Community-based environmental monitoring suggested for papermaker
Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Tran Hong Ha has urged the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang to establish a community-based monitoring mechanism to evaluate the effectiveness of papermaker Lee & Man Vietnam Ltd.’s environmental treatment.
Lee & Man Paper Vietnam Limited in Hau Giang province has admitted to polluting the environment, affecting nearby households, during a dry run of its waste treatment plant. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Minister ofEnvironment and Natural Resources Tran Hong Ha has urged the Mekong Deltaprovince of Hau Giang to establish a community-based monitoring mechanism toevaluate the effectiveness of papermaker Lee & Man Vietnam Ltd.’senvironmental treatment.
Ina visit to the company’s paper mill on October 19, he asked the papermaker tocomplete a standard procedure for management and operation of its wastetreatment and keep daily records of materials used for environmental treatmentand publicise them.
The firm was also requested to ensure thecapability of solid and hazard waste treatment providers and control odors,particularly at night and when it rains.
The minister assigned the province to make alist of local firms dumping a lot of waste and submit it to the ministry, andto set up a system for automated surface water quality monitoring along the HauRiver and transfer the data to the provincial Department of Environment andNatural Resources.
Lee & Man Vietnam Ltd. has completedconstruction of a 1.2-billion-USD paper factory, which started in 2007, at PhuHuu A Industrial Cluster along the Hau River in Hau Giang.
It is the largest paper factory in Vietnamand one of the five largest in the world, capable of manufacturing 330,000tonnes of pulp and 420,000 tonnes of packaging paper a year. It disposes anestimated 13,000 cu.m of wastewater per day.
Last December, the facility was allowed tobegin testing its waste treatment plant, but then ceased due to pollution.
The company was accused of causing noise,dust and a bad odour, affecting nearby households. It later took responsibilityfor the pollution.
Minister Tran Hong Ha took the occasion tovisit affected families, asking them to continue informing local authorities aboutthe factory’s operation.
The ministry plans to allow the factory tobe put into operation at the end of October.-VNA
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Lee & Man Paper Vietnam Limited in Hau Giang province has admitted to polluting the environment, affecting nearby households, during a dry run of its waste treatment plant. (Photo: VNA)
