VietNamNet Bridge – The content of untreated waste in a pond at a company in the northwestern province of Dien Bien exceeded national standards dozens of times, said the provincial Environmental Police Department.

Dien Bien Province’s Environmental Police Department reports content of untreated waste in the Hong Diep–Dien Bien Starch JSC’s pond exceeded the national standard dozens of times. — Photo vov.vn

Local media reported on January 14 and 15 that hundreds of cubic metres of wastewater flowed into the Nam Nua Stream after a waste tank, belonging to a cassava starch-processing factory of Hong Diep–Dien Bien Starch JSC, cracked open, polluting the stream with a foul-smelling dark liquid and killing hundreds of fish.   

According to the detailed report of the police department, wastewater samples that were collected from the pond had solids exceeding the national standards on wastewater by more than 58 times, while chemical oxygen demand (COD) and cyanide exceeded 8.16 times and three times respectively against permitted standards, reported e-newspaper vov.vn. 

Samples of water collected from Nam Nua Stream’s downstream (6km from the factory) showed the content of solids exceeded the national technical standards on surface water 5.2 times, while COD and cyanide exceeded 22 times and 1.24 times respectively against the allowed standard.  

To handle the violations, the provincial People’s Committee has requested the provincial Department of Planning and Investment to urgently organise an inter-sector inspection team to collect sufficient evidence and documents against the company.

Its task is to inspect and review the investment and building process of the starch-processing factory. 

The result of the inspection has to be reported to the provincial People’s Committee before January 30.

Source: VNS