PHÚ YÊN – Shrimp breeders in Sông Cầu Township, Phú Yên Province have strongly opposed a local seafood processing factory’s discharge of untreated wastewater into Xuân Đài Bay, recently causing mass shrimp death.

The breeders suspect the wastewater discharge of Xuân Phương Commune-based Nguyễn Hưng Ltd.Co’s factory was the main cause of the 524,000 shrimp that died in the few days, according to shrimp breeders in Xuân Yên Ward and Xuân Phương Commune, with hundreds of billion đồng in damage.           

Nguyễn Thanh Nam, a shrimp breeder in Xuân Yên Ward, said all breeders along the bay were suffering losses.

“We urge the authorities to clarify the cause and respond to the people,” he was quoted as saying to the Thanh Niên (Young People) newspaper.

Nguyễn Thị Hoa, deputy director of Nguyễn Hưng Ltd.Co, explained two months ago, the factory’s wastewater treatment system crashed, so all wastewater was sucked into tank trucks and transported to another system in Xuân Canh Commune for processing.

According to Hoa, the factory processed from 10 tonnes to 14 tonnes of fish every day. The factory’s wastewater treatment system has designed-capacity of 80cu.m per day, while it only discharges  12-17 cu.m per day and  about 40cu.m at peak day.

Hoa said the company was upgrading its wasterwater treatment system. After wastewater is treated, it will be poured into bio-tanks and then reused to clean workshops. He claims that the factory didn’t discharge wastewater into the environment.     

Nguyễn Hưng Hòa, the company’s director, said it had temporarily suspended operation, awaiting test results from relevant agencies.

Implementing the instruction of Phú Yên Province People’s Committee and Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the environment protection office and environmental crime police came to the factory to take samples of wastewater for testing.  

At a meeting between local authorities, residents and environment research offices on Monday, Trần Hữu Thế, deputy chairman of provincial people’s committee, said local authorities might invite experts to examine the situation. — VNS