VietNamNet Bridge - Following the discovery of coliform and other pathogens in several brands of bottled water and the lack of hygiene at bottling plants in Ho Chi Minh City last month, the Ministry of Health has ordered health officials nationwide to carry out checks.
The ministry also told them to impose severe penalties on bottling plants failing to meet hygiene and safety standards.
On April 1, four more bottled-water producers in HCM City were suspended after their product was found to contain bacteria, the city Department of Health announced.
They are Sieu Viet Company in District 10 that makes Apur, Suoi Xanh Company in Tan Binh District that makes Absopure, Dai Minh Hoang Company also in District 10 that makes Polo, and a household unit in District 11 that makes Okia.
With them, the number of bottled water plants that have been suspended or shut rises to 15.
Elsewhere, in the central province of Quang Ngai, the chief inspector of the Department of Health, Nguyen Thai Son, said 12 water-bottling plants have been closed for failing to meet hygiene and safety standards.
Inspectors have taken samples from 28 more plants around the province for testing and the results will be announced on April 10.
The closure of four more water-bottling units has caused concern in HCMC. A garment company worker in Tan Binh District, who wished to call himself just Minh, is worried that his company has been buying bottled water from a small plant for many years.
Nguyen Van Hiep, who works at the Pediatrics Hospital no.2 canteen, said consumption of bottled water has fallen recently despite the hot weather.
Source:
VietNamNet/SGGP