Over 42 tonnes of hazardous waste hidden at Dong Nai factory

Authorities in the southern province of Dong Nai are investigating over 42 tonnes of hazardous waste found at the Dien Quang Lightbulb Company factory.

Authorities in the southern province of Dong Nai are investigating over 42 tonnes of hazardous waste found at the Dien Quang Lightbulb Company factory.

Police check a machine grinding used fluorescent bulbs

Dong Nai Provincial Police Department said on April 24 that they had found over 42 tonnes of hazardous waste after two days of searching the factory.

"The wastes include contaminated glass and wastewater coming from the grinding of used fluorescent bulbs that contained mercury and sulfur," the police said. Local authorities and the company had agreed to hire a local environmental company to collect the wastes for treatment."

Earlier on April 20, workers at the factory were caught redhanded by local police while dumping 195 bags containing five tonnes of chemical-contaminated glass pieces and nearly 370,000 discharged fluorescent tubes. Searching the factory, police also found two large underground basins containing wastewater.

A basin built underground to contain wastewater at the factory

Local authorities are co-operating with concerned agencies to expand the search of other company locations.