VietNamNet Bridge - The government last week released a plan on air quality control, under which at least 70 percent of steel mills, chemicals and fertilizer plants must be equipped with automatic emission monitoring systems by 2020.

Analysts said they doubt the goal in the plan is attainable, because very few factories have such systems to date.

According to Nguyen Van Sua, deputy chair of the Vietnam Steel Association (VSA), there are about 70 large-capacity steel mills nationwide (large-capacity mills are understood as ones with capacity of 100,000 tons a year and higher) and many small-scale workshops in residential areas.

Under current laws, all steel mills must be equipped with emission treatment systems and dust filters. However, very few mills have automatic emission monitoring systems for regular supervision.

At least 70 percent of steel mills, chemicals and fertilizer plants must be equipped with automatic emission monitoring systems by 2020.

In general, 585 kilos of solid waste, including 455 kilos of slag will be discharged during the production of one ton of raw steel with the blast furnace technology. 

Besides, the production will also create 3 cubic meters of hazardous waste water, 2.3 tons of CO2 and other kinds of exhaust fumes (CO, SO2, NOx), dust and metal dust.

According to the Vietnam Casting & Metallurgy Science & Technology Society, in other countries, the technology allowing to collect CO2 for reuse is used at many modern steel mills aiming to help minimize emissions which cause the greenhouse effects. 

However, the technology has not been used on a large scale in Vietnam.

Pham Chi Cuong from the society said it was expensive to run the waste treatment systems, so many steel mills do not install the systems, or they install systems but only run them when inspectors come.

“Many metallurgy plants and steel mills remain deceitful in treating the waste,” Cuong said.

Under the national action plan on air quality control by 2020-2025 approved by the government on June 1, the people’s committees of central cities and provinces will have to join forces with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment to reinforce the examinations of compliance with environmental laws at the emission-generating establishments.

Under the plan, 80 percent of steel, chemical and fertilizer production workshops must treat dust, SO2, Nox and CO so that emissions can satisfy environmental standards; and 90 percent of thermopower plants, 80 percent of cement plans and 70 percent of steel, chemicals and fertilizer production workshops must install with automatic monitoring systems.

The Ha Tinh provincial Department of Natural Resources and the Environment has requested Formosa Ha Tinh (FHS) and the Vung Ang 1 Thermal Power Plant to install automatic emission monitoring systems. The data will be transmitted directly to the watchdog agency for supervision.


TBKTSG