A former manager of Environmental Health and Safety at Samsung Vietnam has stepped forward as a whistleblower to reveal widespread use of toxic chemicals and environmental violations. [...]

Key Findings about Samsung Vietnam in the Newstapa reports:

• A forty-year veteran in charge of Environmental Health and Safety lost his pride in the company when recommendations to address safety measures were ignored by Samsung management due to costs.
• Samsung outsourced work environment risks to Vietnam and used a double standard by conducting operations in Vietnam in a way that would not be permitted in South Korea.
• Within Vietnam, Samsung outsourced toxic chemical-intensive processes to subcontractors who were revealed to be using a variety of toxic chemicals including methanol. Recently, 37 workers were poisoned by methanol at a Samsung supplier in Vietnam. One worker died and three teenage workers lost their eyesight.
• Serious fires at Samsung suppliers occurred because basic safety measures were ignored. In 2017, 78% of Samsung’s suppliers in Vietnam violated fire safety requirements.
• Samsung left design defects in pollution control devices unaddressed and knowingly released chemicals to air and water.
• 48% of the chemical products used have at least one ingredient that is carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction. This is the first time information about toxic chemicals used in Samsung’s Vietnam factories has been disclosed publicly.
• Toxic chemicals were used openly without proper containment and fume hoods, ventilation systems and pollution controls were inadequate or absent.
• There was inadequate or a complete lack of personal protection equipment.
• An investigation by Vietnamese regulators in 2017 concluded that there were no problems at Samsung’s factories but this contradicted the company’s own investigation revealed in internal documents.
• Newstapa received an email from a worker at Samsung Electronics, reporting that the company has systematically covered up risks, injuries, and accidents at its global factories in order to achieve Key Performance Indicators. [...]