Illegal hazardous waste disposal in Hanoi

Environmental pollution

Recently, Lao Dong Newspaper received feedback from many residents of Duong Nhan village, Xuan Non commune (Dong Anh, Hanoi) about the activities of hazardous waste treatment and illegal aluminum casting factory, causing environmental pollution.

Mr. Ngo Van Sep (former head of Duong Nhan village) said that this factory has been built and operated for more than 6 years. Every day, waste from various places is transported to the factory for collection and processing.

"Not only is there garbage, this factory also has an aluminum foundry that emits toxic fumes and odors into the residential area. That land is public land of the locality, building a factory is not allowed," said Mr. Sep.

A resident who has flower land behind the factory said that this waste collection and treatment facility operates from morning to night. The smell of smoke is carried by the wind to the residential area. Garbage trucks go in and out of the factory from morning to late at night. Workers from many places come here to work, there are also people from the village but not many, since the day of operation until now, it has caused a lot of pollution and dust.

Meanwhile, a security guard at this facility said: "This factory belongs to Phu Minh Vina Environmental Company Limited, specializing in destroying all kinds of industrial waste and hazardous waste. There is also an aluminum smelting furnace here; this is the only facility in the whole village that casts aluminum."

This hazardous waste treatment facility consists of 3 rows of solidly built corrugated iron houses on an area of ​​over 2,000 m2, located adjacent to the Dong Anh District Military Training Center and less than 2km from Xuan Non Commune People's Committee.

Illegal collection and treatment of hazardous waste

After many months of investigation, the reporter has grasped the operating rules of this illegal factory. There are always about 8-9 trucks of all types from 1.5 tons to over 10 tons with closed and open containers, waste suction trucks, dump trucks with license plates 30L-3252, 29H-20600, 19C-05910, 19C-01049, 19H-03386, 19C-20733, 19H-02734, 19C-01091...

The facility operates from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday. Each truck departs to companies, factories, and industrial zones in Hanoi to collect industrial waste, hazardous waste, and medical waste and transfer them to the factory area. This includes industrial waste containing hazardous components such as plastic bags, greasy rags, waste oil, waste sludge, and scrap aluminum.

On October 29, speaking with Lao Dong Newspaper reporter, Mr. Nguyen Duc Ngoan - Vice Chairman of Xuan Non Commune People's Committee confirmed that the illegally built factory; gathering, processing hazardous waste and illegally casting aluminum mentioned above belonged to Phu Minh Vina Environmental Company Limited.

"We have prepared a file to transfer to the District People's Committee for enforcement" - Mr. Nguyen Duc Ngoan informed.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Dung - Chairman of Dong Anh District People's Committee said that the reporter's reflection had been assigned to Mr. Hoang Hai Dang - Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee to handle.

The reporter continued to visit the representative office of Phu Minh Vina Environment Company Limited in Dong Anh town. However, the office was in a "closed door" state. When the reporter contacted the company's phone number to request to meet the leader to provide information, only one employee was available to receive the feedback.