Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – Vietnam’s laws on wastedisposal at sea put the marine ecosystem, aquatic resources and people’slivelihoods under severe threat, according to experts.

The country currently allows offshore disposal of dredgedmaterial and waste from three to six nautical miles from land.

Vietnam, therefore, needs complete mechanisms on dredging andwaste dumping activities to protect the environment, experts recommend.   

Nguyen Van Can, head of Hai Phong city’s Agency of Seas andIslands, said provincial and city authorities should hold the power toissue waste dumping permits. 

Hai Phong has about 3 million cu.m of dredged waste waitingfor dumping and city authorities want to dump it inland.

He recommended collecting dumping fees to fund sea protectingactivities.

Ta Dinh Thi, head of the Vietnam Administration of Seas andIslands (VASI) also stressed the need to revise Decree No 51 on dumping permits.

A total 24 of 28 coastal cities and provinces have issuedregulations on the right to use sea areas. Some localities even apply fees forexploiting and using marine resources in areas under their management.

However, according to Nguyen Thanh Tung, head of the Policyand Legal Department under VASI, there is a lack of regulations regarding wastedumping, sea encroachment and sea environment monitoring.

Additionally, some regulations on coastal protectioncorridor, certification of dumping permits and high risk areas for sea environmentalpollution have legalised for the first time, creating disputes whenimplemented.  

VASI worked with other agencies to develop the 2015 Law onSea and Island Natural Resources which regulates dumping processes, wastepermitted to be dumped and the responsibilities of organisations andindividuals in charge of disposal.

At present, the administration is developing technicalguidance on offshore disposal of waste and environmental impact assessment.

Some have recommended dredged waste be used as levelling andbuilding materials instead of disposed at sea.

According to Tung, Vietnam’s regulations on sea disposal ofdredged materials and waste follow the London Convention on the prevention ofmarine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matters.

Early this month, Thua Thien – Hue province refused a requestfrom Hao Hung Hue Company - the Chan May Portproject investor - to dump 700,000cu.m of mud waste 3km offshore.  

Vinh Tan Thermal Power Plant No 1 in the southern centralprovince of Binh Thuan also completed dredging and burying one million cu.m ofwaste mud at Vinh Tan Port instead of dumping it into sea.-VNS/VNA