The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is working on a draft decree revising Government Decree No. 81/2006/ND-CP of August 9, 2006, on sanctioning of administrative violations in environmental protection.
As compared to Decree No. 81/2006/ND-CP, the draft decree proposes much heavier fines on environmental polluters, setting the maximum fine level of VND 500 million for a single act of violation in the domain of environmental protection, instead of VND 70 million as currently prescribed.
The maximum fine level would be imposed on organizations or individuals that discharge water, gas, dust or solid wastes containing radioactive substances; toxic chemicals, hazardous wastes, microorganisms or other hazardous agents into ground water sources, or hazardous or radioactive wastes into the sea.
This fine level would also be applied to those importing machines, equipment and vehicles contaminated with radioactivity, pathogenic bacteria or other hazardous substances; materials, fuels, supplies, chemicals and goods banned from import; ozone layer-depleting compounds; or wastes containing radioactive substances.
Organizations or individuals that improperly exploit nature conservation zones and natural heritages, leading to environmental deterioration, and those causing oil leakage, explosion or spills with a volume of over 2,000 tons may also face a fine up to VND 500 million.