Pollution by waste oil from auto repair garages

(Baonghean) - In recent years, in Vinh City, environmental pollution from production facilities has been increasing, greatly affecting the living environment of residential communities. In particular, from auto repair garages, many types of hazardous waste have been discharged directly into gas pits and drainage ditches, causing pollution...

Lu Hue Auto Repair Garage in Block 12, Ben Thuy Ward is one of the garages that repair and refurbish all kinds of car body shells, so the noise from banging and dust affects the living environment of neighboring households. It is worth mentioning that this auto repair facility has been operating for several years, but at the end of July 2015, the Environmental Police of Vinh City Police inspected and discovered that this facility did not have a business license. The owner of the facility said: "I thought that a small facility like this would not need a license." Therefore, the facility's violations of waste discharge into the environment or noise pollution were explained by them as "no one has given instructions".

Making a record of environmental violations at an auto repair garage in Vinh City.

Similarly, currently, on the premises of Trung Do Cooperative under the administrative management of Ben Thuy Ward, there are up to 8 auto repair garages operating, but the Ben Thuy Ward authorities are still unaware of it. It was not until the Environmental Police of the City Police organized a surprise inspection that they discovered the long-standing environmental pollution. Here, waste from used lubricants and machine washing oil was dumped directly into the drainage pits by the garages, seriously affecting the water source in the area.

Mr. Nguyen Khac Khanh - Vice Chairman of Ben Thuy Ward People's Committee said: "Although the production households in Trung Do Cooperative are under the administrative management of Ben Thuy Ward, the management of personnel is still under the authority of the Cooperative and Trung Do Ward People's Committee, so it is very difficult for us to check their compliance with production and business conditions. Therefore, we think that the functional sector should not grant licenses to organizations and individuals operating in the field of painting and repairing cars to operate in residential areas".

Environmental police of Vinh City police inspected Lu Hue garage, block 12 - Ben Thuy Ward - Vinh City.

According to our research, at auto repair garages, during the repair process, the noise from banging, roaring engines, burning smell from welding, and paint dust released into the air have seriously affected the living environment of neighboring households. Many facilities have not yet taken measures to handle waste oil and grease, which violates environmental protection regulations. Mr. Trinh Quoc Tuan, owner of Tuan Linh garage, block 11, Ben Thuy ward admitted: "Currently, because our business is still facing many difficulties, we have not been able to invest in equipment to handle grease waste."

In Vinh City, there are currently more than 200 auto repair garages scattered in residential areas. In July and August 2015, the Environmental Police force of Vinh City Police inspected 57 auto repair garages and fined 26 establishments. Lieutenant Colonel Tran Dinh Chien, Head of the Environmental Police Team of Vinh City Police, said: Currently, the inspection and handling of environmental pollution at auto repair garages is facing many difficulties due to the small force. Many facility owners do not cooperate. Moreover, the sampling inspection work is also facing difficulties because the unit has not proactively equipped itself.

Environmental police coordinated with Nghi Lien commune police to inspect waste treatment at Hoai An facility, hamlet 6, Nghi Lien commune, Vinh city.

The fact that auto repair garages have not paid attention to investing in building wastewater systems and managing toxic waste according to the law, but directly discharged waste such as used lubricants and waste engine oil directly into the environment has left many dangers to the environment and people's health. Mr. Bach Hung Cu - Deputy Head of the Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Natural Resources and Environment affirmed: For the water environment, industrial waste oil will affect the ecosystem, leading to the extinction of aquatic and marine species; on the other hand, when aquatic and marine species are contaminated with toxic impurities in waste lubricants such as lead, zinc and some other toxic chemicals, it will be very dangerous when used as a food source for humans".

Vinh city is aiming to become the economic and cultural center of the North Central region, so attracting and expanding investment and encouraging the development of a multi-sector economy will contribute to diversifying the city's economic appearance and meeting the problem of creating jobs for many workers. However, in order for Vinh city to develop sustainably, civilizedly and modernly, ensuring the harmony between production development and environmental protection is the most urgent task today.

Thanh Tam