More inspections have been carried out at the waste treatment activities and the imported toxic substances at the Taiwanese-owned Formosa steel complex following the mass fish deaths along the central coast since early April. 

Inspection teams from the government, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Industry and Trade have recently visited Formosa's steel plants.

 A delegation from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment visited Formosa's steel plants in Ha Tinh Province on May 4.

Do Thang Hai, deputy minister of Industry and Trade said the mass fish deaths were a serious problem that affected public confidence and the economy. That's why it's urgent that government agencies must step in to find solutions.

"The inspections have been carried out regularly. We sent two inspection teams to Formosa. One is for business operation labour safety and the other one is for chemical import activities," he said.

According to the result, since January 2015 to May 2, 2016, Formosa imported 384 tonnes including disinfectants, stabilisers and corrosion inhibitors. 51 tonnes of which have been used since January. Hai said the chemicals were all given permits. When being asked why Formosa was allowed to import such huge amounts of chemicals, Hai said even toxic substances were necessary when used for the correct purposes.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has not reported their inspection results about chemical usage of Formosa.

Formosa has been at the centre of the scandal after it was suspected that discharged wastewater from Vung Ang Industrial Zone had killed tonnes of fish and especially after a callous remark made by their representative.

After a closed meeting, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment claimed that there was insufficient evidence that Formosa and other plants in Vung Ang were responsible. It is reported that the harmful algal bloom or red tide was the cause but many people are sceptical.

Scientists from Germany, Israel and the US have been invited to Vietnam to help local authorities investigate the cause of the problem.