Chemical-related management is still lax
On the morning of May 4, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave its opinion on the reception, explanation, and revision of the draft Law on Chemicals (amended).
Chairman of the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment Le Quang Huy said that in recent times, the use of some chemicals for the wrong purpose has caused serious consequences for human health, social order and safety, causing frustration among voters and people, especially activities such as buying, selling, using cyanide compounds for the wrong purpose and using N2O oxygen (N2O - laughing gas) for entertainment purposes.
Therefore, to strengthen the management of toxic chemicals, control safety and security risks from chemicals, the draft law has amended and supplemented a number of provisions compared to the Law on Chemicals 2007.
Speaking, Chairman of the Delegation Work Committee Nguyen Thanh Hai assessed that in recent times, the management of chemicals has been lax when there are waste chemicals in the environment, chemicals in food for sale are rampant.
The reason is partly due to the unit's not strict management and the assignment of management in this field is not good.
Therefore, the Chairman of the Delegation Affairs Committee suggested that the provisions of this draft revised law should show more clearly the issue of unit assignment for management, clearly defining the agency responsible for presiding over and the agency responsible for coordination.
She gave an example of the situation where bean sprouts soaked in chemicals may be due to market management, producer awareness... but why does the producer of that price buy chemicals so easily? Or in the past, cyanide poisoning cases, why buy so easily, people could even research and buy online.
"If this problem occurs, will the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment be responsible? ", Ms. Nguyen Thanh Hai said and suggested that the responsibilities of the National Assembly, the Government, and relevant ministries and branches must be clearly understood in order to handle the matter.
Apples bought for a few months are not damaged, flies dare not break
Citing the fact that daily-use foods can be soaked in chemicals, Ms. Nguyen Thanh Hai suggested that the Law on Chemicals (amended) must express a strong message that if chemical incidents such as discharging waste into the environment, related to food, there must be an agency responsible.
"I tested, there were apples bought at expensive stores, no need to leave in the refrigerator but for a few months would not be broken.
Once again emphasizing the need to have regulations on responsibilities when chemical-related incidents occur, Ms. Nguyen Thanh Hai said that when assigning responsibility, it is also necessary to give authority to those ministries and branches to request other agencies to coordinate to implement.
Another issue raised by Ms. Nguyen Thanh Hai is the Law on Chemicals (amended) related to the Law on Technical Standards and Regulations, the Law on Environmental Protection, and the Law on Food Safety.
Therefore, she suggested that the drafting agency and the reviewing agency must confirm to the National Assembly delegates that the regulations have been reviewed, ensuring strictness, no overlap or overlap.
"It is necessary to ensure that when an incident occurs, there will be a comprehensive connection between the laws, ensuring that there are no gaps or loopholes in legality," said the Chairman of the Delegation Affairs Committee.
