Regarding the fact that people in Xat and Me villages (Son Lai commune, Nho Quan district) set up tents and hung banners right in front of the gate of Elmaco Ninh Binh cassava starch processing factory (in Son Lai commune, Nho Quan district) to protest because they believe that the factory's waste discharge causes environmental pollution, on February 5, speaking with a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Tien Dung - Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ninh Binh province said that the results of the inspection of the factory's compliance with environmental protection laws showed that the analysis results of environmental samples for the total Coliform parameter of 4 water samples at households' homes all exceeded the permitted technical standards.
The analysis results of 2 surface water samples at Khoang Me and Roc Gieng Vang compared with QCVN 08:2023/BTNMT National technical regulation on surface water quality showed signs of pollution in NH4+ and N02- parameters.
The results of analysis of 5 soil samples at the crab shell storage yard, the area next to the crab shell storage yard, the embankment of the cassava residue storage yard to the East behind the residue drying factory, and the area adjacent to the eastern fence adjacent to the residential road in Me village showed that the Arsenic (As) parameter at the crab shell storage yard was 1.44 times higher than the allowable technical standard limit.
The results of analysis of 4 solid waste samples (at the shell storage yard, the area next to the shell storage yard, the embankment of the cassava residue storage yard to the East after the residue drying factory and on the high hill to the Northeast showed: acidity >2, Arsenic (As) parameter calculated by absolute content value in the cassava shell storage yard was 1.82 times higher, in the embankment of the cassava residue storage yard to the East (after the residue drying factory) was 1.65 times higher than the hazardous waste threshold.
The appraisal results determined that the volume of solid waste dumped and discharged in the Factory premises was 158,651 tons (of which the volume of floating shells (Area A) was 23,110 tons, the volume of shells in the area adjacent to the three-banh brick wall (Area B) was 21,360 tons, the volume of cassava residue in the area surrounding the cassava residue storage area (Area C) was 62,349 tons, the volume of cassava residue in the area of the former cassava residue storage area (Area D) was 51,832 tons).
The inspection team of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ninh Binh province determined that the act of dumping and discharging ordinary solid waste (including cassava residue and shrimp shells) in violation of environmental protection regulations with a volume of 158,651 tons exceeded the framework for handling administrative violations in the environmental field according to the provisions of Clause 8, Article 26 of Decree No. 45/2022/ND-CP dated July 7, 2022 of the Government on sanctioning administrative violations in the field of environmental protection.
Therefore, based on Point d, Clause 2, Article 160 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ninh Binh province will transfer all records and documents related to the Company's act of dumping and discharging ordinary solid waste (including cassava pulp and shrimp shells) in violation of environmental protection regulations to the Ninh Binh Provincial Police Investigation Agency for settlement in accordance with the provisions of law.
"After receiving the conclusion of the Ninh Binh Provincial Police Investigation Agency on the act of dumping and discharging ordinary solid waste (including cassava pulp and shrimp shells) in violation of environmental protection regulations by Elmaco Ninh Binh Cassava Starch Joint Stock Company, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ninh Binh province will continue to review and handle violations of environmental protection in accordance with regulations" - Mr. Dung said.
Previously, Lao Dong had a series of articles reflecting on the situation of Elmaco Ninh Binh Cassava Starch Processing Factory, which during its operation discharged wastewater and buried waste in an illegal landfill, causing environmental pollution, forcing people from Xat and Me villages (Son Lai commune, Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh) to set up tents, stretch banners and assign people to stand guard 24/7 right in front of the cassava factory gate to protest.
