The Law on Environmental Protection was passed by the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on 17th November, 2020, and takes effect from 1st January, 2022. Please read details and download HERE!

                                                              Photo’s source: Internet

Accordingly, in the field of wastewater treatment, the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 has new points as follows:

Firstly, the Law abolished the issuance of permits to discharge wastewater into water sources and discharge wastewater into irrigation works.

Additional law on responsibility, authority to participate in and state management in environmental protection.

For example, in case an investment project involves discharge of wastewater into an irrigation work, the appraisal council must have a representative of the state agency in charge of that irrigation project; the appraising agency must obtain written opinions in order to reach consensus before approving the appraisal results… (point d, clause 3, Article 34 of this Law);

Provincial People’s Committee organizes appraisal of environmental impact assessment reports for investment projects in their province. Ministries and sectors are responsible for coordinating with the People’s Committee of the province where the project is located to appraise the environmental impact assessment report for investment projects under their competence to decide on investment policies and approve investment (clause 3, Article 35 of this Law).

Thus, the new Law on Environmental Protection in 2020 stipulates strong decentralization for localities, which is the provincial People’s Committee.

Secondly, the Law promulgates Environmental Criteria to classify investment projects, preliminary assessment of environmental impacts, including groups I, II, III and IV (Clause 3, Clause 4, Clause 5 and Clause 6, Articles 28 to 29 of this Law);

Thirdly, the Law stipulates that the issuance of an environmental license includes 3 groups that generate waste water, dust, and exhaust gas discharged into the environment that must be treated or hazardous waste when operating….

In particular, it is clearly stated that from the effective date of the environmental permit, the decision approving the appraisal results of the environmental impact assessment report, the component environmental permit expires (Clause 6, Article 42 of this Law)./.

                                                                               Reference source from https://sonla.gov.vn