Private General Hospital Le Ngoc Tung in the southern province of Tay Ninh was fined VND1.4 billion (US$ 62,286) for illegally burying medical waste.
Deputy Chairman of Tay Ninh Province Huynh Van Quang signed the administrative fine of VND1.4 billion to the hospital located at 500 Cach Mang Thang Tam Street in Tay Ninh Town owned by Le Ngoc Tung.
Additionally, the local government seized two vehicles and some other devices to transport dangerous medical waste.
Moreover, the hospital must pay VND494 million (US$ 21,993) the fee for inspecting and chemicals spraying to treat the waste to company Hue Phuong Viet Nam.
Before, on June 25 police officers from environment investigation station caught Truong Anh Tuan and Truong Hoang Liem, two safeguards of the hospital, in the act of burying illegally medical waste in Thanh Binh village in An Binh Commune in Chua Thanh District of Tay Ninh Province. Total weight of the waste is 111 kilogram.
Lien and Tuan confessed that they have buried medical waste from January 2014 to date, adding that they also buried waste in other places in Tay Ninh province.
According to the regulation, illegally burying fatal waste on wrong place will be fined the maximum of VND700 million (US$ 31,159). However, the hospital has buried the waste for a long time; so it received the fine of 1.4 billion.
Tay Ninh authority approved the proposal of police that the hospital will not be shut down as per the law to ensure employment of over 300 medical workers and treatment for patients in the hospital. Moreover, the hospital leader was quick to install the waste treatment system and other facilities.
