(BGO) - Recently, in industrial zones and clusters of Bac Giang province, many enterprises have not strictly complied with regulations on management of chemicals and hazardous wastes in the production and business process. This situation tends to increase, causing environmental pollution and posing possible fire and explosion risks.
Hazardous wastes are seen everywhere
Vietnam Electronic Materials Company Limited based in the Van Trung Industrial Park in Viet Yen district specializes in chemical extraction to supply to a number of industrial production enterprises.
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The used barrels of Francool Vietnam Technology Co., Ltd., based in the Van Trung Industrial Park are gathered in the passage-way. |
At the firm’s hazardous waste warehouse, gloves contaminated with oil, chemicals, and filters are seen everywhere, even on the mouth of uncovered barrels, causing stuffy air and environmental pollution.
Adjacent to this enterprise, Francool Vietnam Technology Co., Ltd., which specializes in providing cooling oils for metal processing, also leaves a series of used barrels at the end of the corridor of the factory, without “hazardous waste” warning signs according to regulations.
Chemical management violations have also been seen at Moa Tech One-Member Co., Ltd, which specializes in manufacturing electronic components in the Dinh Tram Industrial Park (Viet Yen). This enterprise places its chemical store at the innermost location and waste and flammable scrap stores outside, but does not install preventive equipment in line with regulations.
According to the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the province currently has 56 enterprises involving in extracting and using chemicals for production activities such as painting, plating, assembling electronic components and solar panels, wooden plank production, waste water and emission treatment. Each year, enterprises use about 75,000 tonnes of chemicals, including many types with high toxicity, fire and explosion risks such as H2SO4, HNO3, HCL, N2, NH3...
Despite recognising the danger, recent inspections in industrial zones and clusters showed that many companies have arranged chemical stores in the passage-way and near the power station, the furnace area and the industrial kitchen, failing to observe regulations and commitments in the approved environmental impact assessment reports and environmental protection plans.
Thoroughly handling violations
To address the problem, Vu Van Tuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said that following the direction of the provincial People's Committee, the department has recently sent inspectors to some enterprises extracting and using chemicals for large-scale production and business to urge them to strictly comply with regulations.
At the same time, the department has imposed administrative fines on violating enterprises which failed to realise their commitments in the approved environmental reports and plans regarding the collection of wastes containing chemicals.
On August 6, 2020, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment issued a document requiring the provincial Industrial Zones Management Board to strengthen inspection, review and supervision of enterprises' environmental protection activities, especially in gathering, storing and using chemicals; and requesting investors engaging in building and operating infrastructure of industrial zones and clusters to strictly comply with plans for environmental incident prevention and response.
On the other hand, the provincial Department of Industry and Trade must enhance its role and responsibility as the coordinator in performing the state management of chemical activities; regularly guide, urge and inspect the observance of regulations relating to chemical production, trading and use of organizations and individuals.
In cases no chemical incident prevention plans are made, strict punishment measures are required. The provincial police will instruct relevant units to conduct regular and unexpected examinations and take strict punishments on enterprises that violate regulations on chemical use and trading and those which have come into operation without completing environmental protection projects.
Minh Linh
