Archive for year: 2019

72 enterprises of 4 industrial zones in Ninh Binh, Can Tho and Da Nang have implemented resource-efficient and cleaner production, thus saving over USD 6.5 million per year.

“Talking numbers”

That was the result of the project “Implementing an ecological industrial zone initiative towards a sustainable industrial park model in Vietnam” achieved after 5 years of implementation.

With funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the project has been carried out by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) piloted in Khanh Phu and Gian Khau industrial zones (Ninh Binh); Hoa Khanh industrial park (Da Nang city) and Tra Noc industrial zone 1 & 2 (Can Tho).

Through technical support from Vietnam Cleaner Production Centre Co. Ltd. (VNCPC), enterprises in industrial zones have been consulted on cleaner production solutions to make the most of input materials, efficient use of energy, water-saving as well as the use of chemical safety, wastewater, and waste management …

Transformation of the ecological industrial model – the inevitable trend

At the end of the first phase of the project, thanked resource-efficient and cleaner production guide, VNCPC’s experts have helped enterprises saved more than 22,000 Mwh of electricity; over 600,000 m3 of clean water; more than 140 TJ (Terajun) fossil fuels, and nearly 3,600 tons of chemicals and wastes. These solutions also helped reduce 32 Kt of CO2 annually.

The project has also conducted training for more than 3,100 managers and technicians. Training programs to provide information on eco-industrial parks; sharing international experiences and methods of application in accordance with the context of Vietnam; tools and resources to develop eco-industrial parks; opportunities and challenges when applying the concept of eco-industrial parks in Vietnam.

At the summarizing conference of the project held in Hanoi, on June 12, 2019, Mr. Tran Duy Dong, Director of the Department of Local and Territorial Economy (Ministry of Planning and Investment) said: “The project took an important role in contributing to the promulgation of relevant regulations on eco-industrial zones in Decree 82/2018 / ND-CP dated 22/5/2018 (Decree 82) of The Government on the management of industrial parks and economic zones, took effect from July 2018. Decree 82 is the first legal document in Vietnam laying the foundation for the implementation of the transition from conventional industrial parks to ecological industrial zones.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Van Trung, Swiss Ambassador to Vietnam – Beatrice Maser Mallor and UNIDO Representative in Vietnam Le Thi Thanh Thao presented awards to the units participating in the project. Photo: MPI

The United Nations Resident Coordinator, Mr. Kamal Malhotra, also stressed that: “the project is a concrete illustration of  a recirculating economy. That is what the Vietnamese government is interested in and wants to learn from the UN and other development partners to identify strategic priorities for socio-economic development in the period of 2021 – 2030. With this medium-term vision, the Government is putting much hope into achieving a “dual goal”: high and sustainable growth in parallel with environmental protection”.

National representative of UNIDO office in Vietnam, Ms. Le Thi Thanh Thao said: converting existing industrial zones to ecological industrial model will be an opportunity to achieve sustainable and widespread industrial development. in Viet Nam. Accordingly, UNIDO will continue to work with the Government of Vietnam to implement the Global Program for Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP) funded by the Swiss Government.

“Eco-industrial park project is a continuation of the long road UNIDO supports Vietnam in cleaner production and energy efficiency in industry for more than 20 years. I believe that today’s successes will create a solid premise for the deployment of replicating ecological industrial models in Vietnam in the coming years. Since then, contributing to environmental protection, sustainable development and attracting quality investment, especially from the private sector, improving Vietnam’s competitiveness. ”- Ms. Thao said.

Representing the business, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Chairman of the Board of Asia Architecture and Trading Company Limited (Tan Long Paper Factory – Da Nang) said: Joining the project, the company has improved viable sources of fuel, thereby reducing production costs, improving competitiveness and contributing to improving workers’ lives. The company has also applied 21 energy-saving solutions. Accordingly, within 1 year, 2.63 billion VND was saved, 360 tons of raw material inputs were reduced per year and 540 tons of CO2 were reduced per year.

Not only that, businesses are planning to implement some industrial symbiotic solutions proposed by experts. This shows the sustainability of project activities. Industrial symbiotic solutions are expected to include: reuse of an enterprise’s waste water and waste materials as input materials for another enterprise; heat recovery and improved waste collection efficiency; shared water boilers as well as shared transportation and other services for workers.

VNCPC

At the seminar held in Da Nang in the middle of last April, representatives of Vietnam Cleaner Production Center Co. Ltd. (VNCPC) presented 6 industrial symbiotic solutions selected for implementation in Da Nang, to convert these local industrial zones (IZs) into sustainable IZs in Vietnam.

