VietNamNet Bridge – Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has asked for prompt inspection of reported waste dumping by the Hung Hiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Company, Vietnam News Agency reported yesterday, July 12.

The black mud-like waste found at a farm in Ky Anh District, Ha Tinh Province. Photo: tuoitre.vn

The request was made following recent news stories alleging that the company was found burying a huge amount of waste at a farm run by the director of an environmental company in Ky Anh Town of central Ha Tinh Province.

Dung urged the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) to co-ordinate with the provincial People’s Committee to check the information.

If it is true, measures should be taken to strictly address the case following legal regulations.

The outcomes of the inspection must be reported to the Prime Minister, he added.

Ha Tinh environmental police and inspectors on Monday afternoon discovered about 100 tonnes of stinking black waste at a farm in Ky Trinh Ward, Ky Anh District, while conducting a surprise inspection following reports by local residents about the appearance of waste-carrying trucks in the area.

Vo Ta Dinh, director of Ha Tinh Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said the agency had taken samples of the waste to test.

“If the waste is identified as hazardous, the companies and persons involved will face strict punishment,” Dinh said.

Le Nam Son, general inspector of the department, said that Formosa had signed a one-year contract, beginning April 15 this year, with the Urban Environment Company in Ky Anh District to transport and dump  waste in that area.

The farm where the waste was found belonged to Le Quang Hoa, director of the Urban Environment Company, he said.

Hoa, meanwhile, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the buried waste came from a waste-treatment facility in Formosa.

“It is normal black mud, not harmful waste. It can be used to recycle or become fertiliser,” he said.

The officials of the department are expected to work with Formosa with regard to this case within this week.

Late last month, the Vietnamese government found the Taiwanese-owned Formosa responsible for massive fish deaths in four central provinces since April after it released toxic wastewater into the sea.

The leaders of the company had officially apologised to the Vietnamese government and people and promised to pay $500 million as compensation to the affected people, and to pay for the clean-up and restoration of the sea environment.

MONRE minister Tran Hong Ha said yesterday that the body will form a council to supervise the anti-pollution commitments made by the corporation.

The minister added that a state-of-the-art marine environment monitoring system would be built to make regular assessments of the marine environment, Vietnam News Agency reported.

The system will enable State environment management bodies to be aware of changes in the marine environment and pollution risks, which would allow for early warning and prevention before incidents occur.

VNS