Ratanak Mondol district officials inspect the location where a firm released wastewater into the Sangke River, on May 27. Provincial Administration
The Ministry of Environment is considering disciplinary measures to impose on companies that have leaked acid into the Sangke River in Battambang province, causing a mass fish die-off in the area of the Thvak Natural Resort in Thvak village in Ratanak Mondol district’s Andoeuk Heb commune.
Ministry spokesman Neth Pheaktra told The Post on May 30 that a technical working group would review the measures on May 31 after receiving the complete information and the results from the laboratory that will show if there were other substances involved.
According to Pheaktra, the ministry’s experts worked in collaboration with officials from the provincial administration to inspect the area immediately after receiving information that there was water pollution in part of the river.
“According to our laboratory test of the Sangke River samples, there is acid in the water that we suspect leaked from the Phoenix Industrial company, which produces preservatives and other products,” he said.
Provincial environment department director Kort Boran said on May 30 that the leak was caused by the heavy rains that occurred several days in a row and flooded the area. He said that by May 30 his department had already prevented further leakage.
Boran noted that the level of acidity in the water has now also been neutralised and there was no serious long-term impact on the river’s environment or biodiversity.
“We will renovate the factory and there will be a fine imposed by the environment ministry. The weather was mainly the cause of the leak, with heavy rains causing water to escape the temporary holding pool of the Chinese company,” he said.
Provincial administration spokesman Soeum Bunrith confirmed on May 30 that the authorities require that the company takes steps to ensure that such chemical spills do not happen again.
“This action against the company is to prevent further leaks. The company needs to guarantee that, and secondly, to speed up the preparation of the station for the wastewater treatment from the factory as soon as possible,” he said.
Kuy Vanno, acting governor of the Rattanak Mondul district, said authorities had approached the company to have them sign a contract to prevent further leaks.
“There are four cement tanks that are made for use in their operations along with the installation of pipes, but the work hasn’t been completed yet. They have two temporary holding pools – one of which is full of water and the other is empty. Thus, when they drained one pool into the other, that caused the leak,” he said.
