Authorities in Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam on Monday imposed a fine of VND650 million (US$26,773) on a copper ore processing plant due to a sludge leakage that sparked concerns about environmental pollution in August.

The outflow from the tailings pond of the Ta Phoi copper ore processing plant, located in Ta Phoi Commune of the province’s Lao Cai City, occurred at around 8:30 am on August 8. 

The incident affected households, construction works, paddy fields, cropland, and the downstream environment.

After several months of investigation, the People’s Committee of Lao Cai Province officially imposed a fine of VND400 million ($16,475) on Ta Phoi Copper JSC, the managing entity of the plant, for causing the waste incident. 

An additional fine of VND250 million ($10,297) was levied on the company for providing inaccurate or dishonest information in the environmental licensing proposal report regarding the completion of construction works and environmental protection measures.

Promptly following the incident, the People’s Committee of Lao Cai Province directed specialized agencies and related administration levels to collaborate with Ta Phoi Copper JSC in swiftly relocating affected residents for safety and arranging temporary accommodations.

Simultaneously, the business was instructed to cease production at the processing plant, mobilizing all available resources to rectify the issue. 

By 1:30 pm on the same day, the flow of water into the environment was successfully halted.

Following the incident, Ta Phoi Copper JSC compensated 104 affected households for damage to their crops, property, and livestock, amounting to over VND5.6 billion ($230,661).

The People’s Committee of Lao Cai City, in coordination with relevant agencies and units, initiated the relocation of 11 households in areas susceptible to landslides and subsidence to an allocated area of approximately 300 square meters per household.

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