Identify the source of wastewater with signs of pollution causing unusual fish deaths in Bac stream (Quy Hop)

As reported by Nghe An Newspaper, on the evening of June 30, people in Chau Thanh commune, Quy Hop district, discovered murky water and dead fish floating on both banks of Bac stream passing through the commune.

Quy Hop District People's Committee has established an inspection team to review and trace the upstream of Nam Huong stream from Chau Cuong commune to the source of the water flow.

In the inspection and working minutes dated July 1, 2024 between the District Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the People's Committee of Chau Thanh commune, it was discovered that the ground and rocks were dark yellow and opaque, water flowed from the rock crevices, stagnated in the soil, forming a stream that entered Nam Huong stream originating from the Bac stream area, Chau Hong commune, Quy Hop district.

To trace the source of the turbid water, on July 2, 2024, the District People's Committee established a team to continue to inspect and review the traces upstream of Nam Huong stream from Chau Cuong commune to the source of the water flow (coordinates x = 2146180; y = 534207). Tracing upstream along the stream, there were traces of dark yellow turbid soil and rock, the authorities determined that the source of the wastewater with signs of pollution was the end point of the source from the mine area of ​​Thiec Ha An Company Limited.

Through the actual inspection at the mine area and the Company's staff, it was found that: At the time of the inspection, Ha An Tin Company Limited was stopping mining activities and the company has stopped mining activities since January 30, 2024. The team continued to inspect along the stream and discovered a dark yellow opaque sedimentary mud that was still wet originating from the drainage area (coordinates x = 2146222; y = 534659) flowing along the company's overflow rainwater collection ditch system. At the drainage location, there was also water and dark yellow opaque mud flowing out of the natural stream into the Nam Huong stream. The dark yellow opaque sedimentary mud at the location of the company's overflow rainwater collection ditch system was the same color as the sedimentary mud in the Nam Huong stream area. According to observations, in the factory area, there are many machinery systems, environmental treatment systems, especially the pipeline system, with many different types, sizes and very complex, some pipes are buried underground, some are exposed and especially some plastic pipes of wastewater output of the factory have signs of being cut and newly joined.(sleeves).

At the time of inspection, the dark yellow turbid sludge in the overflowing stormwater drainage system was still wet. (From June 29, 2024 to present, there has been no rain in the Bac stream area).

Continuing to inspect the sedimentation tank area to the East of Chau Hong commune of this company (area 2). The company's sedimentation tank system consists of 5 tanks, at the last sedimentation tank (coordinates x = 2145827; y = 535146), the team discovered at the end of the sedimentation tank there are 04 iron pipes of diameter 200 installed by the company buried under the base with 01 end in the sedimentation tank (with the mouth covered with packaging) and 01 end outside the sedimentation tank (the iron pipe end is not covered). At the time of inspection, there was 01 iron pipe with water flowing with a small stream of water flowing from the sedimentation tank to the environment. Below the iron pipe (outside the sedimentation tank), the team discovered flowing water and sedimentation mud with a dark yellow turbid color, the same color as the mud discovered in the Nam Huong stream area.

At the meeting with the delegation, Mr. Dang Xuan Luc - CEO of Thiec Ha An Company Limited said: "Currently, the company is ceasing operations to complete procedures according to the law. The company must treat the water flowing from the mine area every day before pumping it into the sand cave, then flowing into the environment."

It is known that on June 4, 2024, the People's Committee of Quy Hop district issued Decision No. 2981/QD-UBND to sanction administrative violations against Thiec Ha An Company Limited. Because of administrative violations for the following 3 reasons:Using minerals for purposes other than those specified in the Mineral Exploitation License without permission from a competent state management agency as prescribed;Incomplete preparation of books, vouchers, documents and related materials to determine actual annual mining output;Failure to submit approved mine designs to the competent state mineral management agency.

The total penalty and remedial measures for Ha An Tin Company Limited is 250,000,000 VND (Two hundred and fifty million dong)and suspend mining activities for 4.5 months.

This company also violated the land lease, almost the entire environmental treatment area including 5 tanks in area 2 of the company is outside the leased land area.

From the inspection on July 2, the delegation conducted a field inspection report, and immediately: Requested the company to strictly comply with environmental protection work, absolutely not to release untreated sludge and wastewater into the environment; Explained the cause of the dark yellow streaks and sludge originating from the company's drainage area, the explanation time is before July 4, 2024. Requested the Company to coordinate with the working group (environmental monitoring unit) invited by Quy Hop District Police to organize environmental monitoring sampling for designated areas to clarify whether the Company's wastewater and sludge discharged into the environment meet the parameters and indicators prescribed by law or not.

Currently, the police are continuing to investigate the incident, coordinating with the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring to collect water samples in the areas. The relevant agencies are working with relevant people to promptly verify and clarify the cause and handle the incident according to regulations./.