Controlling coastal seawater pollution in Ha Long city, current situation and solutions

- Carry out periodic inventory and assessment of pollution sources from land discharged into the bay, especially in river basins and estuaries. Regularly control waste discharge activities from economic activities, production, daily life, urbanization, etc. on land through appraisal and approval of Environmental Impact Assessment Reports, Environmental Protection Projects, Environmental Protection Commitments, and issuance of licenses for wastewater discharge into water sources for production, business and service projects.

- For the coal industry, research to limit the scale of mining in sensitive areas in Ha Long city, not develop more open-pit mines other than the 3 current mines (Ha Tu, Nui Beo, 917) to completely stop open-pit mining by 2016. The dumping area should be concentrated in the north of the city, limit and eventually stop dumping soil and rock at Nam Lo Phong dumping site; organize tree planting to cover dumping sites and mining sites according to environmental restoration plans approved by competent authorities, change dumping methods to meet environmental protection requirements. Renovate and operate well the existing mine water treatment and drainage system; invest in building mine water treatment systems (including open-pit and underground) of Ha Tu and Nui Beo Coal Joint Stock Companies.

- To renovate the wastewater drainage system of Ha Long city, it is necessary to invest in 02 more urban domestic wastewater treatment plants for the wards of Ha Tu, Ha Phong, Ha Trung, Ha Lam, Hong Ha in the Eastern region with a capacity of about 7,000 m3 and 01 factory with a capacity of about 5,000 m3 for the wards of Dai Yen, Viet Hung, Ha Khau, Gieng Day, Hung Thang in the Western region of the city. Investment in construction is very necessary, only then can we thoroughly collect and treat all the urban domestic wastewater generated before releasing it into the receiving environment, Ha Long Bay, meeting the goal that by 2020, the rate of collection and treatment of domestic wastewater in the city must reach 100% in accordance with the spirit of Resolution No. 10-NQ/TU of the City Party Committee on environmental management and protection in Ha Long City in the period of 2012-2015 and orientation to 2020;

- Relocating current production and business facilities along the bay shore:

+ According to Decision No. 577/QD-UBND dated March 3, 2010 of the Provincial People's Committee on Re-approval of the Project on Planning for the arrangement of coal export ports, the roadmap for allowing coal transportation on traffic routes. Accordingly, the coal export ports in Ha Long city will be rearranged, specifically: Terminate the operation of 03 current coal export ports (1) Nam Cau Trang Port, (2) My Con Cua Port in Hong Ha ward, (3) Viet Hung Port in Viet Hung ward. And more importantly, the current Nam Cau Trang Coal Preparation Plant will be relocated to Ha Khanh ward. On July 19, 2012, the City People's Committee and Vinacomin issued a press release on the location of the new coal preparation plant in Ha Khanh ward.

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Completion of the contents of this Plan will greatly contribute to protecting the city's urban landscape and protecting the environment of the world natural heritage of Ha Long Bay.

+ According to the policy of the Provincial People's Committee, the Food Processing Factory in Bach Dang Ward of Quang Ninh Seafood Import-Export Joint Stock Company will be relocated. The relocation of this factory is also very necessary.

+ For the floating restaurants along Ha Long Bay, concentrated in Hong Ha Ward (allowed by the City People's Committee to pilot) and in Bai Chay Ward (spontaneous operation). This is a type of service that brings unique and new features to the people and tourists. However, the awareness of complying with the provisions of the Law on Environmental Protection of organizations and individuals managing the floating restaurants is still limited and not good; there are potential risks of environmental pollution due to seafood captivity, food processing wastewater, wastewater from the cleaning process, etc. that are not collected and thoroughly treated. Most of them are discharged directly into the Ha Long Bay environment. Therefore, these floating restaurants also need to stop operating and change their business location to the mainland.

3.3.3.6 Promote international cooperation

Seek support, technical assistance, management experience, and finance from countries, international organizations, and UNESCO to better manage, preserve, protect, and promote the value of Ha Long Bay Heritage.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Through the process of conducting research on the topic "Controlling coastal seawater pollution in Ha Long City, current situation and solutions", the following conclusions can be drawn:

1. Ha Long area is one of the areas with many extremely vibrant socio-economic activities. Ha Long city is in the process of strong urbanization and is one of the international tourist centers. Besides the general contribution to socio-economic development, socio-economic activities in Ha Long area have caused many impacts on the protection of the ecological environment of Ha Long Bay such as: Environmental pollution, affecting the natural landscape, reducing biodiversity value and security and order.

2. Regarding waste sources: The Ha Long city area has a relatively complex number and composition of waste sources with activities discharging pollutants into Ha Long Bay. Currently, there are over 157 sources that have been statistically monitored through the Ha Long Bay Environmental Protection Project 2010-2012, of which 50% are industrial and service activities and the remaining 50% are infrastructure construction activities, etc. With the characteristic of a city with large coal mining and processing activities, waste sources from these activities play a significant role in causing pollution pressure on the area. In addition, the number of domestic and foreign tourists visiting Ha Long Bay is increasing, so the activities of over 200 large and small restaurants, hotels, motels and other classified and unclassified accommodation establishments and over 400 tourist boats, 600 rafts participating in activities contribute greatly to the source of pollution for coastal seawater in the bay. The rapid population growth of Ha Long city has led to the expansion of a series of new urban areas and the inadequate domestic wastewater treatment system for new and old urban areas has also contributed significantly to these activities. These waste sources have been and are being controlled step by step by state management agencies and waste source owners, however, many projects and facilities still have environmental treatment activities in a formal and coping manner, leading to waste sources not being thoroughly treated.

