1. What is an environmental permit?

Environmental license is a legal document issued by a competent state management agency allowing organizations or individuals with production, business and service activities to discharge waste into the environment and manage waste. , and importing scrap from abroad to use as raw materials for production, while complying with the requirements and conditions on environmental protection as prescribed by law (according to Clause 8, Article 3 of the Law on Environmental Protection year 2020).

Basically, the environmental license includes a number of specific contents to ensure legality and enhance environmental management. This is stipulated in Clause 1, Article 40 of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020.

First, the environmental permit needs to contain basic and important information related to the project, to create a basis for evaluating issues related to environmental protection. Specifically, it includes general information about the project as required.

Second, the environmental permit must include different specific contents, to ensure legality and effective management.

Determining the best wastewater discharge location to avoid environmental pollution and ensure safety for the community and living environment is extremely important. To do this, it is necessary to carry out the following tasks:

• Determine the source of wastewater generation and maximum wastewater discharge flow: This helps determine the level of wastewater emission and decide on appropriate treatment and discharge measures. At the same time, choosing a wastewater discharge location needs to consider a number of factors, such as the presence or absence of residents and the degree of impact on the living environment.
• Determine the source of emissions and maximum exhaust flow: In addition to determining wastewater, it is necessary to consider and evaluate factors related to emissions. This includes ensuring limits on environmental pollution and treating emissions before being released into the environment, especially in densely populated areas.
• Assess and limit noise and vibration: In densely populated or even lightly populated areas, noise and vibration can affect human health and the surrounding environment, including trees, organisms and living environment. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the noise source and take measures to limit noise and vibration.
• Building a waste treatment system: To ensure compliance with legal regulations and avoid affecting the environment, it is necessary to clearly identify waste and build a waste treatment system before being discharged into the environment.
• Regulations on import of scrap: For investment projects or facilities that import scrap from abroad for use as production materials, it is necessary to determine the type and volume of scrap allowed to be imported. The use of scrap must comply with safety regulations and not pose a danger to the project and the environment.
• Overall, the implementation of the above measures helps ensure legality and strengthen environmental management, while protecting the environment and public health.
• At the same time, strict management of domestic solid waste and industrial solid waste is an important requirement. Special attention should be paid to environmental improvement and restoration, and biodiversity compensation according to the provisions of law. This ensures that construction activities do not harm or negatively impact the environment.
• In addition, there should be other requirements related to environmental protection, if any, to create certainty and prestige in project construction.
• In short, to comply with environmental protection requirements, it is necessary to apply optimal measures to manage and treat waste in the environment, ensuring safety and protecting the living environment. At the same time, it is necessary to have plans to monitor, prevent and respond to environmental incidents, as well as be equipped with practical prevention and response equipment.

2. Fees for appraisal, issuance and re-issuance of environmental permits

• For projects or facilities in Group I (except for projects or facilities that provide hazardous waste treatment services or import scrap as raw production materials that are already in operation), the license fee is 50 million VND for each license.
• For projects or facilities in Group II or projects or facilities located in two or more provincial administrative units or in coastal areas where the administrative management responsibility of the Provincial People's Committee has not yet been determined , the license fee is 45 million VND for each license.

3. Fees for appraisal, issuance and re-issuance of environmental licenses for projects providing hazardous waste treatment services or facilities providing hazardous waste treatment services

• According to current regulations, fees for licensing hazardous waste treatment are adjusted as follows:

• For projects with 4 or more hazardous waste treatment equipment: 60 million VND for each license.
• For facilities with 4 or more hazardous waste treatment equipment: 40 million VND for each license.
• For projects with from 5 to 10 hazardous waste treatment equipment: 65 million VND per license.
• For establishments with from 5 to 10 hazardous waste treatment equipment: 50 million VND per license.
• For projects with 11 or more hazardous waste treatment equipment: 70 million VND per license.
• For facilities with 11 or more hazardous waste treatment equipment: 60 million VND for each license.

The above fees have been adjusted compared to the appraisal fees for new issuance of hazardous waste treatment licenses and the previous re-issuance fees.

4. Fees for appraisal, issuance and re-issuance of environmental licenses for facilities and projects importing scrap

According to the latest regulations, the fee for granting a scrap handling license is adjusted as follows:

• For other scrap treatment projects: 55 million VND per license.
• For other scrap processing facilities: 35 million VND for each license.
• For plastic scrap processing project: 60 million VND per license.
• For plastic scrap processing facilities: 40 million VND per license.
• For paper scrap treatment project: 65 million VND per license.
• For paper scrap processing facilities: 45 million VND per license.
• For iron and steel scrap treatment project: 75 million VND per license.
• For iron and steel scrap processing facilities: 50 million VND per license.

The above fees have been adjusted compared to the appraisal fee for new environmental license issuance and the previous appraisal fee for re-issue of environmental license.

5. Fees for appraisal and issuance of environmental license adjustments

According to Circular 02/2022/TT-BTC, the appraisal fee for issuance, re-issuance and adjustment of environmental permits has been adjusted and takes effect from January 11, 2022. The fee for appraisal and adjustment of environmental permits is 15 million VND for each permit, project, or facility.

Note that the above fees only apply to appraisal procedures for new issuance, re-issuance and adjustment of environmental permits. The fee does not include costs related to the travel of the actual inspection team at the facility and the cost of sampling and analyzing waste samples according to regulations.

Circular 02/2022/TT-BTC has replaced Circular 59/2017/TT-BTC and Circular 62/2017/TT-BTC. This ensures legality and introduces new regulations on appraisal fees for issuance, re-issuance and adjustment of environmental permits.