A view of the Hoà Phát Dung Quất iron and steel production complex in Quảng Ngãi Province. — Photo moitruong.net.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has officially granted permission to a steel company to dispose of dredged waste back into the ocean.

Sand and mud collected during the dredging process will be returned into the 180ha sea area in Dung Quất Sea in Bình Sơn District’s Bình Thuận Commune.

In the ministry’s Decision 372/GP-BTNMT, Quảng Ngãi-based Hoà Phát Dung Quất Steel JSC would be allowed to dispose of more than 15.3 million cubic metres of material which was dredged from the port area and at the entrance of the company’s iron and steel production complex.

The work would last from now on until the end of May 2020.

The decision was signed by deputy minister Trần Quý Kiên on February 21.

As scheduled, about 7.6 million cubic metres of material would be disposed of first, the rest at a later date.

Of the material, sand would account for 86.4 per cent and mud about 13.6 per cent. The material must be free from radioactive and toxic substances.

The ministry has asked the company to use dredgers with a capacity of between 7,000 and 35,000cu.m to conduct the work.

Dredgers must be equipped with black box (data recorder), which was registered with management agencies, including Quảng Ngãi Maritime Port Authority, the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and Vietnam General Department of Sea and Islands.

On February 25, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Hồng Hà inspected the site and the iron and steel construction complex with the provincial People’s Committee.

Hà reminded the supervision team of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Việt Nam Environment Administration to strengthen supervision on the testing phase of the work to ensure environmental protection.

He also asked agencies to select an independent consultantcy unit to supervise and take responsibility for environmental monitoring data.

Hoà Phát Dung Quất iron and steel production complex belongs to Hoà Phát Group, the nation’s largest steel producer. The project was approved in early 2017 with an estimated investment capital of US$3 billion and the capacity of four million tonnes per year.

The complex is expected to be operational this year. — VNS