VietNamNet Bridge
17 February 2015
Scientists recently warned that oil pollution is becoming more and more serious. In theory, the 0.1 mg per liter concentration is large enough to kill plankton species and affect larvae of benthic organisms.
Meanwhile, in the Hai Phong coastal areas, the oil concentration in water often exceeds the permitted level by 100-300 percent.
The latest report of the Hai Phong City Department of Natural Resources and the Environment showed that the Hai Phong Seaport usually has oil concentration of 0.3-0.6 mg per liter. The same concentration level has been found in the coastal area in the districts of Hai An and Kien Thuy.
An environmental expert noted that the high concentration of oil in water are in areas where there are a majority of fishing boats, cruises and military ships to gather for cleaning and discharging oil. The waste from the process and the oil are directly discharged into the sea.
Meanwhile, under the Marpol Convention, the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, all the ships are prohibited from discharging waste water into the seaports’ waters.
Experts pointed out that the 4 million tons of fuel consumed every year by 1,700 transport ships and 130,000 fishing boats is a major source of pollutants affected coastal areas and the sea, damaging the sea ecosystem and sea resources, and harming people’s health.