The Vientiane Capital People’s Council has approved a new Agreement on Waste Management and Disposal, introducing sweeping reforms and stricter penalties aimed at reducing illegal dumping and improving environmental conditions across the capital.
Passed during the provincial council meeting on 10 July, the regulation offers a step toward a cleaner and more sustainable city.
The newly enacted agreement introduces a tiered system of penalties based on the amount and type of waste involved.
Individuals or organizations that improperly discard less than one kilogram of waste will be fined LAK 100,000 (USD 4.64), while those disposing of one to ten kilograms face a LAK 600,000 (USD 27.85) fine.
Offenses involving more than one ton of unmanaged waste can lead to the maximum fine of LAK 100 million (USD 4,641.26). In such cases, offenders must also pay the cost of transporting and storing the waste at designated sites.
The regulation also bans open burning of waste in areas like forests and fields, with fines ranging from LAK 1 million (USD 46.41) to LAK 10 million to (USD 464.13) per violation.
According to data presented by the Vientiane Office for Management and Service, Vientiane produces over 700 tons of waste daily, but only 450 to 500 tons are collected by the city’s 11 waste collection units.
This means roughly 67 percent of waste is properly managed, while the remaining 33 percent ends up in streets, empty lots, rivers, or is burned, leading to growing concerns over pollution, air quality, and cleanliness, even in the city center.
Authorities say the ongoing waste problems are due to limited public cooperation and a lack of adequate infrastructure. Many residents do not subscribe to waste collection services, and some companies still lack the necessary equipment and vehicles to provide citywide coverage.
To address this, the Office is calling for an expansion of hotline services and encouraging private waste companies to adopt modern IT systems to improve operations and coordination.
While the fines are meant to serve as a deterrent, officials emphasize that long-term change requires collective responsibility.