A series of trucks have been dumping waste mud into the Red River in Hanoi.

Truck dumping waste mud into the Red River

People in Mach Lung Village, Dong Anh District, said the trucks had been passing their village for several months. When some people followed the trucks out of curiosity, they lost track or blocked by aggressive men. At first, the trucks only work during the daytime but recently, they have worked at night.

There are many men guard the route leading to the dumping area and inform the trucks' operators to stop working if anyone gets close.

Potentially toxic mud

The trucks often go in groups of three or five to the bank of Red River and dump tonnes of mud in minutes. After heavy rains, when the road became too muddy for the trucks to cross, they would dump the mud right by the sides of the road.

After the mud was dumped onto the riverbank, the bulldozers will level the ground and push the mud into the river to make the area looks normal. Hundreds of tonnes of mud are being dumped into the river each day.

The trucks go in group of three or five

It is suspected that the mud could be bentonite waste that has higher than permitted levels of chemical elements. A member of the Institute of Chemistry under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology said the mud was very toxic if not treated properly.

Police in Dong Anh District have seized a truck for investigation.