The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) has proposed the government to raise administrative fine up to VND2 billion ($100,000) on acts of individuals and organizations that cause environmental pollution.

Deputy Minister Bui Cach Tuyen said that the higher fine is added to the draft Law on Administrative Fine. The highest fine on polluters at present is VND500 million ($25,000).

Mr. Tuyen said that around 65 percent of industrial zones in Vietnam have waste water treatment systems but they do not fully use these systems, causing complaints from local residents of environmental pollution.

He urged local governments to learn from the southern province of Binh Duong, which keeps an eye on industrial zones through cameras. This province regularly sends environmental data to the General Department of Environment.

Mr. Tuyen also said that the MoNRE would issue regulations on automatic supervision of waste at industrial zones.

“We will strictly cooperate with local administrations to punish polluters in order to curb environmental pollution,” the official stressed.

According to the Environmental Police Agency, many factories have waste treatment equipment but they keep discharge waste to the environment at night in order to save cost. 

The Environmental Police Agency has detected some big cases, including the Vedan in Dong Nai province and Tung Kuang in Hai Duong province. These companies discharged huge volumes of toxic chemicals to the environment for years.

Source: VNN