Offshore waste disposal laws need improving: experts
Updated: 11:17’ - 26/11/2018
Vietnam’s laws on waste disposal at sea put the marine ecosystem, aquatic resources and people’s livelihoods under severe threat, according to experts.
The country currently allows offshore disposal of dredged material and waste from three to six nautical miles from land.
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Waste mud dredged at Chan May Port__Photo: Internet |
Vietnam, therefore, needs complete mechanisms on dredging and waste dumping activities to protect the environment, experts recommend.
Nguyen Van Can, head of Hai Phong city’s Agency of Seas and Islands, said provincial and city authorities should hold the power to issue waste dumping permits.
Hai Phong has about 3 million cu.m of dredged waste waiting for dumping and city authorities want to dump it inland.
He recommended collecting dumping fees to fund sea protecting activities.
Ta Dinh Thi, head of the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands (VASI) also stressed the need to revise Decree 51 on dumping permits.
A total 24 of 28 coastal cities and provinces have issued regulations on the right to use sea areas. Some localities even apply fees for exploiting and using marine resources in areas under their management.
However, according to Nguyen Thanh Tung, head of the Policy and Legal Department under VASI, there is a lack of regulations regarding waste dumping, sea encroachment and sea environment monitoring.
Additionally, some regulations on coastal protection corridor, certification of dumping permits and high risk areas for sea environmental pollution have legalized for the first time, creating disputes when implemented.
VASI worked with other agencies to develop the 2015 Law on Sea and Island Natural Resources which regulates dumping processes, waste permitted to be dumped and the responsibilities of organizations and individuals in charge of disposal.
At present, the administration is developing technical guidance on offshore disposal of waste and environmental impact assessment.
Some have recommended dredged waste be used as levelling and building materials instead of disposed at sea.
According to Tung, Vietnam’s regulations on sea disposal of dredged materials and waste follow the London Convention on the prevention of marine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matters.
Early this month, Thua Thien - Hue province refused a request from Hao Hung Hue Company - the Chan May Port project investor - to dump 700,000cu.m of mud waste 3km offshore.
Vinh Tan Thermal Power Plant No 1 in the southern central province of Binh Thuan also completed dredging and burying one million cu.m of waste mud at Vinh Tan Port instead of dumping it into sea.- (VNA/VLLF)