Nghe An: "Dissecting" environmental indicators that are lower than required

Move

It is affirmed that in no other term has the issue of environmental protection been raised with such a determined and drastic attitude as in this term with a very clear viewpoint: Do not ignore environmental factors for development; environmental factors are the top priority issue to consider and select development investment programs and projects.

The environment along the North Canal (Vinh City) has been significantly improved after the completion of the Vinh Urban Sub-project. Photo courtesy

According to Mr. Ho Sy Dung - Head of the Provincial Department of Environmental Protection, looking at the 18 environmental targets set by Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU for the period 2017 - 2020, up to now, 3/18 targets have met and exceeded the set targets. Including the target of 75% of urban areas of type IV or higher having centralized wastewater treatment systems that meet requirements; 100% of industrial parks in operation meeting the criteria for technical infrastructure works for environmental protection; 85% of medical waste at district and provincial levels is treated to meet environmental standards.

Along with that, there are 5 indicators that almost reached the target, including the proportion of rural population using hygienic water; the proportion of urban population type V using clean water; the proportion of urban population type IV or higher using clean water; the rate of collection and treatment of solid waste in urban areas; the proportion of public green space in urban areas and residential areas.

Centralized wastewater treatment system at Nam Cam Industrial Park. Photo: Mai Hoa

To implement Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU, the Provincial People's Committee issued Plan No. 99/KH-UBND on implementing Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU. Accordingly, the contents, tasks, and specific solutions are clearly defined, linked to the responsibilities of each department, branch, agency, provincial unit, and district and commune authorities to join in. In particular, the branches and localities focus on improving pollution prevention work with specific actions.

For example, the Department of Industry and Trade has coordinated with departments, branches and localities to develop and advise the Provincial People's Committee to promulgate the Regulation on coordination in managing industrial clusters (ICs) in the province in Decision No. 30/2018/QD-UBND. Along with that, it is directing the investors of IC infrastructure and enterprises to comply with legal regulations on environmental protection and environmental sanitation in ICs. Up to now, 8/22 ICs have centralized wastewater systems and 2 ICs are under construction.

With the Department of Health, it has coordinated with the Provincial People's Committee to issue Plan No. 786/KH-UBND on the collection, transportation and treatment of hazardous medical waste in the province; at the same time, it has strengthened the direction of medical facilities to apply measures to reduce, classify, collect and treat waste in accordance with regulations and up to now, it has ensured that 100% of solid medical waste in the province is treated in accordance with regulations.

Nghia Dan installs hundreds of tanks to store pesticide shells

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has implemented solutions to control the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers and agricultural preservatives in agricultural production; associated with the collection and treatment of pesticide packaging according to standards, reaching 83%.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment, in addition to proactively advising the Provincial People's Committee to promulgate and gradually complete the system of documents on environmental protection, has focused on the appraisal and approval of environmental impact assessment reports, detailed environmental protection projects, environmental rehabilitation plans for mineral exploitation, confirmation of environmental protection plans, and simple environmental protection projects under its authority. At the same time, it has strengthened inspection, examination or coordinated inspection and examination of environmental protection compliance of organizations and individuals...

At the district and commune levels, in addition to promoting propaganda and educating people about law compliance, 8 districts, cities and towns have promoted the role of the people in monitoring environmental protection activities, detecting violations of the law and causing environmental pollution to make recommendations to competent authorities to promptly handle environmental protection. 17 districts, cities and towns have built models for classifying, collecting and treating domestic solid waste, pesticide packaging waste, etc.

Localities have also increased inspections of environmental protection work at production and business establishments in the area, focusing on attracting investment in "clean" projects or projects with low risk of environmental pollution, ensuring a safe distance from residential areas...

Along with the construction of new rural areas, many localities have paid attention to environmental sanitation. Photo: Mai Hoa

Hard

Looking at the environmental protection indicators according to Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU and Plan No. 99/KH-UBND for the period 2017 - 2020, there are some indicators with slow progress, while the implementation time of the first period 2017 - 2020 is only more than 1.5 years. It is noteworthy that only 35% of projects have been confirmed to have completed environmental protection works compared to the target of 100% by 2020. According to the Head of the Provincial Environmental Protection Department Ho Sy Dung, 65% of projects have not been confirmed to have completed environmental protection works, meaning that many projects have come into operation without completing the approved environmental protection works, causing environmental pollution.

Besides, the investment in building centralized wastewater treatment systems in industrial clusters compared to before Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU and Plan No. 99/KH-UBND has not changed, only 2 industrial clusters have started construction and only 40% of industrial clusters have centralized wastewater treatment systems that meet standards compared to the target of 100% by 2020.

"Currently, in Quy Hop district, there are 6 mineral exploitation industrial parks that do not have centralized wastewater treatment systems. This is the reason for the large pollution in the area, affecting the daily life and production of the people."

Mr. Vi Thanh Tuong - Vice Chairman of Quy Hop District People's Committee

The sludge dam of Nghe Tinh Non-ferrous Metal Joint Stock Company on Lan Toong mountain (Chau Thanh commune, Quy Hop) was broken. Photo courtesy

Regarding the rate of pesticide residue pollution points that have been investigated, zoned, and have new treatment projects established, only 27% has been achieved compared to the target of 100% by 2020. On the other hand, pesticide packaging waste generated in the agricultural production process in the area is not large; however, if not collected and treated thoroughly, it will pollute the water and soil environment and impact crops, threatening human health.

"Pesticide packaging waste generated in the province is about 3 tons/year on average, of which 83% is collected and treated according to standards, the rest is also putting pressure on the environment."

Mr. Phan Duy Hai - Deputy Head of the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection

The treatment of domestic solid waste to ensure environmental hygiene in localities is quite difficult. Because according to Mr. Hoang Thanh Ngoc - Head of Technical Infrastructure Department, Department of Construction, although the People's Committee of Nghe An province has approved the planning for solid waste management in the province until 2020 in Decision No. 494/QD-UBND.DTXD dated February 4, 2013. Accordingly, at the district level, the province has approved detailed planning for 15 concentrated landfills, of which 9 localities have invested in construction and put into operation.

People dump waste into Lach Van fishing port. Photo: Archive

Of the 9 district-level landfills, only 4 have basic treatment processes that meet environmental sanitation requirements. For localities that do not have centralized landfills, the waste collection and transfer points in communes have become "unwanted landfills" (according to Decision No. 494, communes are not allowed to plan landfills but only 2-3 waste collection and transfer points) and the treatment methods in communes are all landfills or incineration, causing great environmental pollution.

Another problem is that the inspection, examination and remediation of "black spots" of environmental pollution arising in some areas and at some times are not timely and thorough...

Obviously, environmental protection work in the province is still posing many problems, especially many environmental indicators are still low compared to the requirements of the 2017 - 2020 period set out in Resolution No. 08-NQ/TU. This places the responsibility on the Party committees, authorities and relevant sectors to continue to consider and propose solutions and measures to accelerate the implementation of the Resolution's targets in the 2017 - 2020 period.