VietNamNet Bridge – Chlorine leaking from tanks at the Mien River water processing station has gradually eroded soil and crops for the last three years, threatening local residents’ health.

The Ha Giang Province’s Water & Drainage Company, which runs the station, reportedly does not know how to deal with the chlorine in the tanks. It soaks the tanks in an open limestone pool and waits for disintegration.

The gas, however, is emitted in the environment, harming people and crops in the surrounding area.

The latest chlorine leakage occurred in early September. One day later, a large area turned very yellow. Most perennial plants became yellow and shed leaves. les Vegetables growing close to the earth’s surface were poisoned by the chlorine: their leaves withered and became curly.

A local resident told reporters that this was not for the first time the chlorine linkage had occurred. Due to the problems during the hazardous waste treatment process, the situation has not improved over the last three years.

In the past, the plant withering and residents’ health problems were attributed to white frost, but locals now realize that the cause of all the problems is the chlorine gas, which is toxic.

He said that on September 3, local residents noticed a jet of strange white gas from the Mien River Water Processing Station. It caused crops and plants to wither as soon as it reached them.

Many people hurried to leave their home village and did not return until the next day for fear that the toxic gas would harm their health.

Tran Van Su, whose house is next to the Mien River Water Processing Station, said the most worrying problem was that chlorine had been damaging people’s health for many years.

“The chlorine leakage occurs regularly, which make us live in constant anxiety. Something similar happened in July, and then in September,” he complained. “Locals have not fallen ill, but this does not mean it is safe”.

According to the Ha Giang provincial Water Supply & Drainage Company, the Mien River Water Processing Station supplies clean water to Ha Giang’s people with the capacity of 6,000 cubic meters per day.

Three years ago, three chlorine containing tanks, including two 140-liter and one 40-liter tanks, were discovered to be leaking during the production process. The company decided to build a limestone pool and soak all the three tanks in the pool.

This method reportedly helped the chlorine left in the tanks dissolve in the lime pool and prevent leakage into the environment. However, scientists say the method would be useful for chlorine leaks only at a moderate level. If the limestone pool becomes depleted, the chlorine gas will cause serious consequences.

When asked about the solutions to the problem, Nguyen Vinh Phu, deputy director of the Ha Giang Water Supply & Drainage Company, said this is a difficult task, because there is no company or institution in Ha Giang Province that can treat hazardous waste.

Tin Tuc