Nghị định 25/2026/NĐ-CP creates significant leverage for the chemical industry, requiring financial support mechanisms and technical classification standards to achieve emission reduction targets.

Reducing Pollution Directly at Source

Entering its third decade of evolution, green chemistry is no longer confined to academic theory but has become the "golden key" reshaping global industry, with market scale reaching USD 98.5 billion (in 2020) and projected to grow exponentially.

Green chemistry has been widely recognized for minimizing chemical waste released into the environment and pioneering new research disciplines such as: green solvents, bio-based conversions and materials, alternative energy sources, molecular self-assembly, next-generation catalytic design, and molecular design engineered to minimize hazard risks.

To gain deeper insights into this domain, Industry and Trade Newspaper reporters conducted an interview with Dr. Nguyen Xuan Sinh, Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Chemical Association and Vice Chairman of the Responsible Care Council of Vietnam Chemical Enterprises.

Dr. Nguyen Xuan Sinh, Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Chemical Association, Vice Chairman of the Responsible Care Council of Vietnam Chemical Enterprises. Photo: NVCC

- Sir, what are the fundamental differences between green chemistry and traditional chemical concepts?

Dr. Nguyen Xuan Sinh: Green chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that minimize or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances, maximizing renewable and sustainable raw materials. Thus, green chemistry can also be regarded as sustainable chemistry. Several industry reports have projected that green chemistry represents the future of all chemical industries.

Green chemistry criteria prioritize reducing pollution at source by minimizing or eliminating hazards from chemical feedstocks, reagents, solvents, and final products. This is fundamentally different from cleaning up pollution (also termed remediation), which entails treating waste streams (end-of-pipe treatment) or cleaning environmental spills and releases. Remediation may involve separating toxic chemicals from other materials, then treating them to eliminate hazards or sequestering them for safe disposal. Most remediation activities do not involve green chemistry. Remediation removes hazardous substances from the environment; on the other hand, green chemistry keeps hazardous substances from being emitted into the environment from the very outset.

If a technology reduces or eliminates toxic chemicals used to clean environmental contaminants, that technology qualifies as green chemistry technology. For example, replacing a hazardous chemical adsorbent used to capture mercury from air for safe disposal with an effective, harmless adsorbent. Utilizing non-hazardous adsorbents means hazardous adsorbents are never produced, and therefore, such remediation technology satisfies green chemistry criteria.

- In your view, what barriers are currently hindering enterprises from transitioning to green chemistry models?

Dr. Nguyen Xuan Sinh: Enterprises in the chemical industry are facing major challenges regarding high initial capital investments, technology costs, and green product costs that remain considerably higher than conventional products. Therefore, enterprises with constrained financial resources cannot readily keep pace with these mandatory requirements and require transitional time.

A primary challenge confronting enterprises is the lack of investment capital for green chemistry projects, even for large-scale chemical corporations. Transitioning production technology toward environmentally friendly solutions and alternative raw materials cannot be achieved overnight, while environmental regulations and greenhouse gas emission standards enacted by regions like the EU and Japan pose significant barriers for export compliance.

State regulatory agencies have not yet formulated and promulgated technical classification standards for green chemicals, creating difficulties for chemical companies in benchmarking their compliance against green chemistry criteria. For example, several chemical manufacturing projects such as green hydrogen are being deployed in Tra Vinh and Ben Tre, yet national technical regulations related to green hydrogen products and green hydrogen storage standards have not been finalized or issued…

Policy Solutions to Embed Green Chemistry into Manufacturing Reality

- In Decree 25/2026/ND-CP with 12 green chemistry principles, how will codifying these criteria into law create a breakthrough for existing chemical plants and facilities?

Dr. Nguyen Xuan Sinh: First and foremost, it must be acknowledged that Chemical Law No. 69/2025/QH15 established a framework under Article 5, Chapter II regarding the development of the chemical industry. Accordingly, chemical project developers are obligated to apply the set of principles in design, technology selection, equipment, manufacturing processes, usage, and disposal of chemicals to minimize or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous chemicals (hereinafter referred to as green chemistry principles). Simultaneously, project reports must document the application of green chemistry principles.

Green chemistry in industrial production. Illustrative photo

Decree No. 25/2026/ND-CP issued on January 17, 2026 stipulated 12 Green Chemistry principles, comprising 4 mandatory principles and 8 encouraged principles. With these criteria codified into Laws and Decrees, it will undoubtedly deliver a powerful catalyst and positive impacts across chemical plants and enterprises today:

Firstly, legal codification creates standardized, synchronized compliance, mandating adherence across all enterprises regardless of scale, state-owned or private, domestic or foreign-invested.

Decree 25/2026/ND-CP also stipulates evaluating the application of green chemistry principles in engineering design and technology/equipment selection for projects. Consequently, project developers must strictly satisfy these requirements; failure to satisfy them during project appraisal will halt project deployment, directly affecting investment execution.

Practical experience gained from collaborating with numerous operating chemical companies and prospective projects demonstrates the positive efficacy of legalizing green criteria. Shifts in mindset regarding green chemistry have yielded tangible benefits: consumer preference for eco-friendly, health-safe products, and mandatory Chemical Incident Prevention and Response Plans. These enhancements help enterprises build superior brand reputation and access demanding global export markets…

- To ensure Decree 25/2026/ND-CP and green chemistry truly penetrate manufacturing practice, what specific mechanisms and policies should be enacted for enterprises?

Dr. Nguyen Xuan Sinh: As mentioned, green chemistry principles enacted under Chemical Law 69/2025/QH15 and Decree 25/2026/ND-CP bring positive impacts, but also generate substantial compliance pressure, especially for SMEs. Therefore, support policies for businesses adopting green chemistry are essential. I propose several key policy recommendations:

First, completing the legal framework for green chemistry application, wherein chemical regulatory authorities and relevant ministries must promptly develop and issue technical criteria and standards regarding green chemistry.

Second, the Government and relevant ministries should promptly formulate and promulgate preferential policies on technology, finance (investment and taxation), and green credit to accelerate comprehensive enterprise transitions.

Specifically, enterprises with projects revamping technologies and reducing hazardous emissions should access concessional loans and international climate funds.

Third, establishing enterprise support funds, including direct support from national and local industrial extension programs.

Fourth, technical assistance and specialized training: Utilizing international cooperation projects and expert networks to deliver continuous technical training, enhancing awareness and capacity for green chemistry implementation.

Fifth, fostering international cooperation to access and transfer proprietary core technologies, supporting domestic enterprises in connecting with reputable global technology providers…

 

Dr. Nguyen Xuan Sinh: Policies need to be formulated and issued promptly so that

enterprises can orient and develop concrete action plans.

Source: Industry and Trade Newspaper (Báo Công Thương)