Environmental sanitation workers hope people will accompany in waste classification
Hanoi - Environmental workers hope that people will raise awareness of classifying and collecting garbage in the right place and at the right time to reduce inconvenience and danger.
Workers hope people will accompany them to reduce their hardship
Amidst the bustling streets, environmental sanitation workers are still working quietly day and night to keep the capital green - clean - beautiful. But behind that is many hardships and dangers.
Ms. Tran Thi Thu Huong has been an environmental worker at Thanh Cong Cooperative (Hanoi) for 15 years, currently in charge of cleaning on Nguyen Trai Street - one of the major streets, where more and more waste is generated due to the rapid increase in mechanical population. "Not only the garbage of people living there but also the garbage from the market, or from people who bring it from other places to dump along the road, not at the right gathering place, not at the right time. Every day, there are 4-5 vehicles coming to transport garbage to the treatment site, Ms. Huong shared.
According to her, work is always stressful because if they cannot clean up in time, leaving behind garbage, workers will be reminded, and even fined. "We just hope that people are more aware, collect garbage in the right place, at the right time to reduce the hardship for workers," she said.
Also a 15-year-old senior, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huyen in Chuong My ward travels more than 20km every day to be present from early morning on Khuat Duy Tien street. Her job is to clean up and collect garbage. "Although the regulation on waste classification has been issued, in reality, people have not implemented it seriously, bottles and sharp objects are still thrown away, which is very dangerous for us. Sometimes the trash bag is too heavy, you have to use your hands to lift it quickly and then get stuck in your hand with a sharp object," Ms. Huyen said.
From a management perspective, Mr. Nguyen Tan Truong - environmental sanitation supervision officer of Thanh Cong Cooperative emphasized: " Maintaining environmental sanitation cannot only depend on the hands of workers but also requires the cooperation of the whole society. The most important thing is people's awareness in classifying and dumping garbage in the right place and at the right time".
Hoping for more allowances to feel secure in sticking with the profession
Not only is it hard at work, but the worry about food and clothing is also on the shoulders of cleaning workers.
Sharing about her income, Ms. Huyen said that a working day is currently 230,000 VND, equivalent to nearly 7 million VND/month if she works 30 days. "With a standard of living in Hanoi, this amount is very limited. Many times, I don't have enough money to cover my living expenses and take care of my children's education. I hope that in the coming time, my salary and allowances for toxic substances will be improved so that I can work with peace of mind," she expressed.
Not only Ms. Huong or Ms. Huyen, Ms. Vu Thi Van in Hanoi has also been involved in environmental sanitation on Vu Tong Phan Street for more than 10 years. She said that she has to work continuously every day from 6am to 4pm. In hot summer, garbage quickly gives off a foul smell, which is very uncomfortable and greatly affects health. Many of us often have respiratory diseases, said Ms. Van.
According to Ms. Van, although there are trash bins located in many public places, littering still occurs, making the work more difficult. "Our bonus level for many years is very low, I feel that the salary compared to other professions is not stable because currently all costs are increasing. We hope that the remuneration policy will be improved so that environmental workers have more motivation, she shared.
Mr. Nguyen Tan Truong also said that cleaning work is currently facing many difficulties due to the nature of the work. During holidays and Tet, when many businesses are off, cleaning workers still have to work continuously, even overtime to ensure the streets are clean. We hope that authorities at all levels will pay more attention to the salary regime so that environmental workers can feel secure in their commitment and continue to contribute to the cleanliness and beauty of the capital, he emphasized.
On September 19, Lao Dong Newspaper organized the Workers' Forum for the Environment 2025. The forum was attended by managers, scientists and a large number of workers - those who directly work in collecting and treating domestic solid waste to work at the same table and propose solutions to help environmental protection and waste management work be synchronous and effective.
The forum is also a voice accompanying each occupational hygiene worker, each locality to continue to promote the protection of the air and water environment, promote waste classification, turn waste into resources, build models for urban and rural waste management and treatment to meet the requirements in the new situation.
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