The Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) has criticized the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau for failing to build a basic infrastructure for environmental protection at industrial parks (IPs) and complexes. Only two out of 30 local industrial complexes have been equipped with the concentrated wastewater treatment systems and only five out of eight operating IPs have the treatment facilities, the MoNRE said. Earlier, the ministry inspectors detected four IPs discharging industrial wastewater into the environment with the contents exceeding the permitted levels many times. The provincial authorities have been urged to work out a proper environment infrastructure program at the sites immediately, the ministry said, adding that stricter fines should be imposed on the environment polluters, including halt of their production activities or forcing them to relocate. Covering an area of more than 3,300 hectares, the province has eight operating IPs with a total 220 valid projects. More than 90% of total volume of wastewater in Vietnam has not yet been treated so far, experts said, adding that the country aims to treat over 80% of its total wastewater volume by 2025. (thesaigontimes.vn Mar 17)
