Greening production of chemical-related products

Chemicals serve as essential raw materials for most industrial manufacturing sectors, giving rise to a wide range of products and playing an increasingly important role in the industrial and economic development of each country.

Production activities at Eco Polymers Co., Ltd. in Ho Nai Industrial Park. Photo: Vuong The

Greening production and business activities to meet increasingly stringent global standards and achieve sustainable development is a goal that Vietnam is pursuing, including in chemical-related sectors. The application of science and technology is one of the key solutions helping Vietnam promote green development in the chemical industry, in line with global trends.

Legalizing requirements for green development

Chemicals play a vital role in the chemical industry in particular and in industry as a whole. However, chemical-related activities also involve significant risks, with potential incidents occurring during production, trading, use, storage, and transportation. Therefore, understanding legal regulations related to chemicals, along with possessing the skills to prevent and handle incidents, requires proactive responsibility from enterprises, agencies, and organizations.

The 2025 Law on Chemicals, which will take effect on January 1, 2026, aims to establish concrete criteria for green development in the sector in line with Vietnam’s development orientation.

Accordingly, the 2025 Law on Chemicals requires investors in chemical projects to select and apply technologies that meet environmental safety standards, ensure efficient use of resources, minimize the use of hazardous chemicals, and reduce chemical waste. The law also mandates the application of a set of principles in the design and selection of technologies, equipment, production processes, as well as the use and disposal of chemicals, to minimize or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances, in line with the principles of green chemistry.

In addition, organizations and individuals engaged in chemical activities are required to handle waste, packaging, and discarded chemical equipment and materials arising from chemical operations in accordance with the 2025 Law on Chemicals, as well as regulations on environmental protection, occupational safety, and other relevant laws.

Dong Nai ranks as the locality with the fourth-largest economic scale nationwide, home to a large number of enterprises engaged in production and business activities. Both corporate operations and daily life involve numerous processes that utilize various types of chemicals. In November 2025, the Department of Industry and Trade, in coordination with the  Vietnam Chemicals Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, organized a conference to disseminate legal documents on chemicals in the industrial sector to 300 enterprises across the province.

According to Vuong Thanh Chung, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Chemicals Agency, the 2025 Law on Chemicals serves as a foundation for promoting green transition, circular economy practices, and digital transformation within the sector, while also enhancing the effectiveness of state management in alignment with international standards and the demands of green, modern industrial development.

Adopting advanced technologies, utilizing resources efficiently, reducing the use of hazardous chemicals, minimizing waste, designing production in line with green chemistry principles, and implementing digital transformation are inevitable trends for the sustainable development of the chemical industry and related manufacturing sectors.

Enterprises step up efforts to green production

For enterprises, efforts to green production and business operations have become inevitable, including stages and products that are related to or derived from chemicals.

Eco Polymers Co., Ltd., located in Ho Nai Industrial Park and specializing in the production of polymers and foam materials, has emerged as a notable example in efforts to reduce environmental emissions. According to Duong Quang Tien, Director of Sales and Market Development at the company, previous production operations resulted in material losses and generated large volumes of waste that were discharged into the environment.

To optimize production and reduce costs, the company researched and implemented a system to recycle post-production by-products. It also replaced petroleum-based inputs with materials derived from castor oil and recycled by-products in accordance with the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), turning waste into new input materials. The enterprise further optimized foaming reactions and applied chemical simulation to improve product quality, while enhancing the efficiency of both chemical and electrical energy use, helping reduce consumption by 12–18 percent. Thanks to its bold adoption of technological transformation, the company obtained GRS certification in 2023, having met a series of stringent criteria, particularly in compliance with regulations regarding the use of chemicals.

Similarly, Maxim Asia Joint Stock Company (Ho Nai 3 Industrial Cluster), specializing in the production of water-based paints, focuses on a customer-oriented approach. The enterprise continuously invests in machinery, equipment, and advanced production technologies to deliver high-quality paint products to its customers.

According to Hoang Sang Tao, Director of Maxim Asia Joint Stock Company, the enterprise is striving to invest in modern production technologies while strictly complying with environmental safety requirements. The company is researching the production of highly durable paints that also ensure aesthetic quality, meeting diverse customer needs. Maxim Asia’s goal is to expand into regional markets and reach global markets, making advanced technology and high standards a top priority.

Another enterprise, An Phu Chemicals Production Trading and Environment Joint Stock Company (located in Ho Nai Industrial Park), has recently begun construction of a chemical production and formulation plant with a designed capacity of 240,000 tons per year. The plant aims to serve the needs of domestic enterprises, foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises, and target export markets.

Nguyen Huu Bay, General Director of the company, shared that the enterprise will adopt automated production technology, employ a workforce with specialized training, prioritize the use of domestic raw materials, and gradually shift toward recycled inputs, contributing to environmental protection.

By Vuong The - Translated by Huyen Trang, Minho