Hanoi - Vietnam will suspend operations of a Taiwanese-owned
Vedan condiment factory in southern Dong Nai province that was found
to be emitting illegal pollutants, a senior government official said
Wednesday.
'We will halt Vedan's operations until the company remediates its
environmental effects,' said Deputy Minister of Natural Resource and
Environment Tran Hong Ha.
Inspectors said Vedan is accused of discharging a total of 45,000
cubic metres of contaminated effluents over the past 10 years,
effectively killing a 12-kilometre stretch of the Thi Vai River.
'The firm has repeatedly violated environmental regulations by
dumping untreated wastewater into the Thi Vai River since 1994,' said
Ha. 'Vietnamese authorities have warned them, but things have not
changed much.'
Government inspectors last week found the company had broken at
least 10 environmental codes. Local media reported that on September
19, Vedan Vice Chairman Yang Kun Xiang had admitted its violations
and apologized.
'We want to file criminal proceedings against this firm to set an
example for others,' said Nguyen Xuan Ly, head of the national
Environmental Police Agency.
According to local newspapers, the Ministry of Public Security has
temporarily barred all of Vedan's officers from leaving Vietnam until
the case has been resolved.
The papers reported Vedan may have to pay wastewater fees of some
5.5 million dollars.
According to Vietnamese law, discharging pollution or toxic
substances into water and failing to take environmental measures
despite orders from government agencies is subject to a fine of
between 10 million and 100 million dong (600 to 6,000 dollars), or up
to 10 years of imprisonment.
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