3. Regarding the environmental management of Ha Long Bay: The environmental management of the bay has been and is being paid much attention by the provincial agencies and departments. Although it has many strengths due to being equipped with legal mechanisms, human resources and great facilitation from agencies, departments and organizations at home and abroad, the environmental management of Ha Long Bay also reveals many weaknesses through limitations in inspection work, limitations in high-quality human resources and the lack of mechanisms for inter-sectoral coordination. The environmental management of Ha Long Bay faces great opportunities and many challenges that threaten the sustainable development of the region. The environmental planning of Quang Ninh province in general and Ha Long Bay and Ha Long city in particular has been built as a guideline for necessary actions to be implemented deeply, widely and with investment in resources for implementation. In addition, facing the risks that threaten regional environmental management activities are the limitations in awareness of organizations and individuals in environmental protection work and the need for appropriate legal mechanisms from ministries and branches.

4. Regarding necessary solutions: to limit coastal seawater pollution in Ha Long Bay, synchronous solutions on institutions, policies, technical solutions, and technology need to be paid more attention, in which especially important solutions on institutions and policies need to be considered and reviewed to apply resolutely, especially the management of technical solutions for the treatment of waste from the source thoroughly and effectively. Necessary domestic and foreign investment and cooperation projects need to be expanded and administrative procedures reduced so that environmental protection activities in general and coastal seawater pollution reduction in particular can be carried out quickly and thoroughly.

With the Provincial Environmental Protection Plan and the Ha Long Bay Environmental Plan to 2020, with a vision to 2030, which have been developed along with the Quang Ninh Province Environmental Improvement Project, the provincial state management agencies on environmental protection need to make further efforts with the facilitation of all aspects from the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee, the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee and domestic and foreign organizations to effectively implement the proposed plan.

REFERENCES

1. Ha Long Bay Management Board (2002), Ha Long Bay, World Heritage , Quang Ninh.

2. Ha Long Bay Management Board (2012), Environmental status report of Ha Long Bay in 2011 , Quang Ninh.

3. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (2008), QCVN 10:2008/BTNMT National Technical Regulation on coastal seawater quality , Hanoi.

4. Ministry of Culture and Information (1962), Decision on ranking national scenic relics , Hanoi.

5. Quang Ninh Port 1.TV Company Limited (2012), Report on production and business activities and environmental protection work in the period 2006-2011, Quang Ninh.

6. People's Council of Quang Ninh province (2011), Report on the results of monitoring the implementation of the law on state management of Ha Long Bay Heritage, Quang Ninh http://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%E1%BB%8Bnh_H%E1%BA%A1_Long#cit e_note-halong546-9 .

7. Le Huy Ba (2000), Environmental Toxicology , Ho Chi Minh City National University Publishing House.

8. Nguyen Tien Hiep and Ruth Kiew (2000), Natural vegetation in Ha Long Bay,

Tien Bo Publishing House, Hanoi.

9. Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Quang Ninh (2011), Report on the current environmental status of Quang Ninh province 2006-2010 , Quang Ninh.

10. Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Quang Ninh (2011), Report on the current environmental status of Quang Ninh province, Quarter I, II, III, IV of 2011 , Quang Ninh.

11. Tran Duc Thanh (2002), Geological history of Ha Long Bay , The Gioi Publishing House, Hanoi 2002,

12. Tran Manh Thuong, World famous heritages , Culture - Information Publishing House, Hanoi 2000.

13. Quang Ninh-Vinacomin Coal Production Operation Center (2012), 5-year production and business performance report (2006-2011) ,

14. Quang Ninh Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting (1997), Hydro-meteorological data of Quang Ninh province for 50 years (1946 - 1995) , Quang Ninh.

15. Ha Long City People's Committee (2011), Socio-economic report of Ha Long city in 2011 and directions and tasks in 2012 ,

16. Institute of Marine Environment and Resources (2009) Topic: Assessment and forecast of pollution load into Ha Long - Bai Tu Long Bay , Hanoi

APPENDIX

INVESTIGATION FORM ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF POLLUTING WASTE

Full name:…………………………………………………………………………….. Address: ……………………………………………….……………………………… Occupation:………………………, Education level:……………..……………… Number of people:……………………..., Average monthly income……….VND How many people are there in your family?.................................................

Please mark X in the boxes  that you think are correct below: Agriculture, forestry  Trade, services, tourism  Administration  Industry 

2. Please tell us if household waste collection in the area takes place daily?

Yes  No 

3. What is the main type of waste in your family? Organic waste  Plastic bags 

Paper, cardboard  Others 

4. What actions have you taken to handle waste generated at home?

Burn  Throw garbage into rivers and seas 

Mixing garbage together  Collecting bottles and jars to sell 

5. How important is it to throw garbage in the right place? Very important  Important  Normal  Less important  Not important 

6. Please tell us about your role in environmental sanitation work?

Very important  Important  Normal 

Less important  Not important 