Dai Bai bronze casting village "suffocates" the environment, Bac Ninh issues ultimatum

Environmental suffocation

According to research, Dai Bai craft village (Gia Binh district, Bac Ninh province) has existed for a long time, operating for over 300 years, famous for its main occupations: bronze casting, aluminum casting and handicraft production. According to statistics from the authorities of Bac Ninh province, Dai Bai craft village has 2,326 households, of which: 461 households produce handicrafts; 184 households cast aluminum and bronze; 26 households specialize in recycling scrap.

Dai Bai bronze casting village, Gia Binh district, Bac Ninh province

Since 2002, Dai Bai craft village industrial cluster has been built with an area of ​​6.2 hectares managed by Dai Bai Commune People's Committee, with 75 production households. However, according to the review of the authorities, Dai Bai craft village and craft village industrial cluster do not have a centralized wastewater treatment area; there is no area to treat waste from aluminum and copper recycling casting production activities; there is no self-treatment system for wastewater.

The entire craft village and industrial cluster has 132 households building 170 chimneys with an average height of 7 - 22m to treat exhaust gas. However, through actual inspection, the Standing Vice Chairman of Gia Binh District People's Committee, Luong Trung Hau, said that the number of chimneys increased more than the statistics of the village and commune - about 200 chimneys.

"According to records, in recent times, this craft village has developed a number of new occupations, notably the casting and recycling of aluminum and copper scrap, and metal cleaning activities. The operation process does not ensure environmental protection, the waste from this activity is large, not treated, and discharged directly into the environment, which is the main cause of pollution" - Mr. Hau informed.

Gia Binh district interdisciplinary inspection team inspects production facilities in craft villages

Implementing the direction of the Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Ninh province, the People's Committee of Gia Binh district has established 2 interdisciplinary inspection teams led by 2 Vice Chairmen of the People's Committee of Gia Binh district. "After 3 days of inspection, in general, the households have been informed and clearly understood the purpose of the inspection, which is to clean the environment to restore a clean and sustainable environment, bringing the activities of the craft village back to its true nature of bronze casting of the people in the past, tradition. During the work, the people cooperated very well with the district's working group, voluntarily dismantling the construction".

Reporters from the Voice of Vietnam Electronic Newspaper, along with an interdisciplinary working group, directly inspected the production facility of Mr. Hoang Van Nghiep, but the owner was absent. The wife of the factory owner said that the family's electric furnace was used to produce copper-plated household products and was currently out of service.

After a direct inspection at the production facility, the Gia Binh District People's Committee sent a notice requesting the facility to immediately stop all production activities, and to dismantle the furnace and chimney system by 5:00 p.m. on March 26, and requested the electricity sector to cut off 3-phase power to the production household.

Currently, more than 100 production facilities and households have voluntarily dismantled their furnaces and chimneys, of which 56 facilities have completely dismantled them, and the remaining households have committed to dismantling them themselves within the next 3 days.

Workers dismantling the incinerator

Bac Ninh issued an ultimatum

Currently, Gia Binh District People's Committee continues to urgently inspect production facilities in Dai Bai craft village, then will inspect facilities in Dai Bai craft village industrial cluster.

"The Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Ninh province has requested that all violations arising in the craft village and Dai Bai industrial cluster must be handled by April 15. For the district, we aim to complete it earlier, expected around April 10 or even earlier," Mr. Hau emphasized.

According to statistics, the farm conversion and aquaculture area in Dai Bai commune has 20 households illegally building metal recycling furnaces, and the whole commune has 40 households illegally building recycling furnaces on agricultural land, causing environmental pollution and greatly affecting the community.

Temporary processing and production areas, not secured

"In 2023-2024, we have enforced a number of cases, construction projects of quite large scale, some projects costing billions. Through the enforcement last year, along with the drastic participation this year, we received great sympathy from the people to restore order and discipline as well as bring a healthy life to the people" - Mr. Hau informed.

The reason why production facilities in Dai Bai craft village maintain production activities is because of the awareness of the people who have maintained their activities up to now and have not been handled. Besides, for the purpose of profit, people ignore simple administrative handling.

"Outdated" waste gas and wastewater treatment systems at production facilities

Previously, Chairman of Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee Vuong Quoc Tuan requested Gia Binh district to deploy a drastic and synchronous campaign, strictly handle violations, and resolutely prosecute serious violations and repeat violations in Dai Bai craft village, Dai Bai commune.

Along with that, review and strictly handle cases of officials who collude and slacken management. From now until April 15, all establishments causing environmental pollution in Dai Bai commune must be handled; establishments that do not meet the conditions for land, construction, environment, electrical safety, fire prevention, etc. must stop operating.

Source: https://vov.vn/kinh-te/lang-nghe-duc-dong-dai-bai-buc-tu-moi-truong-bac-ninh-ra-toi-hau-thu-post1187399.vov