From 4 to 6 May 2022, the UNIDO project team and national experts of the “Eco-industrial Park Intervention in Viet Nam” conducted tested a number of EIP indicators to be possibly be adopted by the Government of Vietnam to monitor EIP development in the country. This entailed consultations with representatives from 24 enterprises in Hoa Khanh Industrial Park, interviews with Da Nang Hi-Tech Park and Industrial Zones Authority and Da Nang Industrial Zone Infrastructure Development and Exploitation Company. At the meeting, Mr. Vo Dinh Hung, representative of the Department for Economic Zones Management highly appreciated the response of businesses participating in the survey.

Talking about the preliminary results, Ms. Nguyen Tram Anh, National Technical Specialist of the “Eco-industrial Park Intervention in Viet Nam” said that most of the enterprises participating in the interview have received information about the role and benefits of the eco-industrial park model. Some enterprises that have participated in the training on Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) in the previous phase still maintain the low emission production and material saving solutions. Experts also had a meeting with representatives of enterprises developing industrial symbiosis in Hoa Khanh Industrial Park. According to Ms. Nguyen Tram Anh, Hoa Khanh Industrial Park has the potential to develop the typical industrial symbiosis. However in order to promote the model to be truely sustainable and replicated, the IZ Authority needs to continue to encourage and support businesses to overcome the legal barriers during the cooperation process.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Tran Van Ty, Deputy Head of Da Nang Hi-Tech Park and Industrial Zones Authority, said that the development of eco-industrial parks is one of the key tasks in the development plan of the People’s Committee of Da Nang City to become an environment city in the next period from 2021 to 2030. According to Mr. Tran Van Ty, to develop an eco-industrial park, businesses must be aware of the benefits of technology improvement, material circulation and cooperation in the industrial symbiosis. Besides the economic and environmental impacts, eco-industrial parks also need to show their roles and responsibilities to employees and local communities. In particular, special attention should be paid to the land areas for cultural houses, workers’ living places, kindergartens and health care facilities for workers.

According to the representative of the Department for Economic Zones Management, the draft set of Eco-industrial Park indicators will be finalized in June 2022 and will be circulated to 5 pilot industrial parks for consultations.