Polluting firms told to treat waste water

Waste water from the Quang Minh 1 Industrial Zone

Photo: VnExpress

Deputy Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Huy Tuong has asked manufacturers in Me Linh District's Quang Minh 1 Industrial Zone to connect to the zone's wastewater treatment facility by the end of the year.

The request came during a dialogue that he chaired on Thursday.

Only 37 out of 89 manufacturers in the zone are currently connected to the wastewater treatment facility, which has a capacity of 3,000 cubic meters a day.

The remaining 52 manufacturers are discharging wastewater directly into the surrounding environment.

Manufacturers blamed this on Nam Duc Property Investment and Development Company, the operator of the industrial zone.

They said the company refused to allow connection with facilities because they hadn't signed rental contracts. The two sides are yet to reach agreement.

Manufacturers also petitioned the city's authorities to investigate the company's investment in the zone and look at their preliminary contribution before the company took over the investment.

Tuong promised to organize an inspection with representatives from the Departments of Planning and Investment, Finance, and Construction to review land rental prices in the industrial zone and ensure they are reasonable.

He also asked the tenants to sign overall contracts with Nam Duc Company within the month.

The city's Department of Natural Resources and Environment will grant a water-discharging license to Nam Duc Company when all manufacturers complete connection with its wastewater treatment facility.

Quang Minh 1 Industrial Zone, with an area of around 350ha, is one of the biggest in the city. To date, it has attracted 126 investment projects which employ 18,000 people.

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Sugar firm fined for untreated wastewater discharge

The environmental authorities in the central province of Quang Ngai Sunday said they have fined a local company VND150 million (US$7,708) for discharging untreated wastewater into a river.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment also ordered Quang Ngai Sugar Joint Stock Company to pay another VND278 million ($14,285) in overdue environmental protection fees by the provincial People’s Committee.

The company’s crime was discovered in early May when tons of assorted marine creatures and thousands of ducks were found dead along the Tra Khuc River.

According to the department, the company has been asked to pay compensation to farmers in Son Tinh District and Quang Ngai Town who have claimed damages worth nearly VND4 billion ($205,549).

Meanwhile, environment police in the southern province of Ca Mau Sunday fined two companies a total of VND125 million ($6,423) for releasing improperly-treated wastewater into environment.

Kim Hong Co. Ltd. and Quoc Thanh Viet Trung Biochemical Technology Co. were also ordered to deal with consequences of their violations within ten days.

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Sugar firm fined for untreated wastewater discharge

The environmental authorities in the central province of Quang Ngai Sunday said they have fined a local company VND150 million (US$7,708) for discharging untreated wastewater into a river.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment also ordered Quang Ngai Sugar Joint Stock Company to pay another VND278 million ($14,285) in overdue environmental protection fees by the provincial People’s Committee.

The company’s crime was discovered in early May when tons of assorted marine creatures and thousands of ducks were found dead along the Tra Khuc River.

According to the department, the company has been asked to pay compensation to farmers in Son Tinh District and Quang Ngai Town who have claimed damages worth nearly VND4 billion ($205,549).

Meanwhile, environment police in the southern province of Ca Mau Sunday fined two companies a total of VND125 million ($6,423) for releasing improperly-treated wastewater into environment.

Kim Hong Co. Ltd. and Quoc Thanh Viet Trung Biochemical Technology Co. were also ordered to deal with consequences of their violations within ten days.

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Vinamit closes factory after environmental violation exposure

Vietnam’s leading fruit chips maker Vinamit temporarily suspended operations of its factory on Tuesday after it was found releasing untreated wastewater into a public drainage system last week.

While the suspension would make the company suffer losses of VND15-20 billion (US$770,020-1.02 million) a day, it would only resume after it has resolved the environment problems, Vinamit board chairman Nguyen Lam Vien said Monday.

Last Friday, Binh Duong’s environmental police found Vinamit had set up a pump some 50 meters from its wastewater treatment plant to dump wastewater into a land area within its precincts as well as the drainage system of National Road No.13.

Vinamit representatives first insisted that the wastewater was already treated, but initial investigation showed that it was yellow and smelly, prompting police to send two samples for further tests.

In July, 2009, Vinamit was caught dumping wastewater which wasn’t treated or treated improperly into the environment.

Locals, meanwhile, have complained that its wastewater, including used cooking oil, has overflowed on to the road many times, causing many people slip and fall.

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