treatment centres, according to statistics from the city’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Lai Hong Khanh, head of the city’s Popularisation and Education Committee, said that the relevant authorities had agreed that in addition to setting up more dumping areas and waste treatment centres, it was necessary to apply strict punishment for dumping rubbish in unauthorised areas.

The city already has fine levels established of 100,000-300,000 VND (5.5-16.7 USD) for households discovered depositing or discharging rubbish in the wrong place, and a fine of 5-10 million VND (277-555 USD) can be assessed for those scattering waste while transporting it.

Khanh said that strict punishments and increasing the awareness of citizens are necessary to increase environmental protection./.