Illegal oil waste dump causes pollution in residential areas

According to the reporter's actual records, at the waste oil collection point located in the residential area of Dinh Van Chat - Bo Dam 8 Street, Hoa Phuoc Commune, Hoa Vang District, there are dozens of barrels and plastic cans containing hundreds of liters of waste oil purchased from auto and motorbike repair shops in Da Nang City for storage and resale. The oil cans are lying around, black waste oil flows out onto the ground, the air is filled with the strong smell of chemicals and oil.

*The waste oil collection point is littered with drums and plastic cans containing hundreds of liters of waste oil.*

Here, the act of storing used oil is being carried out openly, showing signs of violating environmental regulations, not ensuring requirements on storage, trading of hazardous waste, and management of hazardous waste according to the provisions of the Law on Environmental Protection.

In addition, there are signs that fire prevention and fighting work at this facility is not guaranteed. Waste oil is scattered and uncovered, posing a potential risk of fire at any time in the nearby residential area.

*Black waste oil spilled onto the ground during the leveling and filling process.*

According to the people around, this used oil collection point was built a long time ago and has signs of being illegal. Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Yen is said to be the owner of the facility and the person who directly purchases, transports, manages production, and recycles used oil.

*Waste oil is purchased from auto and motorbike repair facilities.*

Working with the leaders of Hoa Phuoc Commune People's Committee, Mr. Tran Bui Quoc Binh, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee admitted that this was a shortcoming of the local government when it did not closely monitor and inspect, allowing the facility owner to continue to violate.

Mr. Binh provided the minutes of the meeting between the commune government and Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Yen's business establishment according to people's feedback on the oil collection point causing environmental pollution on April 11, 2023. According to the minutes of the meeting, Ms. Yen said that her family noticed that no one was using the vacant land, so they took advantage of it to collect waste oil. The business form is to buy used cooking oil, collect it, and then export it to the company on Hoang Van Thai Street (Lien Chieu District). The commune People's Committee requested Ms. Yen's household to stop collecting waste oil in this area and at the same time clean up the environment to return the land to clean.

*Used cooking oil is mixed with waste oil in the filling area.*

“The locality has discovered it, but there is a lot of work, and the staff department has not yet fully performed its function in post-inspection to allow the facility to exist in the area. This facility has many potential risks of environmental pollution and fire, after today the locality will resolutely handle it,” said Mr. Binh.

The local leaders affirmed that, but in reality, more than 6 months have passed since the time the record was made and the collection and gathering of waste oil by Ms. Yen's household is still taking place normally as if there had never been any inspection or handling by the local authorities.

*Waste oil and grease are considered hazardous waste according to regulations.*

It is worth mentioning that although Ms. Yen said that the business form was cooking oil, in fact, the reporter's records included used oil purchased from auto and motorbike repair facilities. Ms. Yen also did not provide any documents or contracts from this used oil purchasing activity. If this used oil is sold on the market and does not meet standards, it can lead to the risk of explosion, fire, seriously affecting the environment, affecting the operation process, reducing the lifespan as well as increasing the rate of engine fires and explosions of machinery and equipment. Public opinion questions where is the responsibility of the government for not thoroughly handling the above situation?

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According to Decree 155/2016/ND-CP on administrative sanctions in the field of environmental protection, the act of transferring, giving, buying, or selling hazardous waste to organizations or individuals without a license to handle hazardous waste may be subject to a fine of VND 10,000,000 to VND 250,000,000. A fine of VND 200,000,000 to VND 250,000,000 shall be imposed for the act of recycling, treating, or recovering energy from hazardous waste without the approval of a competent authority or without the content in the hazardous waste source owner registration book.

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