VietNamNet Bridge - The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MONRE) says that Formosa is about to begin operating six out of 23 chimneys on a trial basis. Experts have warned that the spread of toxic gas will cause serious pollution if the emissions are not strictly supervised. 

The report on the possible impact on the environment says that Formosa Ha Tinh steel complex will discharge a big volume of dust and emissions from different stages of steel production, from material preparation to burning, from a laminating workshop to support factories. Dust will also be produced by transport activities and cleaning.

The volume of dust to be discharged by Formosa Ha Tinh is expected to be huge since it is a mammoth steel complex with capacity of 7.5 million tons of steel a year in the first stage of development.

The emissions from some steps of the production process will be extremely toxic, such as dust, Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni, Si, Ca and Mg from the continuous casting process. 

The dust content to be produced in the process will be very high, 12 times higher than the Vietnamese standard TCVN 5939-20. 

If emission treatment systems break down, the consequences will be very serious. The dust content may exceed the permitted level by five times, and SO2 content by 30 times, while dust and toxic gas may cover an area of 10 square kilometers.

Meanwhile, the emissions from sintering workshop will contain dust, SO2 and NO2. 

From blast furnace, the emissions will contain CO2, CO, water, H2 and N2, which can cause headaches and dizziness, and or even suffocation. 

NO2 is the most noxious gas among NOx gases. The 1 percent NO2 concentration in air can cause death within several minutes.

Besides dust and the toxic gas, the report also pointed out that the emissions may contain other harmful substances, depending on the iron ore quality and the chemicals and additives used during production.

If emission treatment systems break down, the consequences will be very serious. The dust content may exceed the permitted level by five times, and SO2 content by 30 times, while dust and toxic gas may cover an area of 10 square kilometers.

Hoang Van Thuc, deputy general director of the General Directorate of Environment, said that all the 23 chimneys designed by Formosa Ha Tinh need to be put under strict control, while automatic online monitoring stations will be installed to show emission indicators as required by law.

The stations will be connected the environment directorate and the provincial environment department.

Also according to Thuc, MONRE has asked Formosa to shift to apply the dry coke quenching technology instead of the wet one as initially planned. The shifting needs to be completed within three years. 

Tien Phong