As many as 80% of industrial parks (IPs) in Vietnam have violated regulations on environmental protection, state media reported, citing a domestic scholar. Associate Prof. Dinh Duc Truong from Hanoi University of Economics said that few of more than 300 IPs nationwide meet environmental safety standards which stipulated in law on environmental protection and regulations required by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Many IP operators deliberately violate the law and only follow the regulations if watchdog agencies force them to do, he said, adding that many of them repeated violations for many times. Especially foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) account for more than 60% of companies found to discharge waste exceeding the permitted limits, Mr. Truong said. Many FIEs bring outdated technologies which harm environment to Vietnam to make full use of production chains that have been expire in other countries, the expert said, noting that envir onmental pollution in Vietnam is at an alarming rate though the country has yet obtained industrialization status. Consequences caused by environmental pollution eat up 5% of Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) annually but the figure will soon increase if the government fails to tighten control over the issue, Mr. Truong warned. According to Center for Education Research, Environment and Development, solid waste in Vietnam’s industrial parks may double to 13.5 million tons by 2020 as the majority of IPs are not equipped with waste and wastewater treatment systems. (Tuoi Tre – Youth Nov 20, www.nguoitieudung.com.vn [1] Nov 21)
