Japan Firm Discharges Untreated Toxic Wastewater in Vietnam Hanoi

Japan-invested Toyoda Giken Co., Ltd in Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi has been caught red handed dumping untreated toxic wastewater into the environment, the Vietnam Environment Administration and the Environmental Police Department said. The violated firm located in Noi Bai industrial park (IP) has connected its wastewater pipeline with the common water drainage of the IP to discharge yellow liquids with Chromium 6, a cancer-causing compound. Although the company has already built a wastewater treatment system, it still intentionally designed the underground wastewater pipeline in order to release untreated waste to reduce their production costs. Yamanochi Fumitaka, Toyoda Giken deputy director, admitted his company’s all wrongdoings and pledged to surmount the consequences. The case is under further investigation, the department added. The Japanese firm engages in producing and processing lampshades and automotive stamped products. Vietnamese authorities so far have detected six Taiwanese firms discharging untreated wastewater into the environment, including Vedan Vietnam in the southern province of Dong Nai, Tungkuang Industrial JSC Hai Duong, Jorn Technology Co., Ltd and Fotai Enterprise Corporation Ltd in the southern province of Binh Duong.  Under the current regulations, environmental violators will incur a maximum fine of VND500 million ($25,600) or even face criminal proceedings depending on the level of their infringement. (monre.gov.vn May 26, Thanh Nien – Young People May 26 p2)