Trash strewn on the shore of Binh Chau commune, Binh Son district, in the coastal province of Quang Ngai. (Photo: VNA) Quang Ngai (VNA) - Coastal communes inthe south central province of Quang Ngai are facing alarming environmentalpollution as a result of the waste discharged from residential areas,industrial production and tourism activities.
According to the provincial Department ofNatural Resources and Environment, since relocation of the population to areasdesignated for infrastructure, development has not been completed, leading toco-mingling of industrial production facilities and residential zones.
At least 400 households of the coastal Binh Dongcommune, living near Dai Viet cementplant, is reeling from dust and noise pollution. Despite intervention effortsby the Quang Ngai People’s Committee, the pollution has persisted. Binh Dongresidents have repeatedly protested and attempted to prevent the operations ofthe cement plant.
Speaking to Nhan Dan (People’s) newspaper, NguyenMinh Tai, head of the management board of Dung Quat economic zone and Quang Ngaiprovince’s industrial parks, pollution alleviation measures demanded of DaiViet cement company are “not practical.” Locals have petitioned the company torelocate elsewhere several times, but the company refused, as the plant wasbuilt in the land area reserved for industrial development and was grantedpermission by the management board.
“The relocation of an industrial productionfacility is costly, not to mention compensation for the investors,” Tai said.
At Sa Ky or Ly Son port, dozens of thousands ofships sailing in and out every day discharge hundreds of tonnes of garbage,fuel, and wastewater during shipping activities. Usually, after unloading theircatch onto the shore, boat owners clean their boats, and the waste and theresidues are dumped into the ocean’s waters.
Similarly at Sa Huynh fishing port, hundreds ofactive boats and 2,000 households, all dump their waste into the ocean.
Most boats lack waste collectors, and the boatoperators’ awareness on the need to observe maritime environment protection andsafety guidelines is limited, which has exacerbated the current pollutionsituation in coastal areas.
Unruly waste treatment by the tourism industryin the coastal areas — especially the increased presence of beachsiderestaurants, hotels, and resorts — is also an important source of pollution.
Along the beaches of Tinh Ki, Tinh Khe communesof Son Tinh district, hundreds of touristic facilities produce a large amountof waste, enough to create a kilometre-long beachside landfill, giving off aserious foul smell.
Tran Van Hai, a local resident, said that in thewhole commune there was not a single garbage collection area, so “untreatedwaste’s natural destination is the beach.” “Eat and live with garbage,” Haisaid.
Nghia An commune of Tu Nghia district is alsoexperiencing the same predicament. Without a proper landfill, every throw-away— estimated at 5 tonnes a day — is strewn into the waters or left on the beach.When the tide water rises, it brings out the trash into the ocean, then thewaves deposit the trash back onto the shore. In some seafood farms, mass fishdeath had occurred due to the wastewater and garbage that the sea waves broughtback.
Residents of Binh Chau commune of Binh Son, withits many fish markets and a robust algae exploitation industry, said thecurrent pollution was the direct result of age-old habits. The authorities haveorganised awareness campaigns to urge people not to dump waste into the ocean,but they have failed to produce positive changes.
Dang Van Minh, Vice Chairman of the Quang Ngai People’sCommittee, said the province “identified maritime economy as its spearheadsector.” Intending to make use of its deep-water ports, the province had beenencouraging fishermen to build high-capacity boats to conduct off-shore fishing,as well as encouraging expansion of seafood farming areas.
However, pollution had impeded and negated a lotof the progress made so far, Minh admitted.
The province had allocated from its budget aconsiderable amount for the ‘environment affairs fund,’ which would be used topurchase waste collection and treatment machines for local governments.
Some districts in the province, such as Binh Son,Mo Duc, Son Tinh, among others, had formed garbage collection working groups,while the remaining districts had not paid due attention to this issue, Minhsaid.-VNA
According to the provincial Department ofNatural Resources and Environment, since relocation of the population to areasdesignated for infrastructure, development has not been completed, leading toco-mingling of industrial production facilities and residential zones.
At least 400 households of the coastal Binh Dongcommune, living near Dai Viet cementplant, is reeling from dust and noise pollution. Despite intervention effortsby the Quang Ngai People’s Committee, the pollution has persisted. Binh Dongresidents have repeatedly protested and attempted to prevent the operations ofthe cement plant.
Speaking to Nhan Dan (People’s) newspaper, NguyenMinh Tai, head of the management board of Dung Quat economic zone and Quang Ngaiprovince’s industrial parks, pollution alleviation measures demanded of DaiViet cement company are “not practical.” Locals have petitioned the company torelocate elsewhere several times, but the company refused, as the plant wasbuilt in the land area reserved for industrial development and was grantedpermission by the management board.
“The relocation of an industrial productionfacility is costly, not to mention compensation for the investors,” Tai said.
At Sa Ky or Ly Son port, dozens of thousands ofships sailing in and out every day discharge hundreds of tonnes of garbage,fuel, and wastewater during shipping activities. Usually, after unloading theircatch onto the shore, boat owners clean their boats, and the waste and theresidues are dumped into the ocean’s waters.
Similarly at Sa Huynh fishing port, hundreds ofactive boats and 2,000 households, all dump their waste into the ocean.
Most boats lack waste collectors, and the boatoperators’ awareness on the need to observe maritime environment protection andsafety guidelines is limited, which has exacerbated the current pollutionsituation in coastal areas.
Unruly waste treatment by the tourism industryin the coastal areas — especially the increased presence of beachsiderestaurants, hotels, and resorts — is also an important source of pollution.
Along the beaches of Tinh Ki, Tinh Khe communesof Son Tinh district, hundreds of touristic facilities produce a large amountof waste, enough to create a kilometre-long beachside landfill, giving off aserious foul smell.
Tran Van Hai, a local resident, said that in thewhole commune there was not a single garbage collection area, so “untreatedwaste’s natural destination is the beach.” “Eat and live with garbage,” Haisaid.
Nghia An commune of Tu Nghia district is alsoexperiencing the same predicament. Without a proper landfill, every throw-away— estimated at 5 tonnes a day — is strewn into the waters or left on the beach.When the tide water rises, it brings out the trash into the ocean, then thewaves deposit the trash back onto the shore. In some seafood farms, mass fishdeath had occurred due to the wastewater and garbage that the sea waves broughtback.
Residents of Binh Chau commune of Binh Son, withits many fish markets and a robust algae exploitation industry, said thecurrent pollution was the direct result of age-old habits. The authorities haveorganised awareness campaigns to urge people not to dump waste into the ocean,but they have failed to produce positive changes.
Dang Van Minh, Vice Chairman of the Quang Ngai People’sCommittee, said the province “identified maritime economy as its spearheadsector.” Intending to make use of its deep-water ports, the province had beenencouraging fishermen to build high-capacity boats to conduct off-shore fishing,as well as encouraging expansion of seafood farming areas.
However, pollution had impeded and negated a lotof the progress made so far, Minh admitted.
The province had allocated from its budget aconsiderable amount for the ‘environment affairs fund,’ which would be used topurchase waste collection and treatment machines for local governments.
Some districts in the province, such as Binh Son,Mo Duc, Son Tinh, among others, had formed garbage collection working groups,while the remaining districts had not paid due attention to this issue, Minhsaid.-VNA
VNA
