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New regulations on the sale and distribution of chemical products used in waste water treatment have recently been established by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
In addition, sellers of such substances must register with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment before putting them on the market.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade said the use of chemicals in waste water treatment must follow the Chemical Safety Usage Law.
Phung Chi Sy, deputy head of the Institute of Tropical Technology and Environment Protection, said that both sellers and buyers lacked sufficient information about these chemical products, most of which were imported.
The price of the products was quite low, the origin unknown, and the quality poor.
Even though most chemical products sold in HCM City have a trade name, they lack labels that describe the ingredients, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Most of the chemical products, including hazardous ones, are found at HCM City's Kim Bien Market in District 5. They are sold without advice how to be used from environmental-consulting companies.
Hoang Thi Ngoc Ngan of the city's Department of Health's Centre for Preventive Medicine said the improper usage of such chemicals was affecting the soil and water supply, causing disease among humans and animals.
The sale of such products had been difficult to control because localities lacked the proper high-tech equipment to test the products, said Nguyen Trung Viet, manager of the Department of Natural Resources and Environ-ment's Solid Waste Management Division.
Under the new regulation, sellers must apply for licences to sell chemical products specifically used for the treatment of waste water, said Sy of the Institute of Tropical Technology and Environment Protection.
Each chemical product must also contain clear instructions on usage, he said, adding that local authorities were responsible for checking the origin of products.
Nguyen Trung Viet, manager of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment's Solid Waste Management Division, said the country should invest in advanced technologies and facilities to analyse the content of chemical products.
He said only foreign-made technology had been able to detect the content of poorly made chemical products sold on the market for waste water treatment.
Steep fines sought for river polluter
Environment Police have asked Ha Noi People's Committee to fine Ha Nguyet Ltd Company VND200 million (US-$10,300) for violating environmental regulations, an official from the department has told Viet Nam News.
Nguyen Thi Yen said the fine, following Decree No 117 that took effect in March, would be 10 times higher than fines outlined in its predecessor, Decree No 81, adding that it would be strict enough to deter others from such violations.
She said the fabric dyeing company in Ha Noi's Gia Lam District was found to be discharging untreated toxic waste water into the Duong River.
"An investigation by the Natural Resources and Environment Department shows that the company discharged waste water 16 times more toxic than the permitted level," Yen said.
She added that the company had shown no commitment to protecting the environment.
Last month, the department, in co-ordination with the Waterway and Gia Lam District police, conducted a raid at the company premises.
The department said it had been aware of the issue since late August.
Nguyen Ha Quang from the Environment Police Department, said at the time of inspection, the team discovered toxic chemicals and dye from four machines being drained onto the floor and running down a large pipe leading directly to the river.
"We have uncovered several cases of illegal discharging throughout the city but this was the first on the Duong River," Quang said.
He added that the river water was black and filthy with an unbearable smell and in the company's primitive warehouse, chemicals and dyes were scattered across the floor.
Source: VNS
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