On February 6th, news emerged about tonnes of candy and fast food being dumped at an unauthorized waste site in La Phu commune, Hoai Duc district, Hanoi. This has drawn significant public attention. According to Mr. Vuong Ba Dung, the Head of Management Market Team No. 24 (Hanoi Market Management Department), the People’s Committee of Hoai Duc district instructed relevant authorities to investigate and clarify the situation.
Tonnes of candy dumped at La Phu communal waste site
Images captured at the La Phu communal waste site show tonnes of candy dumped in large piles.
Investigation and Discovery of Violations
Mr. Dung shared that before the Tet holiday, Team No. 24 collaborated with relevant agencies to inspect food production and trading establishments in La Phu commune. The inspections focused on the origin, labels, brands, and expiration dates of products.
Mr. Dung opined that the products being dumped could be related to the strict inspections by enforcement agencies. Many products with unclear origins, smuggled goods, or expired items were unable to circulate in the market, leading to traders secretly dumping them at unauthorized waste sites.
Handling of Violations
Reports from Team No. 24 indicate that from December 19, 2024, to February 6, 2025, 19 food production and trading establishments in La Phu commune were penalized. Specifically:
- 18 establishments were fined approximately 1 billion Vietnamese Dong for administrative violations.
- 1 case was referred to investigative authorities due to severe violations related to the production of counterfeit food.
Additionally, enforcement agencies were forced to destroy goods worth over 300 million Vietnamese Dong, including candies, fast food, etc., which were all smuggled and of unknown origin.
Official Responses
Mr. Nguyen Duy Giang, Chairman of La Phu People’s Committee, stated that local authorities are cooperating with relevant units to clean up and transport the dumped candies and fast food to the city’s centralized landfill for proper disposal.
Mr. Giang also emphasized that after receiving instructions from Hoai Duc district, the local authority assigned the police to work with enforcement agencies to track down those responsible for dumping the food.
La Phu currently has over 100 food production and trading establishments, many specializing in foreign goods. Strict management is necessary to ensure food safety and prevent fake and counterfeit products.
Post-Tet Situation
Mr. Vuong Ba Dung noted that after the Tet holiday, many candy and food businesses in La Phu commune remained closed. For those that have resumed operations, no new violations have been detected by enforcement agencies.
According to reporters from Dan Tri, most of the dumped food at the La Phu communal waste site was still unopened, sealed in boxes, bags, or plastic containers. This raises questions about the responsibility of businesses in handling surplus or substandard inventory.
Conclusion
The dumping of tonnes of candies and fast food at the La Phu communal waste site serves as a warning about the need for better food quality management and accountability among businesses. To prevent similar incidents, stricter supervision, severe penalties for violations, and increased environmental awareness among citizens are essential.
Interested readers can follow updates from local authorities for more information on the progress of handling this issue.
Source: Dan Tri
