With a few hours to kill, I decided to head off down a random road in a random direction. A small street wound its way past an open air market. I ended up shortly driving into a valley srrounded by mountains. In the valley were rice fields, and a primitive irrigation system that seemed to be very efficient. I was amazed that such a beautiful and wild looking vista was located so close to the big city, in fact it seemed it was inside the city.
Garbage in Vietnam is picked up differently than most places. It Starts by a person
trowing their garbage in the street by the curb. Then a team of three people collect 
come along to move it. Two with brooms to sweep the street, and one to push a large hand cart. The then will take it to a location and dump it on the roadside for a disposal truck to pick up. Because of most of the waste is from organic matter it can create quite a smell. Just one of the things a person has to get used to.
Sorry, it is all I have time for today
Hello Owee,
I discovered your blog this morning and have been reading the last few hours. Amazed that you have managed to learn so much about Vietnam in such a short time.
So I’m curious: Where does the garbage go after being picked up by disposal trucks? Is there a landfill near (hopefully not in) Nha Trang?
I make it a point to separate my bottles and cans so the recyclers don’t have to cull them from the garbage. Would love to know more about recycling here (I’m also in Nha Trang). Thanks in advance for any information you have on the matter.
Actually. I have been travelling back and forth to Vietnam for 13 or 14 years but only moved here a little less than a couple of years ago. I have been fortunate enough to be involved and participating with Asians for more than 25 years, and have become part of a large Vietnamese family so perhaps that gave me a bit of a kick start. Speaking a bit of the language helps also.
I do not confess to be an expert on the garbage matter but here is what I do know:
Almost everything is recycled. You have seen it yourself by the people who scavange the garbage at night. Also the wailing calls of people on bicycles and the loudspeakers droning drom the motorcycles. Cardboard, paper, metal. plastic, and electronics are collected and taken to recycling stations usually found in the outer areas of towns and small cities. I have seen many in Nha Trang. The rest of the garbage that is mostly biological (except for the endless supply of plastic bags) and is taken to an area just north and west of Nha Trang just off of hwy1 at Ruri Pass where most of it is burned. (this i have been told so the information is 3rd party)
Oddly….. I have been told if you crush a pop can, it is not easily recycled because the upc code has to be legible. We also seperate all recylables. There is small satisfaction to at least try to be environmentely aware in a country that seems to think nothing of it.
Owee,
I’ve been a regular reader of your blog since you started. I really enjoy keeping up with the daily life there as I will someday be doing the same.
Thanks, and welcome the the greatest show on earth in my opinion 🙂