Enterprises in industrial parks (IPs) are encouraged to coexist to save costs and reduce emissions, but due to the lack of specific mechanisms and standards, this activity is still limited.
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| Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park applies many symbiotic models, bringing great economic and environmental benefits. |
“Sweet fruit” from industrial symbiosis
Nam Cau Kien Industrial Park ( Hai Phong ) is not on the list of industrial parks participating in the Project "Implementing ecological industrial parks in Vietnam following the approach from the Global Ecological Industrial Park Program", but since its inception, the investor - Shinec Joint Stock Company - has positioned it as an ecological industrial park.
Mr. Pham Hong Diep, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Shinec Joint Stock Company, said that in Nam Cau Kien Industrial Park, there are 3 industrial symbiotic chains following the circular economic model, including: metallurgy - mechanics; plastics and plastic products; electrical - electronic support.
Previously, when producing finished steel, the production unit had to take the steel slag for processing at a high cost. Now, with the industrial symbiosis chain, they sell the steel slag and have additional income. The unit purchases the steel slag, processes it at high temperatures, separates it into different types of raw materials to sell to factories for use in producing magnets, additives for cement production, etc.
Wastewater is collected at a centralized wastewater treatment plant in the industrial park, then recycled to raise aquatic species, use for watering plants, washing equipment and tools in factories, washing roads, cooling boilers, fire prevention and fighting, etc.
According to Mr. Diep, thanks to symbiotic connection activities, businesses in the industrial park reduce the burden of finding raw materials and product output.
In Deep C Industrial Park (Hai Phong), Amata ( Dong Nai ) and Hiep Phuoc (HCMC), the application of the industrial symbiosis model has brought many economic, social and environmental benefits.
For example, at Deep C Industrial Park, the application of the industrial symbiosis, resource efficiency and cleaner production (RECP) model has brought about 7.6 billion VND in economic benefits. Of which, electricity consumption has been reduced by more than 1,600 MWh/year, water consumption has been reduced by more than 75,700 m3/year..., thereby reducing emissions of nearly 1,500 tons of CO2/year. Revenue from water sales alone from the application of water recycling and reuse at this Industrial Park has brought in 17.7 billion VND per year.
In particular, at Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park, the application of this model brings economic benefits of nearly 24 billion VND per year, thanks to reducing electricity consumption by 7,000 MWh/year, reducing water consumption by nearly 160,000 m3/year..., thereby reducing emissions of nearly 6,000 tons of CO2/year.
Mr. Giang Ngoc Phuong, Deputy General Director of Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park Joint Stock Company, said that the conversion from traditional industrial parks to ecological industrial parks has reduced energy use, reduced clean water use, reduced emissions into the environment, circulated more and helped businesses reduce costs in the production process.
Need more help
According to experts, effective industrial symbiosis is one of the necessary conditions for implementing eco-industrial parks, especially after Decree 35/2022/ND-CP regulating the management of industrial parks and economic zones was issued, providing clearer definitions of export processing zones, supporting industrial parks, eco-industrial parks, high-tech industrial parks, etc.
However, the implementation process still has many problems. To be recognized as an ecological industrial park, enterprises in the industrial park must participate in cleaner production activities and effectively use resources, link and cooperate in production to carry out industrial symbiosis activities. However, this process is not easy.
Enterprises said that there is currently no policy to support corporate income tax if the enterprise achieves ecological enterprise certification; there is no preferential tax policy for infrastructure companies to encourage them to build ecological industrial parks.
Not to mention, sub-law documents still overlap in regulations on industrial waste reuse. Many businesses find it costly, so they hesitate to participate.
In the process of consulting for businesses, chemical and environmental expert Nguyen Thi Kim Lien assessed that the potential for industrial symbiosis in Vietnam's industrial parks is huge, but legal and policy barriers are present.
According to Ms. Lien, current policies lack financial and economic incentives for businesses to implement renewable energy industrial symbiosis; investment procedures for renewable energy projects are still complicated, and there is a lack of support policies... Especially in the field of waste reuse and recycling, policies are not strong enough to develop the market for recycled products.
Some businesses have reported that they have encountered difficulties when they want to send waste outside the company to supply to other units, because the regulation requires that waste must be treated before being sent out. In addition, if they want to reuse treated wastewater, there are currently no instructions and technical standards for using this water for watering plants and as input water for businesses...
Experts say that industrial symbiosis is a requirement for eco-industrial parks and is an inseparable part of circular economic models. Therefore, it is necessary to soon complete policies to promote industrial symbiosis in the coming time.
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