Hoa Phat Group ensures environmental protection

 Hoa Phat Hai Duong Steel Joint Stock Company has provided explanations relating to the environmental issues in Hiep Son Commune, Kinh Mon District, Hai Duong Province.

The company said the Hoa Phat Hai Duong Iron and Steel Complex was approved by authorities for operation in Hiep Son Commune, Kinh Mon District, Hai Duong Province. The complex has been operating for 11 years, creating jobs for more than 4,000 local labourers.

Alone 2017, Hoa Phat contributed VND2 trillion to the local budget of Hai Duong Province. However, the company would give more efforts to improve people’s living in the province, especially people in Hiep Son Commune.

Responding to issues relating to the environment, Hoa Phat Hai Duong Steel Joint Stock Company said the complex with total annual capacity of 1.8 million tonnes has been using the closed blast furnace technology without waste discharge to the environment. All of solid waste, emission and waste water are thoroughly treated meeting with current standards in heavy industry production and recycling circles.

The water for daily use was also invested by a modern treatment system which meets with the current highest standard. Other waste such as sludge has been treated by professional units receiving licences from the State authorities.

"The factory applies a variety of dust filtering methods such as electrostatic dust filter, cloth dust filter and wet dust filter as well as building wall cover system and planting trees to reduce noise. The delegations of journalists, investors and scientists on their visit to the factory were impressed with the beautiful internal roads and green trees. They do not smell bad even standing next to the coke stamping area also do not smell bad ", Hoa Phat Hai Duong Steel Company said.

The company said on January 17^th 2018, the environmental police of Hai Duong Province conducted a check-up unexpectedly. The inspection force as well as independent inspection company under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment concluded that there were no evidence to suggest that the steel complex causing pollution to the environment after the inspection of waste water samples, gas concentration and noise at the factory.

On March 20^th 2018, the Hoa Phat Hai Duong Steel Joint Stock Company halted operation of the blast furnace No 2 for upgrade and maintenance according to its plan for the first time after 10 years of operation. The company sent announcement to the provincial authorities about possible smoke and dust in a few minutes, without harm to the environment.

The conclusion of PC49, Hai Duong Province’s Police Department says that complaints from people about environmental pollution caused by Hoa Phat Hai Duong Steel Company were groundless

 “This has been a technology specific because if we did not discharge pressure valve of the furnace, there could have fire and explosion, causing big affects to people and equipment system. In the discharging pressure valve process, the company used water to cool it down within two hours, thus causing strong steam evaporates to form a dense vapour column but no affect to the environment,” the company affirms.

The reporter also visited the complex and saw that the factory was clean air, no smoke, no smell, green trees, well-planned roads and ensuring environmental hygiene. The company was also granted licence for operation under the ISO 140001:2015 on environment.

“The company is using a closed, cycle and environmental friendly steel production technology, without discharging waste to the environment,” the company affirmed.

Bich Dong – Van Huy

Natural Resources and Environment Newspaper