The stench "tortures" the whole village
In early April 2025, reporters in Phu Hau village (Cat Chanh commune, Phu Cat district, Binh Dinh) recorded a strong stench from the squid processing workshop spreading throughout the area and especially strong as they approached the workshop. Sitting next to the processing facility, dozens of people stretched banners to protest, denouncing the prolonged pollution situation that seriously affected health and daily life.
Ms. Nguyen Thi To Tam said that the workshop operates continuously day and night, generating a foul smell that causes people to suffer from respiratory diseases and sinusitis. Her child kept coughing and had a fever due to polluted air.
Mr. Ly Phuoc Hoa, living near the factory, said that the clean water has been salinity, smelled, causing itching when used. Although people have repeatedly reflected, the government has not handled it completely. Mr. Hoa proposed to inspect, handle and relocate the workshop soon to return the fresh environment to the people. According to Mr. Tran Vinh Phu - Head of the Village and Secretary of Phu Hau village, there are currently about 70-80 households being directly affected by the stench of the squid factory. People are annoyed, many times reflected to all levels, although the owner of the ink production facility has overcome, the rotten smell is still strong.
Facilities owners have repeatedly failed to cooperate
Mr. Dinh Huu - Chairman of the People's Committee of Cat Chanh Commune (Phu Cat District) - said that the commune has repeatedly received complaints from people in Phu Hau village about the environmental pollution caused by the ink processing factory and has reported the incident to the People's Committee of the district.
According to Mr. Huu, the squid processing facility is owned by Ms. Bui Thi Ai Vy (born in 1990, residing in Cat Tien town, Phu Cat district). In August 2023, Ms. Vy rented a factory of more than 700m2 owned by Mr. Pham Ngoc Thuyen in Phu Hau village (a plot of land without a Land Use Rights Certificate - red book) to prepare and process fresh and dried seafood. Notably, to have 3-phase electricity for production, Ms. Vy used the legal documents of another plot of land adjacent to the factory to sign a contract with Phu Cat Power Company, then pulled the electricity back to use for the factory on land without a red book.
On September 25, 2024, people filed a complaint with the commune about the foul smell of this facility, seriously affecting the living environment. On October 1, 2024, the cooperative's working group conducted an inspection, worked with Ms. Vy and requested the facility to comply with legal regulations and not cause pollution.
Next, the People's Committee of the commune invited representatives of the people (Mr. Ly Phuoc Hoa) and Ms. Vy to work on October 21, 2024, but she did not come. It was not until October 29, 2024 that Ms. Vy participated in the working session and committed to terminating the operation and completing environmental procedures before February 28, 2025.
However, in February 2025, the commune continued to receive many more complaints from people about the facility still operating and continuing to cause pollution. On March 17, 2025, Mr. Ngo Van Luu - representative of the owner of the facility - and the head of Phu Hau village organized a working session with households, committing to completing the handling of inventory and stopping operations by March 25, 2025.
But on 1.4.2025, people once again sent an application to reflect the establishment that did not comply with the commitment, continuing to operate causing stench. On 9.4.2025, the working group of the commune conducted the scene inspection, noted that the operation of this facility spread the stinking smell to the residential area. The use of 3 -phase electricity at the workshop is also identified as not in accordance with the contract signed with electricity.
Mr. Huu informed that people have repeatedly come to the factory gate to protest, even to the People's Committees of communes and districts to make recommendations, posing a potential risk of disorder. Meanwhile, the owner of the facility has repeatedly failed to cooperate and did not comply with the request to stop operations from the local government.
Speaking with Lao Dong, Mr. Nguyen Van Hung - Chairman of Phu Cat District People's Committee - said that the district's inspection team has inspected the squid processing facility in Phu Hau village, in order to determine the level of air pollution as a basis for treatment.
"In addition to assessing the level of pollution, the authorities also conduct inspections of contents related to tax obligations, whether production activities in residential areas are in accordance with the planning or not...to synthesize and handle, and impose penalties according to regulations" - Mr. Nguyen Van Hung informed.
According to Mr. Hung, after the inspection, the functional industry requested the processing facility to stop operating immediately. He confirmed the stinking smell as reflected by the people, but to accurately assess the level of pollution, it is necessary to wait for results from the specialized agency. The locality will strictly handle when there is a specific conclusion.
