Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan has requested investors of waste treatment facilities to let local residents come and inspect next month, said Le Van Khoa, the city’s vice chairman.

Le Van Khoa, the city’s vice chairman, speaks at an extraordinary session on waste management and environmental protection of the city’s People’s Council on June 11

Speaking at an extraordinary session on waste management and environmental protection of the city’s People’s Council on June 11, Khoa said the waste management facilities that would be subject to public monitoring next month are Da Phuoc, Vietstar, Tam Sinh Nghia and Phuoc Hiep.

The move is aimed at forcing these waste treatment project investors to strengthen environmental protection measures.

The Vietnam Environment Administration has recently slapped a fine of nearly VND1.6 billion (around US$70,500) on Vietnam Waste Solutions, the operator of the Da Phuoc Integrated Waste Management Facility, for violations of environmental protection rules which were detected in October and November last year.

In particular, the facility failed to install sewage treatment facilities as required, discharged wastewater that did not meet safety standards, and provided an environmental impact assessment report in which one item was not done.

Vice chairman Khoa said local residents filed complaints over an odor emitting from Da Phuoc last year. The municipal government then asked it to take multiple solutions to minimize the spread of the odor and protect the environment.

He added the facility has a daily waste handling capacity of around 5,300 tons. The city had told it to adopt modern technology to treat 1,000-2,000 tons of the total volume.

In regard to other facilities, he said, the local government has plans to review all the other waste treatment projects by the end of next month.

SGT