Green chemistry is the future

Could you explain the meaning of “green chemistry” and its principles of application?

Green chemistry is defined as the design of chemical products and processes to reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. Approaches to green chemistry in the world have been standardized into 12 general principles.

Accordingly, every product and its production stages are designed as environmentally friendly and less toxic. Another aspect of green chemistry is that technology design needs to be optimized in terms of raw materials, fuel, energy, enhanced recycling, reuse, and waste circulation to minimize emissions to the environment.

Thus, the essence of the green chemistry principles is to ensure human health, minimize impacts on the environment and optimize the use of natural resources.

What are the most important principles and which industries need to follow these principles?

In my opinion, the principle of product design and selection of initial technologies is the most important because it affects both the production process and the life cycle of products.

More friendly technologies and less toxic materials need to be chosen to produce environmentally friendly products.

Green chemistry is widely applied in industries for sustainable development

By monitoring the chemical industry and the industries that use a lot of chemicals, I believe that the plating industry needs to change technology to be more environmentally friendly, followed by the textile-dyeing industry, which also uses many hazardous and toxic chemicals. Some other industries like paper and plastic production also need to apply green chemistry principles.

In the field of paints for construction, many businesses have replaced solvents and removed lead to minimize adverse effects on worker and customer health.

The Vietnamese economy is increasingly open, and local enterprises need to follow international rules when joining the global supply chains. Despite challenges, green chemistry is expected to bring more opportunities for domestic businesses.

The MoIT is planning to amend the Law on Chemicals. In your opinion, how should green chemistry be integrated in the revised law?

In the near future, the MoIT will study and submit to the government and the National Assembly the revised Law on Chemicals 2007, in which green chemistry norms and criteria will be regulated according to a certain roadmap in line with the country’s socioeconomic development and with the development of the chemical industry.

In the draft revised Law on Chemicals, we plan to include current regulations like updating hazardous properties of chemicals during the production process and reporting new properties to relevant agencies for stricter management. We will also add sanctions and other tools of the state to implement green chemistry application.

The revised Law on Chemicals is expected to be approved by the National Assembly by the end of 2024, ensuring future development of the chemical industry in an environmentally friendly orientation.