These two incidents, occurring in different sectors, both highlight a worrying reality: toxic chemicals and industrial chemicals can easily "change roles," infiltrating the healthcare and food industries and directly threatening public health.
A disturbing commonality in these cases is the ease with which dangerous chemicals are bought, sold, circulated, and used. Arsenic – an extremely toxic substance requiring special control – is disguised as dental medication. Sodium silicate – an industrial chemical absolutely prohibited for use in food – is used in food processing, in quantities reaching thousands of tons. These are not isolated, temporary violations, but organized activities spanning many years, generating substantial illicit profits, only to be discovered when authorities conduct in-depth investigations.
The risks and harms from these actions are extremely serious. Unlike easily recognizable violations, chemical toxins often do not cause immediate consequences, but silently accumulate in the human body, causing long-term health damage. Even more worrying, people are largely unable to recognize or prevent these issues themselves, because processed foods, medicines, and medical supplies that are "legitimized" in appearance are beyond consumer control. When the risk is shifted entirely to society, the consequences are not only increased health risks but also a decline in public trust in government administration.
From this reality, the issue is not just about dealing with violators, but more importantly, about confronting the shortcomings in the management of the chemical business. Although there is no shortage of legal regulations in this field, current management mainly stops at the licensing stage, while the control of the "flow" of chemicals from production and distribution to intended use is still lacking in strictness. Post-inspection is not frequent or effective; coordination between related sectors such as industry and trade, health, and environment is not truly synchronized, leading to a "disruption" in management. When violations are detected, strict handling is necessary, but prevention at the source has not kept pace with practical requirements.
Based on the obvious lessons learned, it's time for more decisive action in the management of chemical business and use. First, we must tighten the management of hazardous and industrial chemicals, especially strictly controlling their intended use, users, and circulation volume. Alongside this, we need to research and develop mechanisms for tracking and tracing the origin of hazardous chemicals throughout the supply chain, applying technology in management to promptly detect any anomalies in production, business, and use.
Furthermore, it is necessary to strengthen post-inspection and regular and unscheduled inspections of businesses using chemicals in sensitive areas such as healthcare and food processing, preventing violations from going undetected for years. Simultaneously, a unified management mechanism should be established, clearly defining the responsibilities of each agency in the chemical distribution process. Along with strictly penalizing violations, public awareness campaigns about the dangers of toxic chemicals should also be intensified.
These two recent incidents serve as a clear warning: when industrial chemicals and dangerous toxins can easily enter the healthcare or food sectors, it's no longer a matter of individual violations, but a management issue. Tightening the management of the chemical business is not only an immediate task, but also a preventative solution at its root, with long-term significance in protecting public health and maintaining social trust.
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/siet-chat-quan-ly-kinh-doanh-hoa-chat-732353.html
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