Development of the criteria system for assessment of conversion process from existing industrial park into eco-industrial park in Vietnam

Abstract

Eco-industrial park’s models have been studied and successfully applied in many countries around the world. However, it is very difficult to build a set of appropriated criteria for evaluation and classification of eco-industrial park. The study involved converting existing industrial parks into eco-industrial parks have not been studied in the world. In Vietnam, the model of eco-industrial parks has also been studied for about 20 years. However, the majority of this research focuses on general theoretical issues and development of the criteria which are difficultly applied in actual condition of Vietnam.This research has developed a system of criteria for converting existing industrial parks in Vietnam into ecoindustrial parks on the basis of establishment of the mandatory criteria system (including 4 groups with 23 criteria) and incentive ones (including 4 groups with 17 criteria), which are appropriated in the actual conditions of Vietnam. This research has also proposed 5 levels for evaluation and classification of ecoindustrial parks ranking from low mark to high one. With this new approach, an existing industrial park can be gradually converted to eco-industrial park of low level (i.e. level 1) to higher ones (i.e. levels 2, 3, 4), finnaly to achieve the eco-industrial park of the highest level (i.e.level 5).