Mud dumping in the ocean is disapproved by experts and the public, who fear that the dredging and dumping will impact the marine ecosystem (Photo: VNA) Binh Thuan (VNA) – A group of eight scientists arrived in the central province of Binh Thuan on July 27 to assess the environmental protection plan related to the planned dumping of waste into the sea.
Previously, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has granted a licence to Vinh Tan 1 Power Company – investor of Vinh Tan Thermal Power Plant – to dump 1.5 million cu.m. of mud and waste sand into the sea offshore Binh Thuan province.
The waste comes from dredging work being conducted by Vinh Tan 1 company in Tuy Phong district to build a port for importing coal to serve three Vinh Tan thermal power plants.
The dumping area is 30ha wide and 8km away from the Hon Cau Marine Protected Area (MPA).
The scientists had working sessions with the Hon Cau MPA and the Binh Thuan Shrimp Association to discuss possible impacts from the dumping on the MPA and shrimp farming at sea.
[EVN asks to dump waste mud into sea]
The same day, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha and Chairman of Binh Thuan People’s Committee Nguyen Ngoc Hai made an inspection tour to the site of dredging work in Tuy Phong.
Mud dumping in the ocean is disapproved by experts and the public, who fear that the dredging and dumping will impact the marine ecosystem, compromise the MPA’s integrity and affect marine resources and local aquaculture production.
Stretching on a 12,500ha area, the Hon Cau MPA is surrounded by thousands of cliff rocks of different colours and shapes.
The rich marine ecosystem in Hon Cau has all the specific characteristics of a tropical marine region -- a variety of multiple-coloured coral, sea grass beds, valuable and rare marine organisms, etc.
Established in September 2012, the Hon Cau MPA is one of 16 marine protected areas in Vietnam, based on the approval of the Prime Minister.-VNA
VNA