The workshop was an activity in the project “Implementing eco-industrial zone initiative towards a sustainable industrial model in Vietnam” by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Currently, with funding from the Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Industrial symbiotic solutions researched and presented by VNCPC have received high appreciation from stakeholders.

According to Mr. Dinh Manh Thang – consultant of VNCPC, through intensive discussions and surveys at 57 enterprises in Da Nang, 22 industrial symbiotic opportunities were identified. There were 6 options selected after analyzing all necessary conditions with all stakeholders, including:

Biogas recovery at Heineken Vietnam – Da Nang Beer Factory to use as fuel for boilers of Green Energy Company;

Installing solar battery system on the roof of Tan Long Packaging Paper Factory;

Green Energy Company provides manpower to operate professional boilers for Tan Long Packaging Paper Factory;

Using waste ash to make unburnt bricks in Hoa Khanh Industrial Park;

Collect and classify waste paper and paperboard as input materials for companies producing Kraft paper; and

Using scrap wood from Viet Lang Forest Products Co., Ltd. as fuel for boilers of Green Energy Company

At the conference, representatives of related businesses along with representatives of the Management Board of high-tech zones and industrial parks in Da Nang; Da Nang Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Domestic and foreign consultants from VNCPC and Sofies (Switzerland) and the Project Management Board discussed the advantages and barriers when implementing these solutions.

International consultant Luc Jaquet shared about symbiotic models that have been successfully implemented in countries such as Denmark, Korea and Japan.

International consultant Luc Jaquet (Sofies) has shared symbiotic models that have been successfully implemented in countries such as Denmark, South Korea and Japan. He also highlighted the challenges and barriers to implementation: companies are not willing to invest financially to buy and apply advanced technologies or business security issues, legal barriers …

In Vietnam in general and in Da Nang in particular, most businesses face financial resources not yet available to invest in advanced technologies and human resource training; together with the cooperation mechanism among companies related to the implementation of industrial symbiosis, in addition to the legal barriers in the regulations on reuse of waste and waste water have been treated.

Mr. Le Hoang Duc – Deputy Director of Da Nang High-Tech Park and Industrial Zone Management Board affirmed that the Danang city government will support industrial symbiosis.

Mr. Le Hoang Duc – Deputy Director of Da Nang High-Tech Park and Industrial Zone Management Board affirmed that the Da Nang city government will support industrial symbiosis activities for the benefit not only for businesses but also for themselves for the environment in industrial parks in the city.

VNCPC

On 8/4, in Cao Lanh city (Dong Thap), the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor was continue to open the training course for the trainer on Green Growth (Module 8).

Mr. Ngo Duy Hieu – Member of the National Assembly, Member of the Presidium, Vice Chairman and Head of the Labor Relations Department of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor attended and made a speech.

Attending the training course, there were 25 students who were leaders of Policy – Law Department; Provincial Labor Confederation Committee; Trade Union of Industrial Zones, Construction Trade Unions and Institutes, schools directly under the General Labor Confederation. Specifically, there are 9 provincial Labor Federation, including: Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, Binh Dinh, Tien Giang, Long An, Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Dong Thap and 3 subordinate units of Ton University Duc Thang, Trade Union University and Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Science.

Students took photos with Mr. Ngo Duy Hieu and lecturers of the training course. Photo: Luc Tung

Mr. Ngo Duy Hieu made the opening speech. Photo: Luc Tung

Speaking at the opening of the training course, Mr. Ngo Duy Hieu emphasized the importance of green growth and the responsibilities of trade unions and unionists for green growth in the context of climate change – sea level rise…; thereby calling on students to make efforts to learn knowledge and skills and cleverly combine knowledge with practice to convey to members in the most effective way.

Students are leaders of the provincial Labor Federation, Industrial Parks Trade Union …. Photo: Luc Tung

It is known that this is an event within the framework of the cooperation program between the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES). Accordingly, the FES Institute supported the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and other Trade Union levels to participate in implementing the National Action Plan on Green Growth.

In particular, the training on Green Growth has 9 modules, including 2 theoretical parts combined with practical travel under the guidance of teachers who are officials of the Vietnam Cleaner Production Centre Co.Ltd. (VNCPC). The training course is part of Module 8, which takes place over 5 days (8 -12/4/2019).

According to Luc Tung/Laodong.vn (April 8, 2019)