Perspective of eco-industrial cluster formation: a case study of the bamboo industry in Quan Hoa District, Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam | |
| Author | Phan Thi Lien Huong |
| Call Number | AIT RSPR no.EV-11-06 |
| Subject(s) | Industrial ecology--Vietnam--Thanh Hoa Bamboo--Vietnam--Thanh Hoa |
| Note | A research study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Professional) in Environmental Engineering and Management, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Bamboo sector in Vietnam is at its initial stage of industrial development. At the district level, Quan Hoa mountainous district of Thanh Hoa province has the most abundant resource of Luong bamboo plantation with over 24,000 hectare and dynamic bamboo preprocessing activities of 25 small medium enterprises in the north of Vietnam. Bamboo sales and derived employment have been an important livelihood for the majority of ethnic minority groups there. However the poverty rate is fairly high at 53% and bamboo has been expected to play a more significant role in the poverty reduction efforts for local communities. One of the reasons to explain the current modest performance is the simple low-value production with low raw material utilization rate. In a common aim to improve the economic efficiency and environmental protection of the young emerging bamboo industry, the study took an approach of Eco-Industrial Cluster in Quan Hoa district as a representative of Vietnamese bamboo industry. The study focused on the material flow and environmental performance of bamboo Small and Medium Enterprises in the district. A rough mass balance of the raw material was basically created basing upon the secondary data to identify the current fate of residues or waste from the processing activities. It indicated that up to 5,490 tonnes of bamboo which is equivalent to 68% of the monthly inputs are discharged as residues or waste; among that 3,290 tonnes were used for local pulp and paper production while 1,200 tonnes were sold out for the same production. The smaller amount of 700 tonnes of waste were simply firewood and 300 tonnes of sawdust were freely disposed. The feasibility of a greater diversity of products made from bamboo waste, especially charcoal and sawdust pellet was reviewed in the context that the proportion of residues is high and have common characteristics. Influential factors including economic benefit, technology needs and suppo1t policies to greening the existing small cluster were also discussed. The analysis showed both the favourable conditions and more especially the constraints to transform the current bamboo industry into an ecological one. It predicted that this would take many steps along with the financial accumulation, the market expansion, the technology transfer and adaptation as well as the policy facilitation. In contribution to the concept of Eco-industrial cluster formation, the bamboo example proposed that we need a healthy strong industry and market of the main products in place before investing more in the supplementary industries. |
| Year | 2011 |
| Type | Research Study Project Report (RSPR) |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Environmental Engineering and Management (EV) |
| Chairperson(s) | Visvanathan, C.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Shipin, Oleg ;Nguyen Thi Kim Oanh |
| Degree | Research Studies Project Report (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2011 |