OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS, RECORDS, AND PROCEDURES FOR BUSINESSES

OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS, RECORDS, AND PROCEDURES FOR BUSINESSES

Introduction: To comply with the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 (LEP 2020) and current Decrees and Circulars, manufacturing projects and industrial parks (including new construction, expansion projects, or operating facilities) must strictly implement regulations on environmental documents, procedures, and protection works. Below is a detailed guide to help businesses understand and comply with legal requirements.

1. ENVIRONMENTAL RECORDS & PERMITS (Executed before construction and operation)

Depending on the scale, capacity, and type of business, enterprises must prepare the following documents:

• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA):

  • Timing: Must be approved before Construction.

  • Subjects: Large-capacity projects with a high risk of environmental pollution; Construction and infrastructure business of industrial clusters; Groundwater exploitation (≥ 500m³/day) or surface water exploitation (≥ 50,000m³/day), etc.

• Environmental License:

  • Timing: Must be obtained before Operation. (Must be granted at least 15 days prior to trial operation for new projects, or at least 10 days for expansion/capacity upgrade/technology change projects, and before the expiration of the old license).

  • Subjects: Projects generating domestic wastewater ≥ 10m³/day; generating Hazardous Waste > 100kg/month or > 1,200kg/year...

  • Trial operation of waste treatment works: Enterprises must notify the trial operation plan (10-15 days in advance depending on the project type). After the trial run, it is required to conduct environmental monitoring and prepare a result report.

• Environmental Registration:

  • Timing: Executed before Construction.

  • Subjects: Projects not subject to Environmental Licensing; Projects where wastewater is fully collected into the centralized wastewater treatment system of the Industrial Park, etc.

2. MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WORKS

During operation, businesses must ensure the proper operation of environmental protection works:

• Waste Management:

  • Includes: Domestic Solid Waste, Ordinary Industrial Solid Waste, and Hazardous Waste.

  • Requirements: Must have standard collection and storage areas, and sign collection/treatment contracts with licensed functional units.

• Wastewater & Exhaust Gas Management:

  • Must have appropriate wastewater and exhaust gas treatment systems.

  • Requirements: Operate regularly to ensure treatment quality meets standards and conduct periodic monitoring as prescribed.

• Water Supply Management (Groundwater):

  • Facilities extracting groundwater > 10m³/day must have a License for exploitation and use of groundwater.

3. PERIODIC REPORTING

To keep the authorities informed of operational status, businesses must submit the following periodic reports:

• Report on environmental protection works.

• Report on wastewater discharge situation (applicable if the old discharge permit is still valid).

• Report on groundwater exploitation and use activities (if applicable).

(Note: The above procedures are based on the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 and guiding, amending, supplementing, or replacing documents).