Da Nang has approved a solid garbage treatment project to ease pollution at the Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village in Ngu Hanh Son District with a total investment of 10 billion VND (US$444,000).

The Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village — VNS Photo Cong Thanh

The city’s authorities said that the project, which covers 1,200m², will also help recycle 70m² of rubble and dust released from carving establishments and households each day into one million useable tiles and unbaked bricks for construction per year.

The local authorities say the project aims to make the 400-year-old traditional craft village cleaner and greener.  Currently, about 20% of craftsmen suffer from lung disease from breathing the dust, according to officials.

Ms Doan Thanh Thuy, chairman of Cham Cham Company, the project’s investor, said it would begin operations in 2018.  She said the project will also include treatment of wastewater released from the stone sculpture village.

The city has chosen a 37ha area to relocate the stone arts production centres, and stone sculpture workshops must move to the allocated area for better control of the pollution they produce.

According to the city’s survey, the residential quarters of the village, which is home to more than 400 households with 5,000 craftsmen, are heavily polluted.  The production centres operating there release more than 21 tonnes of dust and 25,000 litres of sulfuric acid annually, as well as noise, into the environment.

The Stone Arts Sculpture of the Non Nuoc Village was recognised as one of the 3 National Intangible Cultural Heritages which include the fish-worshipping festival and Tuong Xu Quang (Quang Nam’s classic drama).

(Source: VNS/ DA NANG Today)