Nearly 6,500 tonnes of stranded ores and other hazardous industrial waste have been piling up around the port of Haiphong, causing environmental concerns.

Nearly 6,500 tonnes of zinc ore abandoned at Haiphong port

In late May, a load of goods including over 6,458 tonnes of zinc ore from South Korea was imported into Vietnam via Haiphong. The receiver was STC Service and Trading Joint Stock Company, which is headquartered at Haiphong City.

STC completed procedures to temporarily store the goods at the port. However, the company declared it would abandon the materials in mid-August.

The load has remained at the port for the last five months without any foreseeable solution, occupying around 1,500 square metres at the port.

“It is estimated that the port will lose VND195 million (USD9,348) in storing fees, in addition to the environmental threats posed,” said Cao Trung Ngoan, Deputy General Director of the port.

According to port authorities, Haiphong customs agency initially inspected 455 containers that were expired for customs procedures at the port. They found 386 containing dry goods and 69 others containing frozen food. 80% of the containers contained illegally imported goods.

Around 30 containers contained used batteries, while many others contained waste plastic and rubber.

Authorities in Haiphong have destroyed containers containing frozen animal intestines for health safety.

In addition to potential environmental threats, the storage space used costs the port a substantial amount.

Hazardous industrial waste have been piling up around the port of Haiphong

Accountability?

Cao Trung Ngoan said they received a notice from the company that they would abandon materials. The Haiphong Port Authority has sent two requests to the sender and asked about the real owner but has not received a reply.

The port is also coordinating with the environmental police agency to identify the stranded ore at the port for the best solution to this problem.

Ngoan said that it is difficult to find who should be held accountable for the goods, as STC has declared that they abandoned them in May.

The firm could be prosecuted for importing and abandoning waste if the incident happened after September 1, when the Government’s latest circular on the issue took effect.

To date, no factory in Vietnam has the technology to process zinc ore and it is difficult to find buyers for such goods.