Living in constant anxiety next to a foundry in a residential area.

Many households in Le Ich Moc and Thien Huong wards (Hai Phong) have to live right next to mechanical workshops and iron foundries.

Residents have complained that the cast iron foundry owned by Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong is located within a residential area in My Dong 1 neighborhood, and that its production process is affecting the living environment of surrounding households.

For many years, residents in Le Ich Moc and Thien Huong wards have lived in constant anxiety due to their proximity to mechanical workshops and iron foundries interspersed within residential areas, frequently suffering from smoke, dust, and environmental pollution.

Surrounded by smoke and dust.

In May 2026, Ms. Nguyen Thi Yen, residing in My Dong 1 residential area, Le Ich Moc ward, reported the issue of smoke and dust emanating from the iron foundry owned by Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong, located next to her house. Following the complaint, the ward People's Committee requested the facility to cover and mitigate the pollution; the owner of the foundry erected a corrugated iron roof and installed a dust extraction system to limit the spread of pollutants. However, residents in the area remain concerned because the foundries are still operating in a densely populated residential area.

Mr. Nguyen Van Dung, head of My Dong 1 residential group, said that the group currently has 298 households. This area is a concentration of the traditional casting industry of the former My Dong commune, now part of Le Ich Moc ward. Within the group, there are 29 households engaged in small-scale mechanical and cast iron production, interspersed within the residential area. Although these households have implemented some protective measures, these are only temporary and still affect the lives of the residents.

According to the Department of Economy , Infrastructure and Urban Development of Le Ich Moc Ward, the first phase of the My Dong casting village currently covers 4.6 hectares, providing production space for only 22 households engaged in mechanical and cast iron production. Therefore, nearly 70 households engaged in mechanical and cast iron production still operate within residential areas in the My Dong area.

To date, Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong's household in My Dong 1 residential area has erected a corrugated iron roof and installed a dust-collecting canopy to minimize the impact on the living environment of the residential area.

The situation is not unique to Le Ich Moc ward; a similar problem is occurring in Thien Huong ward. In Kien Bai 7 residential area, at the end of April 2026, residents complained that the Quang Minh Casting Company's factory was operating too close to residential areas, causing environmental pollution and affecting the lives of surrounding households. Following the complaint, city and local authorities conducted an inspection and requested the company to temporarily cease operations to complete the necessary environmental protection procedures. Nguyen Trong Tai, Head of the Economic, Infrastructure and Urban Planning Department of Thien Huong ward, stated that after reviewing the situation, there are currently about 30 cast iron production facilities interspersed within residential areas in Kien Bai 6 and Kien Bai 7 residential areas, bordering the My Dong area of ​​Le Ich Moc ward.

Mechanical engineering and cast iron casting are traditional crafts that contribute to employment and income for many households in the area. However, in the context of rapid urbanization and a growing population, the presence of production workshops interspersed within residential areas is no longer suitable, putting significant pressure on the environment and occupational safety.

Develop a plan to mobilize support for relocation as soon as possible.

The mechanical workshops and iron foundries in Kien Bai 7 residential area are located close to the residential area, leading many residents to complain about the potential impact on their living environment.

Following feedback and requests from residents, the authorities of Thien Huong and Le Ich Moc wards actively intervened, strengthening inspections and resolving residents' requests, requiring relevant workshops to rectify production conditions and environmental protection regulations. In addition, the two wards also intensified the review of households engaged in mechanical and cast iron production and business activities that pose a risk of environmental pollution, in order to promptly address or recommend action within their jurisdiction.

Good news after years of waiting: Recently, the Investment Project for the construction, business operation, and management of the technical infrastructure of the Thuy Nguyen Mechanical and Casting Craft Village Industrial Cluster (Thuy Nguyen Casting Craft Village Industrial Cluster) commenced construction just in time to celebrate the liberation of Hai Phong . The project covers an area of ​​15.5 hectares, located in Thien Huong and Le Ich Moc wards, and is expected to be completed in 2027. Upon completion, this industrial cluster will meet the land rental needs of approximately 70 mechanical and casting workshops currently operating interspersed within residential areas in the two localities.

According to Dam Cong Chinh, Head of the Economic, Infrastructure and Urban Planning Department of Le Ich Moc Ward, after the project is completed, the local authorities will encourage and request production households to relocate their workshops and machinery to the new craft village area, separate from residential areas. This will ensure sustainable development and fundamentally address the environmental impact on residents' lives.

However, relocation faces many difficulties due to the high cost of land rental and factory construction, which exceeds the capabilities of many small businesses. Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong, owner of a cast iron foundry in My Dong 1 residential area, Le Ich Moc ward, said that her family has been in the business for over 16 years and can only provide temporary shelter because they do not yet have the means to relocate. According to Ms. Phuong, renting 1,000 m² in the new industrial cluster is estimated to cost 6 billion VND, not including construction and machinery installation costs, so she hopes to receive support for land rental and preferential loans to relocate as soon as possible.

It is clear that relocating mechanical workshops and iron foundries away from residential areas is an urgent requirement. However, local authorities need to promptly propose to the city and relevant units to study mechanisms to support relocation, provide production capital, and create conditions for households to maintain stable production, contributing to ensuring a safe living environment, developing sustainable craft villages, and definitively resolving the concerns of people living near these foundries.

MANH QUANG

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/thap-thom-song-canh-xuong-duc-trong-khu-dan-cu-543898.html