Ho Chi Minh City-based Hiep Phuoc Power Plant on Thursday admitted burying untreated toxic waste over the past two years.

The plant was found Monday found burying and storing tons of untreated waste, including slag from its steam generators, on its own land, but its representatives then said some workers had done the burial on their own volition.

Since 2006, Hiep Phuoc has collected 70 tons of slag, but transferred just 20 tons to the Green Environment Company for treatment in 2007, according to Pham Hong Tien, who heads the plant’s operations

Another 20 tons were stored and 30 tons were buried in a 755-square-meter land without being treated, Tien said.

HCMC’s environmental police are analyzing samples taken from the plant’s solid wastes and wastewater and have asked the plant to refrain from making changes to the land until they come to a conclusion on future action.

Source: Tuoi Tre