Strengthening inspection and supervision of environmental pollution treatment at Hoang Mai cement factory

(Baonghean.vn) - Voters of Hoang Mai town requested the Provincial People's Committee to direct relevant agencies to strengthen inspection and supervision of environmental pollution treatment caused by Hoang Mai Cement Factory for households living around the factory area.

Regarding this issue, the Provincial People's Committee responded as follows:

On March 6, 2017, the Provincial People's Committee directed the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to coordinate with the People's Committee of Hoang Mai town, the People's Committee of Quynh Vinh ward, and the People's Committee of Quynh Thien ward to organize a working session to inspect and supervise the environmental protection work of Hoang Mai Cement Factory to verify and resolve the content reflected by voters.

Panorama of Vicem Hoang Mai cement factory. Photo courtesy

Inspection results: The factory has a complete record of environmental protection work. Regarding waste management and treatment: The factory has applied mitigation measures to reduce emissions. According to the periodic environmental monitoring report, most parameters are within the allowable range. The Ammonium index in sample T1 at the final settling pond before being discharged into the environment of the factory in November 2016 was 16.1 mg/l, exceeding QCVN 14:2008/BTNMT by 1.61 times.

However, during the operation of the Factory, there are still some problems in environmental protection that affect people living around the factory area and have also been reflected by some voters:

+ Dust and smoke emitted from the mining area, caused by vehicles transporting coal and materials; from incidents of electrostatic dust treatment systems, in 2016 there were 4 incidents (according to reports from the company and records from local authorities);

+ Treated domestic wastewater still has an Amoni index exceeding QCVN 14:2008/BTNMT by 1.61 times.

To resolve the above problems, the Provincial People's Committee has directed:

- Vicem Hoang Mai Cement Joint Stock Company performs the following contents:

+ Conduct a comprehensive review of all sources of potential environmental pollution to include in the corresponding environmental protection plan and make it public and transparent to local authorities and people in the area. Require the Company to promptly report in writing to local authorities for coordination, monitoring and handling when incidents occur.

+ The company must have measures to limit incidents in the smoke and dust treatment system, develop plans to overcome common incidents, treat wastewater to meet current environmental standards and fully implement environmental protection measures in accordance with the approved environmental impact assessment report.

+ Strictly prohibit all forms of discharge of smoke, dust, and wastewater into the environment that have not been treated to meet current environmental standards;

+ Urgently complete the automatic monitoring system to put it into operation and send a report to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Provincial People's Committee when the system is officially put into operation for management agencies to monitor according to regulations.

Cement on automatic conveyor belt. Photo: Archive

- For Hoang Mai Town People's Committee, Quynh Thien Ward People's Committee, Quynh Vinh Commune People's Committee:

+ Strengthen propaganda work to explain to people clearly about environmental protection work in general and environmental protection work in the Company's production activities in particular.

+ Monitor the implementation of legal regulations on environmental protection during the Company's operations; report in writing to the Provincial People's Committee and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to summarize arising issues to coordinate timely handling of feedback from local voters.

+ Strengthen the supervision of environmental protection work for coal transportation facilities and mineral and construction material mining and transportation facilities in the area regarding compliance with environmental protection laws.

For the Department of Natural Resources and Environment:

+ Closely coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in inspecting and supervising environmental protection activities of Hoang Mai Cement Joint Stock Company.

+ Urge the Company to complete the automatic monitoring system, connect with the automatic monitoring system of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to closely monitor the discharge progress of the electrostatic dust filter system, in order to detect and promptly handle arising environmental situations.

+ Regularly urge and supervise environmental protection activities of Hoang Mai Cement Joint Stock Company. Closely coordinate with local authorities to supervise the Company's environmental protection activities.

Gia Huy

(Synthetic)