Environmental expert calls to block Dai Duong paper factory

In the petition submitted to the Tien Giang authorities, Le Trinh, deputy head of the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment, said that the paper production industry creates a large volume of wastewater rich in hard-to-treat toxic organic chlorides.

In addition, in case the factory uses chlorine dioxide for pulp whitening, it only helps to decrease the dioxin volume of the wastewater, instead of absolutely removing dioxins.

Trinh added that the wastewater treatment capacity of Long Giang IP is unable to thoroughly treat the toxins. Thus, it is impossible not to worry about the Dai Duong factory, especially when it dumps as many as 4,950 cubic metres of wastewater a day.
On the other hand, professor Duong Van Ni from Can Tho Univesrity said that the operation of the plant may severely impact the water resources of the locality. In recent years the Mekong Delta has been suffering from a lack of freshwater as the plant uses a lot of freshwater.

In response on the experts’ concerns, Weng Sheng Yao, a representative of the project investor Chang Yang Holding, told Tuoitre that the firm will comply with Vietnamese regulations and will pay an especially close eye on wastewater treatment.

Earlier in April, the Tien Giang Management Board of Industrial Zones granted an investment certificate to Chang Yang Holding to develop a paper factory worth $220 million.

The 22-hectare factory will produce duplex and kraft paper as well as products for household use, with a total capacity of 413,000 tonnes per year. The facility is scheduled to come on stream in August 2017.

The developer will receive a number of incentives. Notably, it will enjoy a preferential corporate income tax of 10 per cent, instead of the normal 20 per cent level, for 15 years after the firm started earning revenue from the factory. The developer will be exempted from corporate income tax for four years from the first year of posting a profit, and a 50 per cent tax cut for the subsequent nine years.

According to the investor, it has yet to complete administrative procedures, including the environmental impact assessment, for building the factory, thus, it will not come into operation on schedule.

This is not the first time that concerns about environmental pollution arise.

Earlier in June, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) proposed the government to scrutinise the waste treatment system of Hong Kong-based Lee&Man Paper Group’s $1.2 billion paper project, located near the Hau River in the southern province of Hau Giang, before coming into operation.

According to the previous plan, the project, including a pulp mill with an annual capacity of 330,000 tonnes and a manufacturing factory with an annual capcity of 420,000 tonnes, will start operation in August, however, as of now, no facilities have come into operation.

A VASEP’s representative was concerned that once the paper factory came into operation, it would use 28,500 tonnes of NaOH per year for paper production, thus potentially discharging massive volumes of NaOH into the Hau River if the factory fails to install a proper waste treatment system. It would cause environmental pollution as well as impact seafood breeding in the country’s key seafood production area.

In July, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) requested the government to call an end to the development of the pulp mill due to concerns over environmental pollution.

Regarding the paper manufacturing factory, after reviewing the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s inspection reports and judging it compliant with environmental regulations, it will be licensed to start operation.

Speaking at a recent press conference, Lee&Man’s leader said that the firm would only invest in the paper manufacturing factory and suspend the construction of the pulp mill.

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