Vedan Vietnam Pays $6M for Environment Protection Fine

Vedan Vietnam, a Taiwanese-invested monosodium glutamate maker, has so far paid VND111 billion ($6 million) out of the VND127 billion environment protection fee required, said the Dong Nai provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Vedan has taken measures to curb the aftermath from the pollution it had caused to the Thi Vai River as well as to fish farms and farmland in the provinces of Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Ho Chi Minh City. The Dong Nai province-based company has reduced its operation at several plants and closed down others and is also treating its sewage as required, the department added. Vedan Vietnam has dumped toxic, untreated wastewater directly into the Thi Vai River for more than 16 years until its wrongdoing was made public last year.