Provincial People's Council supervises environmental protection work at 2 factories in Hung Nguyen

Comrade Cao Thi Hien - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council led the delegation. Also participating were representatives of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the Provincial Labor Federation, the Provincial Social Insurance and leaders of Hung Nguyen district. Photo: Mai Hoa

Is there illegal dumping?

Saigon - Song Lam Beer Joint Stock Company has a total capacity of 100 million liters/year; contributing to the state budget about 800 billion VND/year. Through direct supervision at production stages and waste generation stages, the Provincial People's Council's monitoring delegation recognized that the unit complied quite well with the provisions of the law on environmental protection, occupational safety and health, and policies for employees.

However, some members of the monitoring delegation also paid attention to some issues. Presenting recommendations and reflections from the press and voters of Hung Dao commune (Hung Nguyen) and raising suspicions that the enterprise took advantage of rainy weather and nighttime to illegally discharge untreated wastewater into the environment since 2014, Chief of Office of the Provincial People's Council Pham Van Hoa asked the enterprise to clarify whether there was a situation of "illegal" discharge and how to fix it.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan - Head of Planning and Investment Department affirmed that the waste collection and treatment system of the factory production line is completely closed and automatic, and cannot be separated for "secret" discharge. Photo: Mai Hoa

The company representative, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan - Head of Planning and Investment Department, affirmed that the waste collection and treatment system of the factory's production line is completely closed and automatic, and cannot be separated for "secret" discharge.

However, Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan also admitted that at that time, the process of collecting beer dregs was not thorough, leading to the remaining dregs being decomposed and flowing into the drainage system in a black color; at the same time, the cooking process still produced a foul smell, but now it has been resolved. What Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan affirmed was confirmed by the Head of the District Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Chairman of the People's Committee of Hung Dao Commune.

Also concerned about environmental issues, Deputy Head of the Provincial Department of Environmental Protection Dinh Sy Khanh Vinh noted that the enterprise needs to resurface the area containing beer dregs (which is currently broken) to thoroughly collect wastewater and beer dregs, avoiding environmental pollution; at the same time, increase the frequency of replacing the activated carbon adsorption layer in the wastewater treatment tank to ensure treatment quality.

The monitoring team recommends that businesses focus on inspecting the quality of forklifts. Photo: Mai Hoa

Regarding this issue, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Cao Thi Hien emphasized that the production process of enterprises has 3 sources of emissions, including wastewater, exhaust gas and solid waste; therefore, to ensure a sustainable environment, it is recommended that enterprises review the legal regulations on environmental protection to supplement and complete them.

Focus on occupational safety and health measures (OSH)

Regarding occupational safety and health issues and policies for employees, basically, businesses have paid attention and implemented them quite well.

However, based on direct supervision and comments from members of the monitoring team, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Cao Thi Hien requested Saigon - Song Lam Beer Joint Stock Company to review legal regulations to ensure full implementation, and at the same time, related to occupational safety and health and policies for employees, in which attention should be paid to revising regulations and plans on occupational safety and health according to the provisions of law.

The delegation inspected the wastewater treatment system at Saigon - Song Lam Beer Joint Stock Company. Photo: Mai Hoa

On the other hand, businesses also need to pay attention to improving the health of workers or arranging and rearranging labor to ensure health suitability for those with health category 3 after periodic health check-ups; at the same time, take measures to handle heat and noise and install sign systems at some production stages as well as pay attention to arranging a more airy canteen for workers.

The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council also reminded businesses to pay attention to inspection and fire prevention for some equipment with strict requirements on labor safety such as boilers, compressed air tanks, forklifts, etc.

Also to let occupational safety happen

Also this morning, the Provincial People's Council also conducted a supervision at Song Lam Paper Joint Stock Company. Comrade Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Party Committee's Inspection Committee, Head of the Provincial People's Council's Economic - Budget Committee chaired.

At Song Lam Paper Joint Stock Company, the monitoring team recognized efforts to overcome environmental pollution. However, due to the production line being invested for a long time, being outdated and the addition of lines being patchy and lacking in synchronization, the environmental treatment during the production process is not really thorough.

However, monitoring shows that there are still unsafe working conditions at the enterprise. Specifically, from 2016 to June 30, 2018, there were 6 work accidents.

Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council Le Hong Vinh requested that businesses need to research to innovate new production lines that have less impact on the environment. Photo: Mai Hoa

Concluding the meeting, Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council Le Hong Vinh requested that businesses need to research to innovate new production lines with less impact on the environment.

Along with that, pay more attention to the environment and working conditions to ensure occupational safety and health for workers, because the paper production environment has its own characteristics and is toxic, plus the old production line greatly affects the health and safety in production for workers if the business does not really care.