THE STATUS QUO OF THE ENVIRONMENT SURROUNDING HOA KHANH INDUSTRIAL ZONE AND MEASURES TO MINIMIZE ITS ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Abstract

The activities of Hoa Khanh industrial zone have posed a lot of risks and exerted much impact on the living environment of people in its neighbourhood including Hong Phuoc area – Hoa Khanh Bac ward – Lien Chieu district, Bau Tram Lake area – Hoa Hiep Nam ward – Lien Chieu district and Trung Son hamlet – Hoa Lien ward – Hoa Vang district. This paper presents the status quo of the environment and the residents’ health via surveys of the environment in the surrounding area of Hoa Khanh industrial zone, thereby proposing measures to its minimize pollution in the area under study. Research results show that air and water pollution in some surrounding places of the industrial zone has gone beyond accepted levels. Consequently, a number of the residents have suffered from incurable diseases (6,7%) and other conditions related to ears, nose and throat (88,33%), respiration (66,7%), digestion (33,33%), cutaneous state (66,7%), eyes (16,7%), and gynaecology (16,7%); some people have had signs of Pb and As intoxication via detection of high content of Pb and As in their hair.