Vedan case

Vedan Case discharging untreated waste into the Thi Vai River

The case of Vedan discharging untreated waste into the Thi Vai River is a case of environmental dispute discovered by the Environmental Police Department - Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam on September 13, 2008, at the Vedan Company Vietnam.

Developments
From the complaints and frustrations of local citizens about the stealthy discharge of untreated wastewater into the environment, after more than 3 months of monitoring, on September 13, 2008, the interdisciplinary inspection team caught red-handed. The Vedan Company, located in Long Thanh district, Dong Nai province, discharges a large amount of untreated wastewater into the Thi Vai River. It is estimated that Vedan can discharge wastewater up to 5,000 m3/day into the river.

According to the initial assessment, the installation of the waste discharge system of Vedan Company is a violation of the provisions of the law on environmental protection. According to Colonel Luong Minh Thao, this violation is severe. At the scene, the Deputy Director in charge of the office of Vedan Vietnam Company admitted the company's violation.

On September 19, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment announced the results of the investigation of 10 violations of Vedan, including:


 * 1) Discharge of wastewater in excess of the permitted standard by 10 times or more for the company's modified starch factory.
 * 2) Discharging wastewater in excess of the allowable standard by 10 times or more for the company's monosodium glutamate and lysine factories.
 * 3) Discharge of wastewater in excess of the permitted standard by 10 times or more for other company factories.
 * 4) Incomplete submission of surveys, monitoring data and other relevant documents to the data storage agency of environmental information in accordance with the regulations of the competent state agency.
 * 5) Failure to register the commitment to environmental protection with the state management agency in charge of environmental protection for pig farms.
 * 6) Without making an environmental impact assessment report, the project has been built and put into operation for an investment project to increase the capacity of the caustic soda-acid production workshop from 3,116 tons/month to 6,600 tons/month.
 * 7) Not making an environmental impact assessment report, but built and put the project into operation for an investment project to increase the capacity of monosodium glutamate (MSG) factories from 5,000 tons/month to 15,000 tons/month, modified starch. from 2,000 tons/month to 4,000 tons/month, lysine from 1,200 tons/month to 1,400 tons/month, premium seasoning powder 20 tons/month, PGA 700 tons/year, Vedagro fertilizer 70,000 tons/year (solid), 280,000 tons/year (liquid).
 * 8) Discharge stench, unpleasant odours directly into the environment without going through an environmental restriction device.
 * 9) Hazardous waste management is not in accordance with regulations on environmental protection.
 * 10) The company discharges wastewater into the water source at the wrong location specified in the permit.

On October 6, the Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment issued a decision to sanction Vedan for administrative violations of environmental protection with a total fine of 267.5 million VND, forcing arrears to pay environmental protection fees of more than 127 billion VND.

On October 13, the Prime Minister of Vietnam had an opinion to direct the authorities to urgently and resolutely organize the implementation of measures to handle violations of the law on environmental protection by Vedan Company.

Minister Inquiry
Regarding the above issue, at the 6th session of the 11th National Assembly of Vietnam, the Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment - Pham Khoi Nguyen - was questioned by the National Assembly about the Vedan case around the following issues: handling Vedan's violations of the environmental law and especially clarify the responsibilities of the state management system from the national to local levels.