Health officials in Vietnam’s north-central province of Quang Tri have ordered a seafood trade facility there to destroy 30 tons of frozen fish after tests showed it contained phenol, a lethal toxic substance.
Six samples of the fish, including tuna, sardine and mackerel, were collected by the provincial health department for inspection from an establishment in Cua Tung town, Vinh Linh District.
Two out of three samples were found to contain phenol, a potentially lethal substance that is prohibited from use in food, said the director of the Quang Tri health department, Tran Van Thanh. The samples contained 0.037 milligrams per kilogram, according to a report from the inspection.
According to local newspaper Tuoi Tre News, the two samples that tested positive for phenol were bought after masses of fish began dying in central Vietnam provinces in early April.
The department will be looking into carrying out checks at other frozen seafood facilities in the area, said Thanh, adding that the tainted fish will be destroyed.
Phenol, also known as carbolic acid, is a highly toxic substance that causes death and severe toxicity due to effects on the heart, blood vessels, lungs, and kidneys. Long-term exposure to phenol can result in major damage to the liver, kidney and eyes, as well as cause changes in skin pigment, according to the Toxicology Data Network.
Mass fish deaths have been a mystery for Vietnam since early April, when hundreds of tons of fish washed up on the shores of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue provinces.
The deaths have impacted the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of families from fishing villages there and is said to be an environmental disaster, killing not just commercial fish but also large whales and seagulls.
The Environmental Ministry formed a national council in early May to determine the reasons for the huge loss of marine life.
Protests have broken out throughout the country, with activists calling for more attention to the environment, guarantees on food safety, and assurances that beach tourism will continue.
Many have pointed fingers at a major Taiwanese steel company in the Vung Aung Economic Zone, which admitted to having a large sewage pipe directed into the sea but claims all wastewater is treated before being discharged.
Oscar Mussons, an international business advisory associate with Dezan Shira & Associates in Vietnam, was quoted in Forbes as saying: The ongoing protests in Vietnam have taught the government that without transparency and accountability, trust among its citizens starts lacking, provoking social upheaval and a business environment that is less prone to economic growth.
I believe the protests will go on until [an] independent review brings back its results to the cause of the deaths or until the government brings to justice those responsible.
2016 Asian Correspondent