Lao Cai Province has focused on promoting cleaner production industry in recent years

As a province rich in mineral resources, Lao Cai has promoted the development of key industries, such as mining and mineral ore, colored metal, chemical and steel extraction. It cannot be denied the contribution of these industry groups to the local GDP. However, these groups also cause pollution and use more natural resources and raw materials. Therefore, over the years, Lao Cai has focused on promoting cleaner production activities in industry.

The strategy of cleaner production in industry to 2020 has been approved by the Prime Minister in Decision 1419 dated September 07, 2009. The specific objective of this strategy is that 90 percent of industrial production facilities can realize the benefits of applying cleaner production in industry, and nearly 40 percent of industrial and small- scale industrial production facilities can apply cleaner production. However, with over 3,000 industrial and small-scale industrial production facilities in Lao Cai, only a few companies apply cleaner production methods, and only a small number are fully aware of the issue. To achieve the strategic goals to 2020, 2,000 facilities in Lao Cai must start to apply cleaner production methods.

Leaders of the Lao Cai Department of Industry and Trade said that the most difficult part of implementing cleaner production activities in the province is that awareness is low. To promote cleaner production in industry, since 2010, the Lao Cai Industry Promotion Center has organized meetings and training courses for over 100 participants, including government officials and managers of industrial facilities and small-scale industrial facilities in the province.

Due to the effectiveness of these programs, two training courses for 96 students were held last year, and subsequently, the effectiveness of cleaner production has significantly improved as well. According to the Department of Science and Technology under the Ministry of Industry and Trade's deputy director general, Nguyen Huy Hoan, in many localities with high industrial development, awareness of cleaner production among enterprises has increased, such as Thai Nguyen, Ben Tre, Nghe An, An Giang, Can Tho, Phu Tho and Lao Cai, with more than 50 percent of enterprises now aware of the problem in the fields of textiles, agricultural products, mining and mineral ore, cement-tiles-ceramic, seafood, and other foods. This is a remarkable result because increased awareness is a prerequisite for the success of any cleaner production project.

To further improve the efficiency of cleaner production in the province in 2012, in addition to continuing to raise people's awareness, the province will hold training courses and visit enterprises that have successfully applied cleaner production methods, while producing documentaries and articles. Lao Cai will build three cleaner production performance models for the key sectors of mineral processing, agricultural products and printing. In addition, five production facilities will receive financial support to evaluate the potential of cleaner production application in their facilities.

After two years of deployment in Lao Cai, these achievements in raising awareness among enterprises are undeniable. It is an important step for the application of cleaner production solutions in the future./.