Hai Duong province on April 21 revoked the wastewater discharge license of Taiwanese aluminum frame manufacturer Tung Kuang. The firm’s representative also apologized to residents. Provincial authorities and environment inspectors met with Tung Kuang’s representatives on April 21. Tung Kuang failed to obey Vietnamese laws on the environment and was fined several times for violations. The most recent case happened in early 2009 and the firm is also listed as a polluter in Hai Duong for two consecutive years. Their discharge of untreated wastewater into the river was discovered recently by environmental police, a serious violation of Vietnam’s Law on Environment Protection and the Law on Water Resources. For Tung Kuang’s systematic violations, Hai Duong authorities decided to suspend production activities at Tung Kuang temporarily. Officials will complete their investigation and suggest penalties for Tung Kuang. Also on April 21, Tung Kuang Deputy General Director Hsu Chih Cheng apologized to residents and the government for the company’s actions. He promised to work with Vietnamese authorities to resolve the problem. Environmental experts revealed that Tung Kuang’s wastewater is much more toxic than even Vedan’s.
