A pile of trash on the sidewalk of Vo Nguyen Giap street, along the East Sea, at noon on 25/5. By about 3 PM the same day, workers had collected it, as this road is frequented by tourists walking, exercising, and swimming.

Near the hotel at 84 Vo Nguyen Giap street, waste accumulates from a vacant lot onto the sidewalk, forcing tourists to navigate through smelly trash bins on a hot afternoon.

Da Nang, a prominent tourist destination, is facing a growing waste crisis. Household and construction waste accumulated in a vacant lot near Thuan Phuoc bridge, Son Tra ward, in late May. Despite recent cleanup efforts by authorities and the installation of "no dumping" signs, the situation in this area has not significantly improved. Many streets still feature untreated waste collection points and illegal dumping sites for construction debris. New dumping spots often emerge near recently cleaned areas, exacerbating environmental pollution.

Many people habitually bring their household waste to dispose of in public trash bins along the road. "If I leave trash in front of my house, many others will also bring their family's trash to leave there", one person said.

Waste accumulated by many households spills from the sidewalk onto the street in front of alley 83/1 Hoang Hoa Tham, Thanh Khe ward. This location has been a persistent illegal dumping hotspot for years, despite "no dumping" signs from local authorities. Mr. Hoa, a resident at 83/1 Hoang Hoa Tham, stated that at times, trash overflowed from the sidewalk onto the street, directly in front of Chinh Trach Parish Church and Tan Chinh Cultural Center. The primary reason is that many residents from nearby alleys bring their waste here.

On Hoang Sa and Vo Nguyen Giap streets in Son Tra ward, several sidewalk sections have become dumping grounds for household waste and post-processing waste from seafood restaurants, emitting strong odors. In the mornings and evenings, many pedestrians and cyclists must quickly pass through these sections. This area lacks sufficient public trash bins.

Many waste sorting points have also become collection sites for residents' trash, detracting from urban aesthetics. The city is rectifying sidewalks and allocating parking spaces, but waste disposal has not been thoroughly addressed.

Littering by both residents and visitors is common at tourist spots. The image shows many plastic cups and cans left behind after tourists depart. Grassy areas along the Han River also become dumping sites after people stop to enjoy the scenery.

Due to the excessive amount of waste, most public trash bins are full, with trash overflowing and awaiting collection by environmental workers. Many bins are also placed directly in the road, obstructing traffic. According to a report from the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Da Nang City, the volume of household waste in the former Da Nang city area currently ranges from 1,600 to 1,700 tons per day, significantly increasing during tourist seasons and holidays.

Meanwhile, many trash bins lie toppled, with waste not placed inside but scattered across sidewalks and vacant lots, creating unsightly scenes.

A vacant lot on Le Van Luong street, at the foot of Son Tra peninsula, has become a waste collection point. Monkeys often appear in this area, and uncollected trash could lead them to scavenge for food, altering their behavior and increasing their risk of disease. Many undeveloped plots of land have also been turned into construction waste dumps. The image shows a dumpsite on Nguyen Huu An street, behind a 5-star hotel along Da Nang Bay, near a land reclamation project.

In many illegal waste collection areas, residents habitually burn trash, causing pollution and posing fire hazards.

In the evenings, many spontaneous dumpsites in the city center are burdened with all kinds of trash. The image shows the entrance to alley 149, Hoa Cuong ward, at 8:30 PM on 25/5. Workers later collected the waste, but residents resumed dumping shortly after.

During a meeting on 22/5 to rectify waste collection, transportation, and treatment in wards and communes within the former Da Nang city area, Mr. Tran Nam Hung, the city's Vice Chairman, criticized relevant agencies for allowing unsightly waste conditions on many streets, public areas, and even in the city center. The Vice Chairman of Da Nang City requested that wards and communes publicly announce the identities of litterers via local loudspeakers and impose "cold" fines (fines issued after the fact, usually via camera footage) using surveillance cameras to rectify the situation.

Nguyen Dong