VietNamNet Bridge – Inspectors from the Viet Nam Environment Administration have found that many industrial parks in southern Binh Duong Province have been discharging untreated waste water into the environment.

As many as 14 of 21 inspected parks were found to be releasing waste water that exceeds the permitted standards, with 10 of them discharging 10 times the allowed level, according to deputy head of the inspection team Pham Hong Son.

The results of the inspection, which took place in October and November last year, were revealed at a recent meeting between the inspectors and provincial authorities.

Major violators include Binh Duong, Song Than 2, Dong An 1, Tan Dong Hiep A and B and Viet Huong industrial parks.

Dong An 1 in Thuan An District was discovered by the local police and the environment inspectors to be severely damaging the environment — the park has been discharging about 1,000cubic metres of untreated waste each day.

Deputy director of the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Thi Ngoc Hanh said the key reason for the damage was not because industrial parks did not have adequate waste treatment facilities but because many businesses failed to make use of these facilities.

The 21 industrial parks operating in the province discharge a total amount of 49,000cu.m of industrial waste water each day.

Under the current regulations, environmental violators will be fined a maximum of VND500 million (US$25,500) or face criminal proceedings depending on the level of their infringement.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News