Developing eco-industrial parks: A case study of Cai Mep industrial park, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province

Abstract

With a contribution to the national GDP of more than 35 % (2022), Vietnam's industry sector focused on eco-industrial parks and industrial symbiosis plays an essential role in promoting a circular economy. This study adopted eco-industrial park criteria to evaluate Cai Mep industrial park in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province. Data for the evaluation was collected from a variety of sources, including interviews with the industrial park’s investor and management board, questionnaire surveys, field surveys, environmental reports, and websites of the industrial park and its enterprises. The findings indicated that infrastructure investments, services, and environmental management were conducted in compliance with Vietnam’s legislative requirements. Cai Mep industrial park and its enterprises satisfy almost entirely (88/100 %) the criteria for eco-industrial parks developed by Tran Thi My Dieu et al., (2012), as well as 7/9 of the criteria for eco-industrial parks established by Decree No.35/2022/ND-CP issued on 28/05/2022. At present, the enterprises have not been able to establish industrial symbiosis while it is a crucial condition for formulating an eco-industrial park. Based on the findings, the study has proposed solutions to optimize infrastructure, services, resources, and environmental management to develop Cai Mep industrial park according to the criteria of eco-industrial parks.