Environmental Protection and Waste Management Advancements in Bắc Giang Province

BẮC GIANG — From now until 2030, Bắc Giang Province will actively promote the effective implementation of air pollution control, prevention, and reduction measures within its territory.

Bắc Giang will actively oversee and regulate industrial production units, ensuring the installation and proper functioning of emission control systems to meet stringent environmental standards. Special attention will be given to facilities that generate dust and release substantial pollutants.

Furthermore, strict supervision will be implemented for all facilities falling under the category requiring the installation of continuous, automatic monitoring systems for industrial dust and gas emissions. The installation and data transmission to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment should be completed before January 1, 2025. Non-compliant facilities will be compelled to cease their operations.

In the period leading up to 2030, Bắc Giang is committed to intensifying inspections and monitoring of production and business establishments, especially those with high potential for environmental pollution and significant emissions. Irregular inspections will be conducted in case of suspected violations, and there will be enhanced cooperation between inspection agencies and environmental police forces for effective oversight and handling of violations.

Bắc Giang is speeding up investment progress and putting into operation large-scale waste treatment plants that apply modern technology in the province. These include the Bắc Giang City Waste-to-Energy Incineration Plant, and centralised waste treatment plants in Hiệp Hòa and Lục Nam districts.

According to Lê Ô Pích, deputy chairman of the People’s Committee of Bắc Giang, in the upcoming period, the province will not grant permits for newly established, extensions or expansions of facilities falling within the group that poses a risk of environmental pollution with emission volumes exceeding 100,000cu.m per hour in urban areas, residential areas and outside industrial zones. This applies to projects handling household waste using incinerators with a capacity of less than 5 tonnes per day. 

An automatic wastewater monitoring system of Bắc Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company was installed at Xương Giang Paper Factory. — Photo baodantoc.vn

Simultaneously, the province is implementing a plan to relocate environmentally polluting production facilities interspersed within residential and urban areas to industrial zones and clusters. Facilities operating with outdated technology and causing dust and large emissions are required to invest in technology renewal and improvement of production processes to ensure that their emissions meet technical standards before being released into the environment.

Furthermore, the province encourages industrial facilities to use biofuels in production, invest in technology innovation, production processes and equipment. This is aimed at enhancing technological capabilities and management proficiency, adopting cleaner production practices, obtaining certification under ISO 14001 standards, and developing and applying environmental treatment technologies to control, prevent and minimise air pollution.

Steel and brick manufacturing plants in the province have shown a keen interest in investing in the renewal of industrial emission treatment technologies. For construction material production facilities, localities have completely ceased traditional brick firing and dismantled over 2,000 traditional kilns. As of now, basically all traditional brick kilns within the province have been eliminated.

To date, Bắc Giang Province has approved environmental impact assessment reports, proposed environmental permit issuance, and environmental protection plans for over 40 projects related to waste treatment.

Currently, there are 64 active facilities for treating household waste in the province, including three sites for landfilling household waste. Some major waste treatment areas in the province include the centralised waste treatment site in Nham Biền Town, operational since October 2021, serving 14 communes and towns.

The comprehensive household waste treatment plant (non-landfill) using the TTD-01 technology in Dọc Tranh area, Cai Lé Hamlet, Kiên Thành Commune, Lục Ngạn District, has been operating since July 2022, processing approximately 50-60 tonnes per day. Additionally, there is an industrial hazardous waste treatment plant in Nham Biền Town, Yên Dung District, with a capacity of 142,000 tonnes per year. — VNS