HCM City's District 2 wants a chemical storage site near residential areas moved after years of complaints.

Chemical storage site of Tan Cang-Cat Lai Port

People living near Tan Cang-Cat Lai Port have complained for years about the 2.8 hectare site storing more than 330 chemical containers and tanks of flammable and toxic chemicals just 30 metres from homes and schools.

Authorities of District 2 want the city to tell Saigon Newport to review its container storage and relocate the chemical dump. Fire fighters have also been asked to support the move.

Pham Duc Hung, a senior executive at Saigon Newport Corporation, the management unit of the port, said people were worried that there might be similar incident to the Shandong chemical plant explosion in China, but maintained it was not a threat.

"Cat Lai is a port, where goods are temporarily stored," Hung said. "Moreover, those containers are well-kept and have been through various ports in the world before reaching Vietnam."

Hung said it would be difficult to relocate the facility, but while he promised to review fire safety protocols, he would ask the city for another site to store toxic chemicals.