Nghe An: "Hot" industrial cluster pollution

Civil consequences

Dien Hong Industrial Cluster (Dien Chau) was invested in construction in 2013 with a total area of ​​10 hectares with 41 production and business establishments such as producing steel bars, steel billets, galvanized steel pipes, roofing sheets, barbed wire, plastic granules... However, due to the failure to ensure wastewater and exhaust gas treatment processes, smoke from plastic burning, steel billet smelting, and industrial wastewater discharged into the environment affects the lives of local people.

Mr. NQ - a resident of Dien Hong said: “The facilities here collect all kinds of waste from bottles, batteries, and very dirty iron and steel. During the day, people here have to endure toxic wastewater, and at night, they have to inhale smoke from iron smelting and plastic granulation facilities, it is extremely miserable. Many delegations from the district and province have come to inspect but there has been little change. Although the industrial park has drainage ditches, water still overflows onto the streets, directly affecting 16 households in the east of the industrial park.”

At the same time, the Thap - Hong - Ky Industrial Cluster (Dien Chau) with more than 30 establishments producing and trading galvanized steel pipes, steel billets, roofing sheets, steel, industrial sewing, fertilizers... although it has a centralized environmental treatment system, people around the industrial cluster are also being polluted by emissions. Ms. Tham - a resident of Dien Thap commune said: "Emissions from factories are causing people in the surrounding areas to smell a very unpleasant smell...". The current situation of environmental pollution in industrial clusters and craft villages in Dien Chau district is a hot issue, and people have repeatedly reported it to all levels and sectors.

Stone exploitation in Chau Loc industrial cluster, Quy Hop. Photo: Viet Phuong

In Vinh city, 3/5 industrial clusters are in operation but the wastewater treatment system has not been invested in synchronously, wastewater from many enterprises is discharged directly into the environment. For example, at Xuan Ngoc Company Limited, specializing in the production of plywood, veneer... in Dong Vinh Industrial Cluster, according to the reflection of the Provincial People's Council, through monitoring and checking the records, the environmental protection commitment of the unit is too sketchy; the environmental monitoring results by the unit contracted by another enterprise are all good, but the actual monitoring is completely different. In 2016 and 2017, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Inspectorate inspected and concluded that this enterprise should overcome environmental protection issues, such as the treatment of toxic waste, treatment of industrial waste..., however, this facility has not yet implemented.

Strengthening district level responsibility

According to the plan, by 2020, Nghe An province will have 50 industrial parks with a total area of ​​802.8 hectares, of which 12 industrial parks have been filled, 39 industrial parks have established and approved detailed plans. However, currently only 8/20 industrial parks have invested in wastewater treatment systems. According to Mr. Thai Van Nong - Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, of the 8 industrial parks with wastewater treatment systems, only Thap - Hong - Ky industrial park (Dien Chau) has a centralized treatment system, the remaining 7 industrial parks only have biological lake systems.

Bac Vinh Industrial Park Wastewater Treatment Plant. Photo: Viet Phuong

In addition, the province only has 4/20 industrial parks with wastewater and rainwater separation systems, 7/20 industrial parks do not have a centralized wastewater treatment system. There is 1 industrial park that is building a wastewater treatment system. Thus, compared to 2017, the rate of industrial parks with wastewater treatment systems has not changed, although the Provincial People's Committee has assigned the responsibility to the District People's Committee to implement.

For general solid waste, domestic solid waste, hazardous waste and basic industrial waste, the facilities collect and contract with qualified enterprises for transportation and treatment. However, the collection and treatment of solid waste at industrial parks still has some limitations: Some facilities with small amounts of industrial waste still collect and treat it together with domestic waste.

Production of fine art wooden furniture at Yen Thanh town industrial park. Photo: Viet Phuong

Recently, speaking at a meeting with the Provincial People's Committee under the program of monitoring the implementation of laws on environmental protection, occupational safety and hygiene, and policies and regimes for employees of organizations, units and enterprises in the province, Deputy Head of the Legal Committee of the Provincial People's Council Thai Thi An Chung said that Nghe An has a policy to support investment in building infrastructure for industrial parks with 4 support contents including: compensation for site clearance; internal traffic roads, internal drainage systems; centralized waste treatment systems; traffic roads outside the fence. However, through monitoring, districts reflect that there is very little or no funding, leading to a very limited situation in general infrastructure and for environmental treatment services at industrial parks.

Dust from stone mining in Chau Loc industrial cluster (Quy Hop). Photo: Archive

There are quite a few enterprises in industrial parks that have been fined for discharging substandard waste into the environment. The leader of Nghe An Environmental Protection Department suggested that it is necessary to clarify the responsibilities of the district-level People's Committees as investors of industrial parks, because in reality, many localities do not pay attention to this issue.

Along with planning to invest in environmental treatment systems, local People's Committees need to proactively plan to coordinate with relevant departments and branches to improve environmental protection knowledge in industrial clusters for environmental officers, business owners and business households. From there, to help production facilities carry out environmental protection work better and better, contributing to promoting production and business to develop more and more sustainably.