Environmental pollution treatment at Xuri Viet Trung Fishmeal Factory

(Baonghean) - Nghe An Newspaper issue dated June 9, 2014, Hotline Information section reported that the activities of Xuri Viet Trung Fishmeal Factory in Dien Hung Commune caused environmental pollution, affecting people's lives.

On June 17, 2014, Dien Chau District People's Committee received Official Dispatch No. 108/VC-CADC dated June 9, 2014 from Dien Chau District Police regarding the request to establish an inspection team to handle environmental pollution at Xuri Viet Trung Company Limited.

On June 27, 2014, Dien Chau District People's Committee issued Official Dispatch No. 118/UBND-TNMT on the results of inspection and handling at Xuri Viet Trung Seafood By-product Processing Company Limited, with the following content:

On June 10, 2014, the People's Committee of Dien Chau district coordinated with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the People's Committee of Dien Hung commune to inspect, verify and clarify the above content. Specifically, in Official Dispatch No. 2461/STNMT-BVMT dated June 20, 2014 of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment:

Overview:

The investment project to build the Xuri Viet Trung fishmeal factory in Dien Hung commune, Dien Chau district, Nghe An province was approved by the People's Committee of Nghe An province in Decision No. 455/QD-UBND.DC dated February 22, 2012;

The factory started trial operation on April 8, 2014. After 1 week of trial operation, environmental problems arose. The factory stopped trial operation and proceeded to fix the pollution: pumping the pond and signing a contract with Hoang Anh Trading & CNC JSC to build a wastewater treatment plant with a capacity of 150m3/day and night under the supervision of Dien Hung Commune People's Committee.

Actual test results:

The factory operates with a total planned construction area of ​​11,956m2; operating capacity: from 150 - 170 tons of raw materials/day and night; number of employees: 78 people. The factory applies fishmeal production technology by drying method with the main stages: Feeding c Screening fishmeal c Grinding c Cooling, packaging.

The amount of wastewater produced is about 10m3/day and night, including: wastewater from the steaming and drying process; boiler cooling water, water for treating exhaust gas and boiler dust; water for cooling and absorbing steam and odor from production stages. Of which: water for cooling and absorbing steam and odor from production stages has not been led through the centralized wastewater treatment system (WTP) but is led to 3 settling tanks before being discharged into the outside environment; wastewater from the steaming and drying process is treated by a centralized WWTP: wastewater is led into the grease separator tank, through the equalization tank, the UASB tank, through the aerotank tank and then discharged into 3 settling tanks and drained outside; boiler cooling water is used for circulation, water for treating exhaust gas and boiler dust has not been led through the centralized WWTP but is led to 3 settling tanks before being discharged into the outside environment. The WWTP of the factory is in trial operation and has not been accepted.

- Test sample results:

+ The ambient air sample taken at the internal road in the central processing area of ​​the factory only had NH3 parameters exceeding 1.112 times the allowable standard;

+ Ambient air sample taken outside the factory fence, 100m northeast of the chimney, at the end of the main wind direction: All parameters meet standards;

+ Wastewater sample taken from the manhole before treatment of Xuri Viet Trung Seafood By-product Processing Company Limited: Parameters of BOD5, COD, TSS, Ammonium (calculated as N), Total Nitrogen, Total Coliforms all exceed the standard;

+ Wastewater sample taken at the final discharge point after the treatment system, outside the factory fence: Only the Total Coliforms parameter exceeded 56 times the allowable standard;

Conclusion and recommendations:

Conclude

- The content reported by Nghe An newspaper is well-founded, however the time of pollution was when the factory was in trial operation in April 2014, the time the newspaper reported was June 2014, the pollution situation had improved;

- The content of the newspaper stating that "Wastewater is not treated but is directly discharged into the river drainage of residential areas" is not consistent with reality. When starting the trial operation, the factory built a wastewater treatment system but it was not completed. Therefore, after 1 week of operation, environmental problems arose, the company stopped the trial operation to fix the environmental treatment: continue to complete, operate the centralized wastewater treatment system and treat the wastewater discharged into the common pond bordering the two communes of Dien Hung and Dien Hai.

- The content of the newspaper's reflection that "The company has been delaying time and time again" is not consistent with reality. After having environmental problems, the factory stopped operating to fix the problem under the supervision of the local authorities (People's Committee of Dien Hung commune).

Recommendation:

Based on the inspection and verification, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment respectfully requests the Provincial People's Committee to direct the implementation of the following contents:

- Assign the People's Committee of Dien Chau district and the People's Committee of Dien Hung commune to direct relevant departments and offices to implement the following contents:

+ Continue to monitor the implementation of environmental protection project contents and items according to the progress and roadmap committed in the investor's Environmental Impact Assessment Report and regularly report the situation to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment through the Environmental Protection Sub-Department for monitoring and management;

+ Grasp information and feedback from people in the project implementation area to promptly handle incidents that arise within authority;

+ Propaganda and mobilize people to understand and create conditions for the company to conduct trial operations; as well as maintain security and order in the locality;

- Request Xuri Viet Trung Seafood By-products Processing Company Limited:

+ Fully implement the commitments in the Environmental Impact Assessment Report and the Decision approving the Environmental Impact Assessment Report of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee;

+ Continue to implement measures to prevent environmental incidents during the factory's operation: Import fresh fish for production and transport by specialized vehicles... to avoid spreading water pollution and odors during transportation;

+ Absolutely do not discharge any type of waste into the environment without treating it to the permitted standards;

+ Overcome the shortcomings of the wastewater treatment plant to treat the output wastewater to meet QCVN 11:2008/BTNMT: National technical regulation on wastewater from seafood processing industry. Take wastewater monitoring samples to conduct acceptance of the wastewater treatment plant according to regulations;

+ Prepare a request for inspection and confirmation of the completion of works and environmental protection measures serving the factory's operational phase and send it to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Dien Chau District People's Committee has directed relevant departments and offices to continue to inspect and supervise the implementation of environmental protection contents and items according to the progress and roadmap committed in the Environmental Impact Assessment Report of Xuri Viet Trung Seafood By-product Processing Company and regularly report the situation to the district for solutions.

People's Committee of Dien Chau district