Formosa takes responsibility for
Vietnam’s fish deaths, pledges $500mn in compensation
Formosa leaders bow in apology to the
Vietnamese government and people in this still photo taken from a video by
VTC14.
The
Vietnamese steel business of Taiwan’s Formosa Plastics Group is the ‘culprit’
of a spate of fish deaths in central Vietnam, the government said in a
meeting on Thursday, as the firm’s top executive admitted the wrongdoing and
pledged a hefty monetary compensation.
The
meeting in Hanoi was held to announce the official results of a
government-backed inspection into the mass fish deaths that hit four central
Vietnamese provinces, namely Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua
Thien-Hue, between April and May.
The
inspection, conducted by more than 100 scientists and whose results have been
questioned by international experts, found that wastewater from the steel
mill, operated by Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Co. Ltd., was to blame
for the fish kill, Minister Mai Tien Dung, head of the Government Office,
said at the meeting.
The
wastewater dumped by the steel plant, located at Vung Ang Economic Zone in Ha
Tinh, included such toxic substances as phenol and cyanide, which combined
with hydro to form a mixture carried by the current to Thua Thien-Hue,
killing numerous fish and aquatic creatures along its way.
Formosa's steel mill in Ha Tinh
The
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has given the objective and
scientific evidence to both Formosa Plastics Group and its Vietnamese unit.
On
Tuesday, Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh took responsibility for causing the fish
deaths in the four provinces.
At
the meeting in Hanoi, a Formosa representative provided a pre-recorded video,
showing the company’s leaders bowing and apologizing to the Vietnamese people
for their wrongdoings.
The
Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh chairman, whose Vietnamese name is Tran Nguyen
Thanh, admitted at the meeting that mistakes stemming from his plant
triggered the mass fish deaths, according to the footage.
Thanh
said the mistakes were made by the sub-contractors selected by the company,
so Hung Nghiep Formosa Ha Tinh is to be held accountable.
He
conveyed an apology to the Vietnamese people and government, particularly
fishermen of the four affected provinces.
Five-point
commitment
After
admitting its link to the fish deaths, Formosa also made a five-point
commitment to correct its wrongdoings and resolve the environmental impacts.
The
company first publicly apologizes to the Vietnamese government and people for
causing severe environmental pollution, and pledges a total compensation of
VND11.5 trillion, or US$500 million. The money will be used to support
fishermen to switch to other jobs and to purify the polluted water.
The
third commitment is that Formosa will improve its technology to ensure
wastewater is completely treated before being discharged to the environment.
Formosa
also promises to cooperate with Vietnamese agencies to build a set of
sustainable solutions for preventing pollution, so as not to give rise to any
other environmental scandal.
The
Taiwanese firm finally guarantees to fulfill the said commitments; otherwise,
it will bow to any penalties by the Vietnamese side.
Speaking
at the meeting, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc requested that
Formosa fulfill its commitments properly, especially the compensation duty.
How
the fish kill happened
In
early April, dead fish started washing ashore the beaches in Ha Tinh
Province, especially the area near the Vung Ang Economic Zone, where Formosa
places its steel mill. The phenomenon quickly spread to nearby provinces,
including Quang Tri and Quang Binh.
On
April 20, at the Binh An beach in Thua Thien-Hue Province, locals found a
number of dead fish washed ashore, marking the arrival of the epidemic in the
province.
In
late April, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Pham Cong Tac said as
of April 26, all tests and analysts confirmed that such reasons as seismic,
temperature shock or diseases could be ruled out.
On
May 1, Prime Minister Phuc visited Ha Tinh, insisting that the cause behind
the fish deaths be found. “The people need a scientific and specific
conclusion on the case,” the premier underlined.
On
May 9, PM Phuc signed a directive to provide urgent support for fishermen in
the four affected provinces.
On
May 29, local media reported that the fish deaths, whose reasons were then
unknown, had discouraged local consumers from eating fish and seafood,
affecting traders not only in central Vietnam but also in Ho Chi Minh City.
On
June 2, the government held a press meeting to announce that the cause behind
the deaths had been identified, but it was being challenged by
experts in order to ensure it was based on scientific, legal, and objective
grounds before a final conclusion was confirmed.
TUOI TRE
NEWS
|
Thứ Sáu, 1 tháng 7, 2016
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