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How do businesses comply with environmental protection laws?

In the current context, compliance with environmental protection laws is not only an obligation but also a responsibility of every business. This not only helps protect the living environment but also contributes to the sustainable development of the business. Businesses need to understand and strictly implement relevant laws to ensure that business activities do not harm the environment, while building a positive image in the eyes of the community and customers.

NThe government promulgates environmental protection laws along with accompanying regulations and procedures to protect and improve the environment to avoid negative impacts and consequences that may occur in the future, leaving a clean environment for future generations to exist and develop. The most practical purpose that each of us needs to be aware of is to protect our current life and health. The environment is the common home of humans and other creatures. We work at least 8 hours a day, which means that at least 1/3 of our day we live in the working environment and our health depends entirely on the environmental conditions here. That is the reason why every business must strictly comply with environmental protection regulations to protect its own life and health and not affect the lives of those around it.

So what basic environmental procedures does a business need to complete?

1. When starting a business:

Conduct environmental impact assessment (EIA) for projects of a scale corresponding to Appendix 2 of Decree 18/2015/ND-CP dated February 14, 2015 of the Government to assess the negative impacts that the project may cause to the regional environment and propose mitigation measures.
For projects not included in Appendix 2 of Decree 18/2015/ND-CP, enterprises do not conduct EIA but must prepare an Environmental Protection Plan (EPP).
Register the waste source owner book for enterprises that generate hazardous waste according to Circular 36/2015/TT-BTNMT dated June 30, 2015; Decree 38/2015/ND-CP dated April 24, 2015; QCVN 07:2009/BTNMT.
Enterprises must build wastewater, solid waste, and exhaust gas treatment systems so that when discharged into the environment, they meet the permitted environmental standards.

2. When the business has come into operation:

If the enterprise has not yet established an EIA or an environmental protection plan, it must establish a detailed Environmental Protection Project (for enterprises of the corresponding scale that must establish an EIA) or establish a simple Environmental Protection Project for the remaining enterprises.
Enterprises must ensure that during their operations, they comply with the commitments made in the environmental records (EIA, environmental protection plan, environmental protection project) for the purpose of protecting the environment and prepare periodic environmental monitoring reports twice a year, submitted before June 15 and December 15 each period, in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Environmental Protection No. 55/2014/QH13 dated June 23, 2014; Decree No. 18/2015/ND-CP dated February 14, 2015.
Prepare a Groundwater Exploitation Project if the unit has a need to exploit groundwater according to the Law on Water Resources No. 17/2012/QH13 dated July 2, 2012; Law on Environmental Protection No. 55/2014/QH13 dated June 23, 2014; Decree No. 201/2013/ND-CP dated November 27, 2013 of the Government detailing the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Water Resources; Circular No. 27/2014/TT-BTNMT dated May 30, 2014 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Apply for a license to discharge wastewater into water sources for facilities located outside industrial parks with wastewater flow greater than 5m3/day and night, based on the Law on Water Resources No. 17/2012/QH13 dated June 21, 2012 and Decree No. 201/2013/ND-CP dated November 27, 2013.

Units that do not comply with environmental laws will be fined or have their operations suspended according to Decree 179/2013/ND-CP dated November 14, 2013 of the Government.

Any law is aimed at the ultimate goal of best protecting human life. Businesses need to comply with the law to protect their own lives and the interests of their future generations.