Construction on the VND3.5 trillion ($137.2 million) Vietstar waste-to-energy plant, with processing capacity of 2,000 tons of waste per day, commenced on Wednesday in Ho Chi Minh City.
The construction marks a significant step in the city’s efforts to modernize waste treatment technologies.
The project, located in the Northwest Waste Treatment Complex in Cu Chi district, is being developed by VietStar JSC. The project will integrate technology for compost sorting and waste incineration to generate electricity. It is expected to be completed within 17 months, processing 2,000 tons of solid waste daily.
Nguyen Toan Thang, director of the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment, stated: “This is not just a waste management solution; it’s an important step forward in developing renewable energy and a circular economy.”
Thang said once operational, the Vietstar plant will handle 45-50% of the city’s total household waste using modern technology. In addition to reducing pollution, the project will also generate energy for production and daily use.
Illustration of the Vietstar waste treatment plant in Cu Chi district, Ho Chi Minh City, southern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Vietstar.
The Vietstar plant received in-principle approval from the HCMC administration over five years ago, alongside another waste incineration project in Cu Chi, invested by Tam Sinh Nghia Investment Development JSC.
However, due to procedural delays, construction has only now begun. Meanwhile, construction on the Tam Sinh Nghia plant commenced in July 2024.
According to Thang, the development of waste-to-energy plants is a key part of HCMC’s broader environmental strategy. This includes transitioning all waste treatment technologies to incineration for electricity generation by 2030, recycling organic waste into fertilizers and biofuels, and controlling water and air pollution.
Bui Xuan Cuong, Vice Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee, highlighted that one of the city’s major challenges is environmental pollution, particularly as the area generates approximately 10,000 tons of domestic waste each day.
He emphasized that the city is working urgently to shift from traditional waste treatment to modern technologies that treat waste as a resource. The Vietstar waste-to-energy plant is a crucial part of this transition.
Currently, most domestic solid waste in HCMC is disposed of in landfills, which risks polluting nearby residential areas. The rest is treated through incineration, fertilizer production, and recycling. According to the city’s goals, waste-to-energy technology will handle 100% of domestic waste by 2030.
Vietnam’s central coastal province of Ninh Thuan aims to complete the site clearance for Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant in 2025.
Ninh Thuan Chairman Tran Quoc Nam made the statement during an on-site visit to the designated project site on Wednesday. The “whole political system” must join hands to make the move, including relocation and livelihoods for citizens, he added.
Ninh Thuan Chairman Tran Quoc Nam (second, left) visits the designated site for Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant on March 5, 2025. Photo courtetsy of Ninh Thuan TV.
The new residential areas for citizens to be relocated must be better than the previous ones, Nam stressed.
In 2005, Vietnam’s Party Central Committee greenlighted a plan to build two nuclear power plants in the south-central province of Ninh Thuan. Four years later, the National Assembly, the country’s legislature, okayed the plan with an initial investment of VND200 trillion ($7.9 billion at the current forex rate).
In November 2016, the parliament decided to halt the 4,000 MW project, citing safety, funding and technology reasons. In November 2024, it agreed to resume the nuclear power project in Ninh Thuan after an eight-year suspension.
In February 2025, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has assigned state-owned groups Vietnam Electricity (EVN) and Petrovietnam (PVN) to be investors of Ninh Thuan 1 and 2 nuclear power plants, respectively.
The PM also requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to coordinate with relevant agencies to get nuclear power plants built towards completion by end-2030, or end-2031 at the latest.
27 leading food and beverage companies from Vietnam participated in the Foodex Japan exhibition at the Tokyo Big Sight in Japan, held March 13-14.
Foodex Japan 2025 saw the participation of companies from 68 countries and territories, with over 3,100 booths covering a total exhibition area of nearly 30,000 square metres.
As part of the National Trade Promotion Programme, the Agricultural Trade Promotion Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has selected 27 of the top companies in the agricultural sector to participate in showcasing their flagship products.
The Vietnamese booth covered an area of 210 sq.m, featuring popular products with export potential that offer competition in the Japanese market such as vegetables, processed and canned fruits, cashew nuts, pepper, cinnamon, dipping sauces, rice and rice products, dairy products, and confectionery of all kinds such as cocoa and chocolate.
Nguyen Thi Yen, deputy director of the Agricultural Trade Promotion Centre, explained that companies participating in Foodex Japan are those that have already established a certain presence in the Japanese market.
“Through Foodex Japan, Vietnamese firms have the opportunity to penetrate and explore the Japanese market, thereby increasing exports of agricultural, food, and seafood products to this market,” said Yen.
The Asia Ingredients Group (AIG) introduced typical products from Vietnam at the event, such as concentrated juices, purées, canned coconut water, and dried fruits. These products are researched and produced by AIG from high-quality agricultural sources grown in renowned regions of Vietnam.
“The AIG booth has attracted the interest of partners and customers from Japan, and many other countries. This is an opportunity for us to bring our products into the supermarket system, retail chains, and food industry in Japan. Meeting the strict standards of Japan will strengthen AIG’s reputation, laying a solid foundation for international market expansion plans and contributing to enhancing the position of Vietnam’s food ingredient industry,” an AIG representative said.
In the Japanese market, AIG has a strategic partnership with Marubeni – a top Japanese trading and industrial group with a supply network in many countries around the world.
The Japanese market, with its immense consumption and crucial role in regional free trade agreements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, will help AIG connect supply and demand with potential markets in the region and around the world.
AIG has supplied food ingredients to the top brands in Vietnam for the past 23 years and has been researching and developing product systems for the global market.
With a network of over 300 international partners, AIG currently supplies and distributes more than 1,500 types of ingredients and product systems to over 40 countries and territories across five continents. AIG has established its presence in challenging markets such as the US, Europe, Australia, South Korea, China, and Malaysia.
Foodex Japan 2025 is a large-scale food and beverage trade event in Asia with the participation of over 3,000 reputable brands from 68 countries and territories, along with more than 76,000 visitors.
Hung Yen Province’s index of industrial production in the first nine months of 2024 rose by 10.59% over the same period last year, according to the provincial statistics office.
Specifically, the manufacturing sector grew by 10.10%, electricity generation and distribution increased by 11.96%, while water supply and waste treatment surged by 26.46%.
Strong output growth was seen in several industries, such as clothes, iron and steel, multifunctional engines, washing machines, air conditioners, motorbikes and bicycles.
Hung Yen is home to 584 foreign-invested projects with over 7.6 billion USD in pledges.
Major foreign investors are Japan (3.8 billion USD in 176 projects), China (1.2 billion USD in 155 projects), and the Republic of Korea (928 million USD in 155 projects).
Budget revenue in Hung Yen Province was estimated at over 30 trillion VND (1.2 billion USD) in the first three quarters, up 26.78% year on year and equivalent to 93.16% of the full-year target.
Domestic revenue was estimated at 27 trillion VND, while revenue from export and import activities was 3.28 trillion VND.
