[INNEWS Comprehensive Report] Recently, the Cambodian Ministry of Environment announced that Phoenix Industrial, a subsidiary of ER-KANG Pharmaceuticals located in Rattanak MondulSangkae River, Battambang Province, was fined nearly US$470,000 for illegally discharging industrial wastewater.
The Minister of Environment, Say Samal, wrote to Phoenix Industrial Co., Ltd, requesting the company to relocate at least 10 kilometers away from the Sangkae River and pay about US$468,000 in compensation, including US$93,560 in penalties for loss of fishery production and clean water supply , and a pollution and public health fine of $37,000. The company has until October 20 to pay all fines to the Environmental and Social Fund Board account.
Say Samal warned that if the company refuses to comply with the above regulations, the Cambodian Ministry of Environment will prosecute according to law.
Previously, Cham Prasidh, Minister of Industry, Handicrafts and Industry of Cambodia, ordered the ER-KANG Pharmaceutical Cambodia factory to suspend production for two weeks from August 4. Cham Prasidh said that the company discharged industrial wastewater into the largest river in the area, the Sangkae River, which turned the river black, poisoned and killed a large number of fish, and seriously polluted the environment. He also asked the company to strictly abide by the regulations of the Madak provincial government and correct wrong operations, otherwise the Ministry of Industry will extend the suspension period.
According to public information, Hunan Erkang (Cambodia) Investment Co., Ltd. is an overseas subsidiary of China’s Hunan Erkang Pharmaceutical Group. It mainly provides natural and pollution-free tapioca starch raw materials for starch capsule customers around the world, and is committed to solving the problem of “toxicity” that has plagued the pharmaceutical field for many years. Capsules” problem. The pharmaceutical intermediate production project of Phoenix Industrial Co., Ltd. in Cambodia launched by Erkang Pharmaceuticals in the second half of 2018 has been completed and put into trial operation. The estimated investment of the project is 95 million yuan, and the main products are p-nitrophenol, p-aminophenol, etc..
