Need to invest in completing technical infrastructure to protect the environment in industrial clusters

Currently, in Quang Tri province, 17 industrial clusters (ICs) have been formed with a total area of ​​527.5 hectares and a registered capital of 4,913.3 billion VND. Of which, 16 ICs have been put into operation, attracting 176 investment projects, achieving an average occupancy rate of 69.2%. The industries of enterprises investing in ICs are quite diverse, mainly wood processing, garment, commercial concrete, bricks and tiles, agricultural processing... Revenue in 2024 will reach 3,383.2 billion VND, contributing 107.28 billion VND to the budget and creating jobs for 5,564 workers.

Checking wastewater treatment at rubber latex processing facility - Photo: TN

In order for investment projects in industrial parks to operate smoothly, it is necessary to complete the technical infrastructure at industrial parks. According to the initial survey, the investment capital demand to complete the technical infrastructure at industrial parks in the province is about more than 1,000 billion VND, but by the end of 2024, only 247 billion VND has been invested.

Therefore, the infrastructure of the current industrial parks has not been fully invested, especially the technical infrastructure for environmental protection, including the system of collection, storage, transportation, waste treatment, environmental monitoring and other environmental protection works. Up to now, Quang Tri province only has Huong Tan Industrial Park and Ai Tu Industrial Park with a common wastewater treatment system, but the system is not operating effectively; the wastewater from production facilities has not been collected and connected for treatment.

There are many reasons why industrial parks come into operation without completing the technical infrastructure to protect the environment. This is because businesses operating in industrial parks have to invest in wastewater treatment systems at the facility, treat them to meet standards and then discharge them into the receiving environment, so the investment funding of businesses is limited. On the other hand, the role and responsibility of the units managing industrial parks as well as the management agencies in the environmental field have not been enhanced...

Meanwhile, the requirement for production activities in industrial parks is to comply with the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 and Decree No. 08/2022/ND-CP dated January 10, 2022 of the Government detailing the technical infrastructure for environmental protection of industrial parks.

In Article 48, Decree No. 08/2022/ND-CP clearly states that environmental protection technical infrastructure must be arranged in accordance with investment types in industrial parks, ensuring to minimize negative impacts on the surrounding environment and must be built and completed before the facilities in the industrial parks come into operation; at Point b, Clause 1, Article 49 of this Decree stipulates not to accept new projects or increase the capacity of operating projects that generate wastewater in concentrated production, business and service areas and industrial parks in the following cases: New projects with business lines not on the list of business lines allowed to attract investment in concentrated production, business and service areas and industrial parks; concentrated production, business and service areas and industrial parks do not have or do not meet one of the requirements on environmental protection infrastructure prescribed in Article 48 of this Decree.

In order to improve the effectiveness of state management of the environment at industrial parks in the province, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has promptly advised the Provincial People's Committee to strengthen state management of environmental protection; increase investment in technical infrastructure and deploy solutions to manage and supervise environmental protection at industrial parks.

In which, the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring is assigned to organize natural resources and environment monitoring activities according to the managed monitoring network, operate the operating room to connect automatic and continuous monitoring data of the province. Pay attention to investing in technical infrastructure to serve environmental management and monitoring. Currently, the province has 1 central station located at the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring, 6 base stations at VTJ Toms Textile Co., Ltd., Quang Tri Town Wastewater Treatment Station, Huong Hoa Tapioca Starch Factory, An Thai Tapioca Starch Processing Joint Stock Company, Bim Son Cement Joint Stock Company - Quang Tri Branch.

Accordingly, actively organize the monitoring, receiving and managing of automatic monitoring data continuously every month and in batches at central stations and base stations; urge establishments subject to automatic and continuous industrial emission monitoring and organize the monitoring and review of the operation of automatic monitoring systems at establishments periodically once a year and suddenly when there are incidents. In 2024, natural resources and environment monitoring was carried out at 190 locations.

Through monitoring results, pollution cases have been promptly detected and warned, providing information and data to serve environmental protection and socio-economic development in the locality. Investment in environmental protection technical infrastructure in industrial zones is currently facing difficulties in investment capital. Depending on the scale of the industrial zone area, the amount of wastewater generated, waste composition, wastewater treatment technology, the investment level in environmental protection technical infrastructure for each industrial zone is different, estimated at about 10-20 billion VND/industry.

Meanwhile, the responsibility for investing in technical infrastructure to protect the environment of industrial parks is carried out by the investors in the construction and business of industrial park infrastructure, so it has not been invested in a timely, synchronous and effective manner. Therefore, to complete the technical infrastructure to protect the environment of industrial parks according to the provisions of law, it is necessary to conduct an investigation and assessment of the current status of wastewater discharge of production facilities in industrial parks. From there, propose the scale and wastewater treatment technology suitable for each industrial park. For industrial parks with low occupancy rates, it is necessary to invest in wastewater treatment systems at each stage to improve treatment efficiency and avoid investment waste.

Next is to prioritize capital allocation to complete the technical infrastructure for environmental protection in industrial parks according to the roadmap prescribed by the Law on Environmental Protection in 2020. Implement socialization, attract investment in construction, business and operation of industrial park infrastructure; flexibly use capital sources to invest in technical infrastructure for environmental protection in industrial parks. Encourage and support industrial park infrastructure investors to form joint ventures, associations and cooperation to build, do business and operate environmental protection infrastructure works in industrial parks in the direction of specializing in waste collection, transportation and treatment activities.

Implement incentives and investment support for organizations and individuals participating in investment, construction, business and operation of environmental protection works in industrial parks. With the current status of technical infrastructure for environmental protection in industrial parks, if based on the Law on Environmental Protection and Decree No. 08 dated January 10, 2022 of the Government, after December 31, 2023, industrial parks that have not yet completed investment in technical infrastructure for environmental protection will not be allowed to receive new projects or increase the capacity of operating projects that generate production wastewater.

This regulation will be a huge "barrier" to the operation of enterprises as well as affect the process of attracting investment in the province. Therefore, the completion of the infrastructure of industrial parks in the province as well as the technical infrastructure for environmental protection is very urgent, needs to be implemented promptly and synchronously, so it requires strong direction from the Provincial People's Committee, close coordination between enterprises, local authorities and departments, branches and sectors in the province.

Tan Nguyen

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/can-dau-tu-hoan-thien-ha-tang-ky-thuat-bao-ve-moi-truong-tai-cac-cum-cong-nghiep-192416.htm