Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring: Efforts for a clean environment

(Baonghean) - Implementing the environmental monitoring program and seawater quality monitoring in Nghe An related to the mass death of seafood in the central coastal region, the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring (Department of Natural Resources and Environment) has made great efforts in performing the task of monitoring the quality of coastal seawater in the areas of Cua Lo, Cua Hoi... Along with that, the center promptly coordinates with competent authorities to carry out environmental monitoring and analysis at production and business establishments when requested.

To meet the requirements of environmental monitoring activities in the new situation, the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring has invested in more equipment for monitoring and analyzing the marine environment (from state investment capital and self-funded funds), and regularly sent staff to participate in training courses and technical training on environmental monitoring... Thanks to that, the center has been granted a Certificate of eligibility to operate environmental monitoring services by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Laboratory analysis room at the Center for Natural Resources and Environmental Monitoring.

The laboratory applies ISO/IEC 17025:2005 for field monitoring activities and is approved by the Office of Quality Accreditation - Ministry of Science and Technology with code number VILAS 951.

Implementing the environmental monitoring program in the province, the center coordinated with relevant levels and sectors to effectively deploy the first phase of monitoring tasks (March 2016), the second phase (June 2016) and is currently implementing field work to collect, take samples and analyze to perform the third phase of monitoring tasks.

Also during the past time, the center was selected by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment as the unit to implement the projects "Assessing the current status of sediment pollution in some surface water areas in Nghe An province" and "Investigating and surveying the quality of groundwater in the province".

One of the important tasks of the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring is to carry out coastal water environment monitoring in Nghe An when an incident related to the mass death of seafood occurs in the central coastal region. Mr. Le Van Hung - Director of the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring said: "Since April 2016, the center has been monitoring coastal water quality with a frequency of 2 days/time at the tourist beaches of Cua Lo, Cua Hoi, Quynh Phuong, Quynh Nghia (Hoang Mai Town) and Dien Thanh (Dien Chau).

From May to September 2016, the center only conducted monitoring at Cua Lo and Cua Hoi tourist beaches with a frequency of 2 days/time, in which from June 2 to 5, 2016, the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) together with the Provincial Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring conducted seawater quality monitoring 2 times/day.

Taking seawater samples for analysis at Cua Lo.

Thus, from April to September 2016, the center conducted 43 coastal seawater environmental monitoring activities with 87 water samples and the monitoring results showed that most of the seawater quality parameters at the monitoring points were within the permissible limits of the National Technical Regulation on coastal seawater QCVN 10 - MT: 2015/BTNMT for bathing areas". The efforts in timely monitoring of seawater quality of the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring have greatly contributed to the development of the marine economy in Nghe An.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vo - Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment said, "The results of coastal seawater monitoring by the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring show that in Nghe An, the quality of the seawater environment is not much affected by the incident that caused fish deaths in the central coastal region. After receiving the monitoring results, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment will report in writing to the Provincial People's Committee and publish the monitoring results on the mass media."

Also during that time, the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring accelerated the implementation of the Project "Assessing the current status of sediment pollution in some surface water areas in the province", through which the monitoring results of sediment quality parameters at the monitoring points were all within the permissible limits of the National Standard on Sediment Quality QCVN 43:2012/BTNMT for saltwater and brackish water sediments. Currently, the center continues to implement the storage of documents, monitoring data, and updating data into the national environmental monitoring data system.

Recently, in localities in the province, there are many enterprises and units investing in production and business projects, some of which have polluted the environment during the production process. To have accurate results to help relevant agencies respond and solve this problem, the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring promptly coordinates with relevant agencies to conduct environmental monitoring and analysis at production and business establishments when requested, such as: Coordinate with the Department of Environmental Protection to verify environmental pollution at 13 establishments with 18 water samples, 2 gas samples, 30 soil samples; Coordinate with the Department of Water, Sea and Islands to take 2 samples to assess water quality at production and business establishments; Coordinate with the Department of Environmental Police - Provincial Police to verify environmental pollution at 5 establishments with 5 water samples, 1 gas sample...

Youth Union members of Cua Lo town participate in cleaning the marine environment.

Currently, the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring is gradually implementing the "Project to convert autonomous scientific and technological units according to Decree 115/2005/ND-CP" and to operate effectively, the center promotes the development of services on environmental monitoring, consulting on environmental impact assessment reports, wastewater discharge into water sources, and water exploitation and use.

In the coming time, along with improving the quality of applying quality assurance and quality management activities in environmental monitoring activities, applying tests in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025:2005 for field monitoring activities and experimental analysis to better serve environmental inspection and assessment rounds as required by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the Department of Environmental Protection, and other agencies and departments, the center will deploy monitoring activities, specifically determining the level and scope of pollution in the Dong Vinh Landfill area (after the Vinh City People's Committee signs the contract).

Implement environmental monitoring around Nghi Yen Solid Waste Treatment Complex (Nghi Loc) and implement water quality monitoring activities at domestic water supply plants in the province...

Hoang Vinh