MPI encourages eco-IPs

The government is encouraging eco-industrial parks to satisfy emissions restrictions Photo: Le Toan

Last week, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) in conjunction with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) launched a project entitled “Implementation of an Eco-Industrial Park Initiative for Sustainable Industrial Zones in Vietnam.” The project is financially supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs in Vietnam and the Global Environment Fund. It falls under the “One UN Plan 2012-2016” approved by the United Nations in Vietnam and the MPI.

According to the UNIDO, the objective of the project is to increase the transfer, deployment and diffusion of clean and low-carbon technologies and practices for the minimisation of gas emissions and water pollutants. In addition, it aims to improve water-efficiency and the sound management of chemicals in Vietnam’s industrial zones (IZs).

“In other words, the project aims at shifting from IZs to eco-industrial parks (IPs),” said Patrick J. Gilabert, a representative of the UNIDO in Vietnam.

Gilabert stressed that this project is an urgent and essential priority in Vietnam today. He added, “As you all know, environmental challenges faced by IZs in Vietnam are many and complex. These challenges arise from a lack of investment, the supply and use of resources, handling of different types of solid waste, air emissions and effluent discharges.”

Firstly, the project will select three IZs for the pilot scheme, including Hoa Khanh in the central city of Danang, Khanh Phu in the northern province of Ninh Binh and Tra Noc in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho.

Since 1991, when the first IZ was set up in Ho Chi Minh City, IZs have played a vital role in the country’s economic development and served as an essential engine driving economic structural reform toward industrialisation and modernisation in individual provinces and throughout the whole country.

As of the end of 2013, Vietnam has 289 IZs in 58 provinces, 191 of which are in operation. Although the government’s 2011-2015 plan requires all operating IZs to install centralised effluent treatment plants, 92 parks currently operating have yet to construct waste water treatment facilities. Waste water from these IZs is now being directly discharged without any treatment.

“In the past we were just keen on developing IZs to lure foreign investments, without considering sustainable growth,” said Tran Duy Dong, director of the MPI’s Department of Economic Zones Management.

Dong said that the MPI in association with the UNIDO would review and formulate a policy and regulatory framework relating to IZs nationwide to facilitate the transformation of IZs into eco-IPs.

“IZ developers and manufacturers within the zones will receive financial support if they apply new technologies geared towards environmental protection,” said Dong.