Notice of results of remedying Formosa's violations

'Currently, domestic, biochemical and industrial wastewater treatment plants and exhaust gas treatment systems operated by FHS meet prescribed environmental technical standards before discharging into the environment'.

This afternoon (November 10), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment issued a specific announcement on the results of overcoming existing shortcomings and violations of environmental protection by Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation after the environmental incident in four central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien-Hue.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, regarding the process of overcoming shortcomings and violations after the environmental incident in four central provinces, Formosa Ha Tinh (FHS) has completed transferring 500 million USD in compensation for damages to the Vietnamese Government.

To date, FHS has completed nine local wastewater treatment systems and three wastewater treatment plants before discharging into the environment, including a domestic wastewater treatment plant, a biochemical wastewater treatment plant from coke ovens, Son Duong port, and an industrial wastewater treatment plant.

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, before the environmental incident in April, domestic and biochemical wastewater was only preliminarily treated at the station, then transferred to the industrial wastewater treatment center and discharged into the sea. Currently, FHS has also adjusted and completed the operating process of chemical dosage and added more chemicals to remove color and cyanide.

FHS has stopped transferring common solid waste such as fly ash, bottom slag, gypsum, and waste chemicals to units that do not have the function of processing.

Formosa Ha Tinh, the culprit causing the mass fish deaths in the central coastal region, seen from the sea. Photo: D.LAM

Formosa Ha Tinh, the culprit causing the mass fish deaths in the central coastal region, seen from the sea. Photo: D.LAM

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha has approved the principles of environmental monitoring, the roadmap to overcome existing problems and violations of environmental protection, and the environmental monitoring plan for FHS.

To fulfill its commitment, FHS has chosen advanced technology to implement the conversion of coke cooling from wet to dry (CDQ). This conversion will start from January 31, 2017 and is committed to complete the system by June 30, 2019.

The FHS monitoring plan is implemented by the Institute of Environmental Technology (General Department of Environment) to automatically, continuously and periodically monitor the environment, including wastewater, exhaust gas, solid waste, surface water in drainage channels, coastal seawater, groundwater, ambient air, and noise for a period of three years with three phases.

Specifically, the trial operation phase of the waste treatment facility, the phase of confirming the completion of the environmental protection facility, and the phase of stable operation of the project.

According to PLO