Phuentsholing Thromde steps up measures to tackle rising waste burden

KP Sharma

Phuentsholing—A new waste drop-off centre is under construction at Rinchending, about three kilometres from Phuentsholing, which will tackle the town’s growing waste issue and ease waste disposal.

The facility is being built alongside the recently launched Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) as part of the Thromde’s response to the increasing waste issues in the area.

According to Phuentsholing Thromde, the new facility will improve waste management infrastructure for the benefit and convenience of the local residents.

The project, awarded to TG Construction Pvt. Ltd., is executed at a cost of about Nu 1.29 million and is scheduled for completion by July 18 this year.

Once completed, the drop-off centre will be fully managed and operated by a designated waste management firm.

“The facility is designed to handle various waste streams, including dry waste, wet waste, household hazardous waste, and other miscellaneous waste types,” a Thromde official stated.

In addition, the centre will be equipped with a closed-circuit television (CCTV) monitoring system to maintain cleanliness and ensure proper waste segregation and disposal practices.

Based on the success of this waste drop-off centre, Phuentsholing Thromde plans to replicate similar facilities in othe parts of the city.

The future sites will be identified based on community needs and suitable locations to  ensure that waste management services are expanded to other areas.

Until now, Phuentsholing relied solely on waste collection trucks, leading to challenges in timely disposal.

Residents often found it difficult to match their waste disposal with collection times, resulting in some leaving waste along roads or in hidden corners.

Currently, nine waste collection vehicles are deployed daily across the town to collect and transport waste from households, businesses, and public spaces to disposal sites.

In addition to the drop-off centre, Thromde recently launched five RVMs to promote recycling.

The machines will be placed at Phuentsholing General Hospital, Bhutan Construction and Transport Authority premise, Multi-level Car Parking (first floor level), Integrated Vegetable Market, and Central Park. The RVMs will accept PET bottles, aluminum cans, and glass bottles.

Lhendrup Dorji, a shopkeeper, said that while the facility has proven successful and has also eased the workload on the Thromde, proper management and long-term sustainability should be the priority.

Some local residents are also calling stricter enforcement and penalties on those who dump waste along footpaths or other locations through enhanced surveillance.