Vietnam used as dumping ground for toxic waste
09/04/2012, 07:13:14 PM (GMT+7)
(Dtinews)-The Government is currently attempting to create a legal system to deal with the problem of importing toxic waste from other countries.
Police inspection of port at Haiphong
Currently, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is collecting opinions on a draft decree, which would regulate the amount of waste materials accepted from foreign countries.
Under the new regulation, 37 waste materials, including mollusk, crustacean and invertebrate shells, tailings from the metallurgy industry, plastic, paper and silk waste, as well as that of the metal-making process, may be imported for domestic recycling.
It would still allow the importation of a large number of waste materials from enterprises in 'export processing zones' and 'border economic zones'. The materials that would still be allowed include mica, rubber manufacturing, waste paper, wood byproducts, and tailings from metal production.
Under the proposed new regulations, these would have to be inspected and cleared as 'clean' before entering the country.
Out of the tonnes of waste being sent to Vietnam each day, a lot of which is toxic. Much of it comes by way of southern provincial borders, consisting largely of paper, nylon, plastic, electronic components and chemicals.
The environmental police of Haiphong have also had to deal with several cases of illegally-imported waste, especially through the port of Dinh Vu. The wast poses a significant threat the the environment of the country.
