Vietnam eliminates use of ozone-depleting chemicals

Vietnam will completely abolish the use of more than 500 tonnes of HCFC-141b, a chemical that damages the ozone layer, in the production of thermal insulation foam by the end of 2014, an official has said.
Vietnam will completely abolish the use of more than 500 tonnes ofHCFC-141b, a chemical that damages the ozone layer, in the production ofthermal insulation foam by the end of 2014, an official has said.

The move is part of the country’s efforts to reduce the use of HCFCsubstances by 10 percent from January 1, 2015 onwards, Nguyen Van Tue,Director of the Department of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Changeunder the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, said.

The declaration was made at a workshop in Hanoi on October 21 tolaunch a project on the reduction of greenhouse gas and ozone-depletingsubstances (ODS) emissions through technology transfer in industrialrefrigeration.

Between now and 2019, Vietnamplans to cut the use of HCFC substances, mainly HCFC-22, by 900 tonnesfrom 3,600 tonnes at present. The chemical is mainly used inrefrigeration facilities, he added, noting that the country had alreadysuccessfully eliminated the import and use of CFCs, halons and CTCs,which are also ozone-depleting substances, between 1995 and 2010.

As part of the project, Vietnam will choose alternativetechnologies and substances that are considered safe for the ozone layerand the climate system, as set out by the Montreal Protocol on ODS.

To assist the country’s efforts, the United Nations IndustrialDevelopment Organisation (UNIDO) worked with the department to designthe project.

As a party to the Montreal Protocolsince January 1994, Vietnam is obliged to eradicate the use of theODS and is entitled to financial and technological assistance.

UNIDO Representative in Vietnam Patrick Gilabert said that as part ofthe project UNIDO and equipment suppliers will deliver hydrocarbontechnology to businesses that use refrigeration facilities.

The success of the project will act a basis for further actions in the future, he added.-VNA

See more

The northern region of Vietnam is expected to experience cold weather and drizzle during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday. (Illustrative Photo: baochinhphu.vn)

Cold, wet weather expected during Tet holiday

The northern region of Vietnam is expected to experience cold weather and drizzle during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, according to the National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting (NCHMF).

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam urged to embrace alternatives to plastics for sustainable future

A research group from the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) is sounding the alarm on Vietnam's plastic waste crisis and advocating for a transformative shift towards sustainable alternatives.

A coastal area under the nature-based mangrove restoration project in Soc Trang. (Photo: VNA)

Project helps restore mangrove forests through nature-based solutions in Soc Trang

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Soc Trang province, in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Coca-Cola Foundation, organised a conference on January 16 to launch a project on increasing the coastal resilience of the Mekong Delta through mangrove restoration and nature-based solutions in the province.

Experts and representatives from businesses join a talk show at the event (Photo: VNA)

Programme supports businesses in practicing ESG

A programme was launched in Ho Chi Minh City on January 16 to support businesses in Vietnam in measuring and implementing comprehensive ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) practices in human resources management to improve their competitive edge in the global supply chain.

Participants at the launch ceremony (Photo: VNA)

Ca Mau takes stand against illegal wildlife use

A campaign against the illegal use of wildlife was launched by the People's Committee of U Minh district in the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau in collaboration with the Save Vietnam's Wildlife (SVW) on January 14.

Induced seismicity has been continually observed in Kong Plong district since 2021. (Photo: VNA)

4.2 magnitude quake strikes Kon Tum province

A 4.2-magnitude earthquake jolted Kong Plong district in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum on early January 9 morning, according to the Vietnam Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Centre under the Institute of Geophysics.