For the development environment of industrial clusters in Dong Ha

The type of farming that wants to reduce costs to gain profit, releasing bad odors into the living environment while cheating on the characteristic odor is unacceptable. Especially at the end of this year, Nam Ha Vietnam Shoes Co., Ltd. will stabilize phase 1 with 7,000 workers and in 2024 will start phase 2.

Nike shoe factory in Nam Ha Industrial Cluster, Dong Ha Commune, Duc Linh. Photo: N.Lan

10 requests to Vissan pig farm

On October 6, 2023, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment announced the results of a surprise inspection of compliance with environmental protection laws at Song Ha Farm (Vissan pig farm - pv) of Vietnam Livestock Industry Joint Stock Company. The inspection took place from August 25, 2023 to August 28, 2023 according to Decision No. 1614/QD-UBND dated August 11, 2023 of the Provincial People's Committee Chairman. According to the announcement, Vietnam Livestock Industry Joint Stock Company has basically complied with the records, reporting regime and implemented environmental protection works and measures according to the provisions of law on environmental protection. However, the centralized wastewater collection and treatment facility with a design capacity of 50 m3/day and night is not operating stably; The results of measurement and analysis of wastewater samples after treatment for reuse in livestock farming and watering plants showed that 1/6 parameters exceeded 1.58 times compared to Column B (Kq = 0.6, Kf = 1.3) of QCVN 62-MT:2016/BTNMT - National technical regulation on livestock wastewater.

Based on the inspection results, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment requested Vietnam Livestock Industry Joint Stock Company to seriously implement 10 contents. Specifically, continue to fully implement the requirements and environmental protection measures according to the content of the EIA report and the decision approving the EIA report of the project; the contents in the Certificate of completion of confirmed environmental protection works. In addition, urgently review and re-evaluate the effectiveness of waste treatment works (especially wastewater treatment works) to maintain, repair and upgrade the storage and treatment works to ensure stable operation, livestock waste after treatment reaches the allowable value before being reused for livestock activities, watering plants; not allowed to discharge into the environment in case of an incident of wastewater treatment works. In case the facility applies QCVN 01-195:2022/BNNPTNT - National technical regulation on livestock wastewater used for irrigating plants, it must declare conformity and register for conformity declaration according to legal regulations before circulating and reusing to irrigate plants within the facility.

Not only that, it is also necessary to urgently innovate solutions to collect and thoroughly treat odors in areas where they arise, especially behind each row of barns, wastewater treatment areas... to prevent odors from spreading to the surrounding environment. In addition, the hazardous waste storage area must meet the regulations in Article 36 of Circular No. 02/2022/TT-BTNMT dated January 10, 2022 of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment. At the same time, other requirements must be implemented according to the provisions of the law on environmental protection, regulations on prevention and control of terrestrial animal diseases of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development ; Implement the contents of Official Dispatch No. 3248/STNMT-CCBVMT dated July 18, 2023, Official Dispatch No. 4280/STNMT-CCBVMT dated September 13, 2023 of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (already sent to Vietnam Livestock Industry Joint Stock Company)... And finally, comply with Decision No. 22/QD-XPHC dated September 29, 2023 of the Chief Inspector of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment on administrative sanctions for violations of the post-treatment wastewater sample for reuse for livestock farming and watering activities exceeding the prescribed standards.

Must comply with regulations before…

This is not the first time Vissan pig farm has been fined. Because before that, the unit was also fined for administrative violations, specifically in November 2019, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee handled administrative violations for the act of discharging waste containing normal environmental parameters into the environment exceeding technical standards with a fine of 200 million VND. However, it is worth mentioning that through a series of reminders above and the reflections of businesses and people in the area about the strong odor coming from Vissan pig farm, many issues are worth discussing. First of all, the responsibility of businesses in protecting the environment in the livestock farming area is not there. Recently, Official Letter 3248 of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment requested to strengthen management and implement environmental protection solutions for livestock and poultry farms in the province. In particular, in addition to solutions with implementation time beyond 2024, there are measures to reduce odors emitted into the environment at low cost and without taking much time, but Vissan pig farm has not taken any action to call it a solution.

Livestock farm near Nam Ha Industrial Park. Photo: N.Lan

Specifically, the recommendation of the functional sector is to implement a closed corrugated iron fence around the area behind the rows of barns (the area is equipped with ventilation, exhaust fans from inside the barn to the outside), install mesh screens combined with a water misting system (using biological products, absorbent chemical solutions) to ensure the absorption of odors. Research and add more drugs, digestive enzymes, biological products... in the diet of livestock and poultry to reduce odors from excrement, eliminate flies...; strengthen environmental sanitation and biosafety within the farm and surrounding areas.

Just changing as above has reduced the odor. In fact, these measures have been applied at a farm raising tens of thousands of pigs in Ham Thuan Bac and have overcome the odor spreading into the environment. And not far away, the Tafa Viet chicken farm has seriously implemented the recommendations of the functional sector and has reduced the odor a lot in just 3 months. But at this Vissan pig farm, it is not and always thinks that it is a typical odor in livestock farming. Even on the day Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Hai inspected the location near the farm, everyone in the group covered their noses and grimaced, but the representative of the Vissan pig farm said that it was a typical odor in livestock farming.

“There is no characteristic odor in the environmental law. If the characteristic odor is like that, then in the environmental impact assessment (EIA), a series of solutions must be implemented with the goal of ensuring that the surrounding environment is not affected. In fact, if we comply with the EIA and have environmental certifications, it will be very costly, so farms often do not do it all. This is a type of livestock farming that wants to reduce costs to make a profit, releasing odors into the living environment and cheating on the characteristic odor is unacceptable. Especially at the end of this year, Nam Ha Vietnam Shoes Co., Ltd. will complete phase 1 with 7,000 workers and in 2024 will start phase 2" - Duc Linh District Party Secretary Nguyen Van Huy said. At the same time, he said that he had directed the District People's Committee to organize an inspection and review of compliance with the law on investment procedures and documents, and implementation of livestock projects near industrial clusters in Dong Ha, including a full list of contents and items that have been implemented and have not been implemented; Which content is correct, which content is incorrect… Then, there will be a basis to recommend the province to suspend the operation.

In September 2023, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Dong Nai requested to temporarily suspend the operations of 328 livestock farms of 4 FDI enterprises in the province, because they have not been granted environmental licenses or environmental registration confirmation. With the prolonged environmental pollution situation, the people of this province requested to further consider the role and responsibility of local authorities.

Lesson 1: Green economy has risen, but the stench remains

Lesson 2: One side is enthusiastic about fixing the problem, the other side is demanding support

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