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ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION IN THE INDUSTRIALIZATION PERIOD IN
VIETNAM – CAUSES AND REMEDIATION MEASURES
Prof. Dr. Sc. Pham Ngoc Dang
President, Vietnam Association for Civil Engineering Environment (VACEE)
ABSTRACT
Vietnam has been starting industrialization, modernization course since 1990s. The main
target is to convert Vietnam into industrialized country by the year of 2020, whereas the
industrial and construction products might contribute more than 50% of the GDP. The
GDP per capita in Vietnam was US$ 350 in 1990 and US$ 1,000 in 2009. It is projected
that GDP will reach US$ 2,000 per capita by the year of 2020 and US$ 3,000 by the year
of 2030.
Industrialization has been resulting in intensive urbanization. Urban population in 1990
was only 19% of the total population, while the ratio has increased up to 29.6% in 2009,
and, is being estimated to be 45% in the year of 2020.
Socio-economic development, intensive industrialization and urbanization are requiring
huge exploitation of natural resources, and, disposing different wastes and pollutants to the
environment, causing natural resources deterioration, pollution of water, air and soil.
The paper presents evolution of pollution status of the water, air and soil environment, as
well as solid waste management in Vietnam over last years. The paper also provides
recommendations for the actions in environmental protection, pollution prevention as well
as environment quality improvement in the coming period of the country.
KEY WORDS
Environmental Pollution, Environmental Protection, Industrialization, Urbanization
* URGENT PROBLEMS IN ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
1. Urgent water pollution
- Surface water sources are being more polluted.
Untreated wastewater from domestic, service and production use are increasing and
directly eliminate to surface water source that make a serious pollution in almost lakes
and rivers in urban areas. Many rivers in urban areas, such as Cau river, Day river, Nhue
river, Thai Binh river, Dong Nai river, Sai Gon river. are polluted with BOD, Ammonia
content 1.2 to 2 time higher than Vietnamese standards. In Northern NMEDA, total
volume of wastewater, which has up to 300 ton/day BOD content, up to 350 ton/day
suspend solid, is 1 million m3/day; in which wastewater from industrial zone is 350,000
m3/day with 20 ton/day BOD content and 200 ton/day suspend solid, and, wastewater
discharge from urban and industrial areas is being estimated to be 2,556,000 m3 in 2020.
- Urban inundation in rainy season

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In Vietnam, urban inundation is seriously in rain season, represent in Ha Noi City (because
of rain water) and Ho Chi Minh City (because of rain water and tidal water). There are 03
main flooding causes can be considered: (1) filling up pounds, lakes and low-land areas for
housing construction that reduces water storage capacity in urban areas; (2) making
concrete almost urban areas for road construction, that also reduces rain water infiltration;
(3) weakness from urban drainage system.
- Over exploitation of water supply resources (surface water and ground water) is among
huge challenges for future
Ratio of population that can be provided tap water is 80-90% in big urban areas, and only
50-70% in small urban areas. While forecast water supply demand in 2020 will be
increased 7 times for industrial use, 5 times for service uses, 2.1 times for domestic uses
than in 2005; quality and quantity of surface and ground water resources are decreasing
that is the huge challenges for future.
- Increase of water pollution in coastal areas
Whole polluted activities affect to environment in estuary and coastal areas. Besides,

Some studies from epidemiology in Ha Noi, Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh city show that
the proportion of people suffering from respiratory diseases, neurological diseases and
cardiovascular diseases in air and noise pollution areas, which are next to industrial areas,
is higher 2-5 times than un-pollution areas.
4. Alarming pollution in trade villages
At present, Vietnam has up to 2200 trade-villages, in which 60% in Red River Delta area
(Ha Noi has 245 trade-villages), 30% in Central area and 30% in South area.
Technology and production facilities in trade-villages are very backward; waste matters
almost do not collected and treated; production places alternate in living areas, so that
environment pollution directly affect to living and health conditions. Some trade-villages
are seriously polluted in water and air environment and waste matters such as: Duong O
paper trade-village (Bac Ninh), Minh Khai recycle plastic trade-village (Hung Yen), Phu
Do rice noodle, Duong Lieu vermicelli trade-village (Ha Noi)…
5.Threatening of natural ecosystem
- Natural forests and nature reserve areas, national parks are compromised
Development of transportation, urban area, industry, service and tourism put high pressure
in protection of natural forests and nature reserve areas, national gardens. For example:
illegal forest exploitation and hunting of wild animals are happening in Tam Dao, Ba Vi,
Cat Ba, Bai Tu national garden.
- Depression of mangroves and coral reefs
Because of urban development, new port/harbor construction and fishery development,
mangroves in Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang
Ngai, Vung Tau and Southern coastal areas are seriously declined.
Corals in Ha Long and Central coastal areas also declined, mainly causing sea water
pollution, especially turbidity and over exploitation.
- Lack of green areas
Standard of green tree area in urban areas in Vietnam is too small, only 2-4 m2/person in
average and only equal to 1/3 minimum green tree area in Vietnamese construction criteria.
* PROPOSAL OF REMEDIATION MEASURES AND IMPROVEMENT METHOD
Protection environment methods are proposed to prevent pollution and improve

cement, metallurgical, chemical industry;
+ Mitigate dust generated from coal exploitation area
- Mitigate air pollution from urban transportation
4. Management planning of waste matters
- Planning of waste matters collection and treatment stations