Illegal wildlife traffickers face heavy punishment in Viet Nam, according to officials. Illegal endangered species hunters and traders face two to seven years in prison, or fines from VNĐ50 million (US$2,200) to VNĐ3 billion ($133,000).

People living alongside Nhuệ and Đáy rivers in Hà Nội and Hà Nam Province have been suffering severe water pollution for years. But the situation has not yet been solved. Kinh Tế & Đô Thị (Economy & Urban Affairs) talked with Hoàng Văn Thức, vice director of Việt Nam Environment Administration (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) about the issues.

Scientists have announced the discovery of two new species of tea plant in the Vũ Quang National Park in the central province of Hà Tĩnh.

HCM City’s People’s Committee has asked the Prime Minister and relevant agencies to approve an extension of the second phase of its environmental sanitation project (Nhiêu Lộc-Thị Nghè Basin) to 2030 as a foreign contractor has yet to be selected.

HCM City is facing ongoing issues from agro-product waste at its wholesale markets and has yet to come up with a solution, reported Nông thôn Ngày nay (Countryside Today) newspaper.

 The Government Inspectorate of Việt Nam has recommended that a contract between HCM City and Việt Nam Waste Solutions Inc (VWS) for receipt and treatment of solid waste at the city’s Đa Phước Solid Waste Treatment Complex should be re-negotiated.

Due to natural disasters in the first six months of 2018, seventy-five people have been killed or remain unaccounted for, while 48 others suffered injuries.

Thousands of dead fish were found floating in Hà Nội’s West Lake, the capital’s largest lake and a popular scenic spot, over the weekend, posing a health hazard to those living nearby.

The first week of July witnessed an improvement in Hà Nội’s air quality, according to the city’s Environment Protection Authority under the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.