The Hanoi Times - An estimated VND124 trillion (US$7.4 billion) is needed to eliminate industrial pollution, a new Industrial Policy and Strategy Institute (IPSI) study shows.

But IPSI director Phan Dang Tuat says such a massive investment could create a beneficial environmental-protection industry.

The research lists 18 economic sectors with the potential to cause serious pollution.

Of these, five key industries need investment of more than VND10 trillion ($595 million) to eliminate pollution.

The oil and petroleum industry would have to spend about VND23.4 trillion ($1.4 billion) to treat waste from exploration and winning of oil and gas.

The seafood industry would have to spend VND16 trillion ($952 million); the steel industry VND12.8 trillion ($762 million); electricity generation, which relies heavily upon coal, VND12.4 trillion ($738 million) ; and mineral and coal mining VND10.8 trillion ($643 million).

The textile and garment, chemicals, paper, health, cement and beverage industries would need VND2 trillion ($119 million) to VND9 trillion ($535.7 million).

Tuat says the economic growth that has accompanied industrialisation together with the exploitation of natural resources has harmed living conditions.

Almost 80 per cent of factories and industrial zones do not have standard waste-treatment systems.

In addition, Viet Nam now hosts a great variety of industries and many use dirty technology and waste natural resources.

Steel is an example.

Viet Nam welcomes investment in steel projects although the industry is a heavy consumer of natural resources, including water, and this both damages the environment and harms workers.

Cement is similar.

Numerous cement factories have opened and these use the natural filter of underground water – limestone.

The IPSI director quotes scientists as forecasting that pollution would be four to five times higher than now within 12 years if action is delayed.

The loss to Gross Domestic Product would be 1 per cent compared with the prevailing 0.3 per cent.

The cost of repairing the damage will be much greater than the cost to protect it.

Governments and industries throughout the word are targeting environment-friendly products to ensure sustainable development, improve their competitiveness and promote their image, he says.

The pressure for industries to become more competitive became heavier and the requirement for environment protection more urgent when Viet Nam joined the World Trade Organisation.

Developing an environment industry is an obvious and long-term strategy that would profit not o­nly enterprises but also the community, he says.

The Industry and Trade Ministry’s Industrial Safety Techniques and Environment Agency deputy director, Nguyen Van Thanh, says o­nly three of Ha Noi’s nine industrial zones have waste-water treatment systems.

The air in the city is filled with toxic substances, he says.

The deputy director warns that without the enactment of immediate measures, rising sea levels, anticipated with climate change, will endanger life.

"Coastal provinces and cities will sink and bridges and ports will become useless," he says.