A fertilizer plant in Bac Giang Province has been accused of seriously polluting a local river, causing a mass die-off of fish and threatening the health of the local populace.
Authorities said tons of dead fish were found floating in the Thuong River on January 1 at a section of the river near discharge outlets of the Ha Bac Chemical and Fertilizer One-member Limited Company. Dead fish were found from Tho Xuong Ward in Bac Giang City and Phuc Man Hamlet in Xuan Huong Commune of Bac Giang Province.
The provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment launched an investigation and preliminary findings are that the company discharged untreated wastewater into the Thuong River.
On January 5, the company explained it had been testing an expanded urea production chain on December 30 and some valves in the system leaked. The chain was shutdown for maintenance.
A day later, the company resumed testing the chain, but said the pumping system broke down on the morning of January 1, prompting a second halt. Wastewater from the cleansing of equipment, including ammonia, flowed into the common drainage system in Bac Giang City and poured into the Thuong River.
The Ha Bac plant
The company did not deal with the breakdown until the morning of January 2.
The department concluded that the company did not have a contingency plan for its wastewater treatment system before testing its expanded production chain, nor did it have a plan to deal with urgent environmental incidents.
Results from wastewater tests showed that the company violated regultions on environmental protection, with several indexes in safe wastewater 30 times higher than acceptable levels.
Thousands of households in Bac Giang City use tap water draw from the Thuong River.
The provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment has asked the company ordered the company to draw up response plan for environmental incidents and submit it to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for consideration.
Local authorities will closely monitor the company to ensure it complies with environmental protection regulations.
