Vietnam to Release National Standard on Ozone Depleting Substances

On April 3, 2023, Vietnam notified WTO of a draft national standard—Technical Regulation on Collection, Transport, Storage, Recycling, Reuse and Disposal of Controlled Substances (hereinafter referred to as the Draft). Comments are welcome 60 days from notification.

Earlier on January 9, 2023, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MONRE) opened up a 60-day public consultation on the Draft to solicit opinions.   

As per the Draft, the controlled substances refer to ozone-depleting substances and contributors to the greenhouse effect under the Montreal Protocol for use in refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. The list of controlled ozone-depleting substances is specified in Circular No. 01/2022/TT-BTNMT Detailing the Implementation of the Law on Environmental Protection as follows: 

• Bromomethane (CH₃Br)

• Chlorodifluoromethane (CHF₂Cl)

• Dichlorotrifluoroethanes (C₂HF₃Cl₂)

• Dichlorofluoroethanes (C₂H₃FCl₂)

• 1-Chloro-1,1- difluoroethane (CH₃CF₂Cl)

• Dichloropentafluoropropanes (C₃HF₅Cl₂)

• 1,1-Dichloro-2,2,3,3,3- pentafluoropro pane (CF₃CF₂CHCI₂)

• 1.3- Dichloro-1.2.2.3.3- pentafluoropro pane (CF₂ClCF₂CHClF) 

The Draft stipulates technical requirements for the collection, transportation, storage, recycling, and disposal of controlled substances. In particular, specialized equipment (e.g., recovery machine, vacuum pump, pressure gauge) used for the collection and transport of controlled substances must meet certain technical specifications. The container used for storage need to be correctly labeled in accordance with TCVN 6104: 2015 and properly placed in a suitable condition. After collection, the controlled substances need to be evaluated for quality to determine if they can be reused or need to be recycled or disposed of. 

To fully comply with the technical regulations, organizations and individuals are required to periodically check and maintain the condition of specialized equipment and containers of controlled substances. Additionally, they must keep records documenting the monitoring and management of controlled substances.

The proposed date for adoption is October 30, 2023 and it is expected to take effect on December 15, 2023.