HCM unveils list of top polluting firms - there are some surprises!

When house hunting, members might want to check out this list! Others might want to consider where they get medical treatment.

HCM City authorities have announced their 2014 list of polluting companies and ordered the culprits to clean up their act by next year.

The People's Committee's list includes:
A Chau Paper Co; Altamode Vietnam; Bahal Vina Ltd; Dong Loi Paper Co; Go Sao Industrial and Trading Ltd;  Nam Viet JSC; Otorhinolaryngolagy Hospital;  Phong Phu Fashion Factory; Phong Phu JSC; Samho Vietnam Co; Thang Loi Investment and Development JSC;
Viet Thang Co;  Viet Tuong Food Ltd; and, finally,the slaughter-house in District 12.

Though all have waste water treatment systems, inspections of their facilities found that either the systems were inoperative or their treatment of waste water fell far short of standards.

The People's Committee also instructed the Department of Resources and Environment to throw the book at polluters who fail to achieve the quality standards.

There is also a runner-up list of 41 polluters which include: Cao Thang Hospital; Duc Khang Hospital; HCM City Blood Transfusion and Haematology Hospital and the Thu Duc District Hospital. These people have until 2014 December to fix their problems.

Longer term Foreigners might remember the pollution from a food additive factory in Dong Nai a few years ago. Before that factory went clean, supermarkets and consumers were boycotting the company.

Just another way the city looks after it's citizens.