VietNamNet Bridge – The Director of the Institute for Industrial Policies and Strategies, Phan Dang Tuat, said Vietnam is the destination for the world’s rubbish.

The exploitation of limestone for cement production is taking Vietnam’s godsend filter: said The Director of the Institute for Industrial Policies and Strategies, Phan Dang Tuat.

He said industries, like steel and cement, which are spreading in Vietnam, have been seen as “dirty” industries by developed countries because they discharge a lot of toxic substances into the environment.

Speaking at a press conference introducing the first national exhibition and workshop on friendly environmental technology and products in March 2009 (Vietnam EFProtech 2009), Tuat said many industries that Vietnam is developing, or plans to develop, were considered as toxic industries by many countries, specifically those industries relating to steel and cement.

According to Tuat, the steel industry has low added value. Through this industry, Vietnam does not gain much from technology transfer, while the number of workers employed by a big steel plant is up to 1,000.

“This industry, besides consuming various kinds of valuable natural resources like soil, water, energy, etc., also terribly harms the environment,” Tuat said.

“Along with steel, strongly developing cement production also seriously threatens the natural water resources. The exploitation of limestone for cement production is taking Vietnam’s godsend filter,” he added.

The expert said Vietnam is now at the infancy of the environmental industry as it has just created several industries to curb negative impacts to the environment. New, environmentally-friendly industries are not interested in Vietnam.

According to the Institute for Industrial Policies and Strategies, by 2020 Vietnam needs up to $7.6 billion to protect the environment in the 18 industries that have great impacts on the environment, like seacooking, paper, construction, mechanical engineering, mining, cement and others. Protecting big lakes in Hanoi alone needs hundreds of million USD.

(Source: VNE)