By Nguyen Long, Thanh Nien News
Ba Ria-Vung Tau authorities have requested central agencies to inspect tides of oil sludge that have soiled local beaches the past few years, with the latest case occurring on Monday.
“The sludge has appeared on the beach very often in the past several years, from March-April when the winds change,” said Le Tan Cuong of the provincial Environment Protection Agency.
“The phenomenon causes pollution and damage to tourism,” he said.
Authorities are expected to determine where the oil came from.
Le Thanh Lam, vice director of Bien Dong Resort, said he has mobilized 120 employees to clean the oil that surfaced on the beach since 6:30 a.m. on Monday.
More than 1,000 employees of resorts along the city beaches have been asked to join the clean-up, besides local voluntary youths and soldiers.
They reportedly collected about 30 tons of sand tainted with oil sludge in the morning.
On the same day, the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment launched a survey that found oil residue on several beaches in Dat Do and Xuyen Moc districts.
