PHÚ YÊN — A seafood production company in the central province of Phú Yên was found to be discharging untreated waste water into the environment, thanks to local residents who reported the matter.

This was announced by officials of the Natural Resources and Environment Department yesterday.

The officials took samples of waste water from the Việt Thái Trade and Production Ltd. Co in Tuy Hòa City’s An Phú Industrial Zone for testing.

The untreated waste water was black in colour and full of worms because it had remained stagnant for a long time behind the company’s factory.

The stench of the waste water had spread several metres around the area.

Cao Xuân Phúc, the company director, admitted to discharging waste water, which had resulted in environmental pollution.

The company had built eight tanks to collect waste water, but with a large amount of water being discharged everyday, the tanks were full and the water had overflowed into the surrounding environment, Phúc said.

He also explained that the company was going through a difficult period, which had started in 2011 and continued even today.

Phúc said the company had not been able to pay dues to the industrial zone for renting land and other debts.

He said the company had asked the industrial zone’s management board to connect its waste water pipe to the zone’s system to enable production, but the board had not yet agreed despite the company committing to paying its dues.

Meanwhile, the environment department has asked the company to stop discharging untreated waste water, until it gets a waste water treatment system.

This is third time sanctions that have been imposed on the company for discharging waste water, yet the business continues to flout regulations. — VNS