After midnight on New Year’s Day, the Bach Dang Wharf Park (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) and Ton Duc Thang Street—where it intersects with Nguyen Hue Flower Street—were overwhelmed with trash left behind by revelers watching fireworks. This not only poses an environmental issue but also reflects the community’s awareness in maintaining urban aesthetics.
The State of Trash at Bach Dang Wharf Park
Observations reveal that the park offers a spontaneous rental service for plastic tarps at 20,000 VND per piece for people seeking prime spots to watch fireworks. However, many left without cleaning up their plastic tarps, food, and drinks.
Immediately after the fireworks display ended, people rushed to leave, leaving countless plastic tarps scattered around. Mixed among them were various types of trash like plastic cups, styrofoam boxes, and water bottles. Inside the park, green grass was covered by plastic tarps and other litter.
Opinions from Residents and Tourists
Ms. Thu Quyen (from District Binh Thanh) shared, “I planned to stay and enjoy the breeze with my family before heading to the temple, but I was surrounded by trash and odors, including the smell of beer and pet urine.”
Throughout Bach Dang Wharf Park, trash overflowed, forcing residents and tourists to step over it.
Cleanup Efforts by Sanitation Workers
Sanitation workers immediately began cleaning to restore the city’s beauty on the first day of Tet. However, due to the vast amount of trash spread across the pedestrian area, the cleanup took considerable time.
“One year after another, this situation repeats during major holidays. If everyone were more conscious, it would be much easier for us,” said one sanitation worker.
Spreading Trash into the Streets
Trash even overflowed from Bach Dang Wharf Park onto Ton Duc Thang Street. Plastic tarps lay carelessly, obstructing traffic. Some tarps even covered barriers.
Most of the trash consisted of plastic tarps or paper and styrofoam used as seating. Other items included empty water bottles and packaging, all discarded haphazardly along the streets, stretching from Saigon River to the end of Nguyen Hue Street.
Conclusion and Solutions
The overwhelming trash after New Year’s Eve at Bach Dang Wharf not only harms the city’s aesthetics but also increases pressure on sanitation workers. To address this, we need to raise public awareness through educational campaigns and enforce penalties for littering.
Let’s work together to protect the environment and preserve the city’s beauty with practical actions from each individual!
Source: Dan Tri
