Local people in a town in Hai Duong Province are calling on environmental authorities to stop operation of a hazardous waste-recycling plant because it causes serious pollution.

Substandard waste storage and treatment causing serious environmental pollution

On August 30, many residents in Phu Thu Town in Kinh Mon District, once again gathered to protest against the environmental pollution caused by a metallurgy waste-recycling plant that has affected their lives and damaged their agricultural production.

They proposed that central and provincial authorities quickly conduct an investigation into the licensing and operation of the plant, as well as the origin of tens of thousands of tonnes of metallurgical waste that's piled up at Phu Thai port and around the plant in the town, instead of being properly stored.

A journalist's investigation has found that the plant, located in Phu Thu industrial park in Kinh Mon District’s Phu Thu Town, belongs to Vietnam Mineral Exploitation, Processing and Import-export Company.

The company’s subsidiary in Hai Duong was granted a business license for the first time on March 20, 2013, to undertake the destruction and processing of metallurgical waste.

On July 9, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) approved the company’s plan to pilot a factory for treating hazardous waste.

Hazardous metallurgy waste piling up at Phu Thai port

“The company must make a report on the results and must halt operation of the plant until VEA issues new guidance or grants it a license,” the agency requested.

However, after the pilot period, the company has continued the plant’s operation. It "processes" a lot of metallurgical waste without complying with hazardous waste storage standards, causing serious environmental pollution.

The situation has stirred up strong opposition among local residents in Phu Thu as the company has broken its promise to suspend the plant’s operation several times.

On August 14, dozens of locals gathered in front of the plant and proposed that district and provincial authorities request the company’s leaders  hold a meeting to discuss a possible solution.

During the meeting, the company failed to produce any license for the operation of the waste-recycling plant and was forced to cease operation until getting sufficient legal documents.

The plant covers over one hectare of land near a residential area and some schools.

Hazardous waste recycling plant located nearby three schools 

Even though the waste for treatment is hazardous, storage is substandard and untreated waste water is directly discharged into a local waterway, hindering local farming.

Truong Ngoc Huy, a local man, said, “The plant’s operation has not only affected the lives of local residents but also posed health risks for students of several schools in the neighbourhood. Recently, the pollution damaged local rice fields, forcing the plant’s managers to make a compensation of VND4 million (USD188.85).”

Truong Van Cuong, another local resident said, due to the bad smell generated from the plant, local residents have proposed that district Office for Natural Resources and Environment force the plant to halt operation.

An official from Phu Thu Town’s People’s Committee confirmed that the company was forced to suspend operations for having yet to complete required legal procedures but it has failed to comply with the request.

To date, the VEA has yet to make any move to investigate the case nor has it proposed any solution.