Over recent days, dozens of sanitation workers from the Central Viet Nam branch of the Hai Noi-based Urban Environment Co., Ltd., (URENCO) have been active in cleaning up the Da Nang-based Tho Quang fishing wharf with a view to tackling pollution there.

URENCO workers collecting trash floating in the Tho Quang fishing wharf

Nguyen Huu Duc from URENCO Central Viet Nam said, on the first day of the cleanup campaign, about 60m³ of trash (equivalent to over 50 tonnes of trash) on the shore and in surface water were collected and transported to the Lien Chieu District-based Khanh Son landfill.

Director of the URENCO Central Viet Nam Ngo Le Quang revealed that a combined total of 35 workers, along with 8 vehicles (trucks, garbage compactor vehicles, excavators and motor boats) have been used to perform a huge cleanup operation at the Tho Quang fishing wharf within 15 days.

Top priority has been given to collecting trash on the shore and in surface water, and spraying Chloramine B disinfectant chemical, in a bid to kill bacteria and remove unpleasant odours from the wharf.

“As soon as the cleanup operation at the Tho Quang fishing wharf is completed, my unit will partner with relevant local agencies to develop long-terms plans on tackling the pollution problem at the wharf, as well as to raise public awareness about keeping rubbish off the wharf” Director Quang remarked.

He also underlined the importance of increasing the city authorities’ checks over the wastewater treatment activities at seafood processing business nearby, as well as installing surveillance cameras and portable toilets, in order to resolve this pollution hotspot.

Mr To Van Hung, Director of the Da Nang Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, said over 27 billion VND in funding from Da Nang government will be spent on tackling pollution in the Tho Quang Fishing Wharf during the 2020-2025 period.

From now until 2022, the focus will be on tackling the causes of water pollution in the wharf by banning the discharge of untreated wastewater from homes nearby into the wharf.

Heed will be paid to separating drain connections to collect wastewater and rainwater, plus building a wastewater treatment system in the Tho Quang Fishing Wharf.

Between 4 and 6 surveillance cameras will be installed along Chu Huy Man Street in order to detect and impose fines on environmental protection violations.

As for a long-term plan, functional bodies of the wharf are required to treat wastewater discharged from fishing vessels.

All of fishing boats anchoring at the wharf (except for the purpose of seeking safe shelter from storms) will be required to pay a charge under Da Nang’s Environmental Protection Act for their wastewater discharges.

In its efforts to remove unpleasant smells from the Tho Quang Fishing Wharf, the city will handle thickened sludge here before 2022 and collect waste regularly.

By P.ANH, V.HOANG - Translated by M.D