Integrated environmental assessment and pollution prevention in Vietnam: the case of anthracite production Loi Dinh Chinh a,b , Shabbir H. Gheewala a, * , Se ´bastien Bonnet a a The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Pracha-Uthit Road, Bangmod, Tungkru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand b Mine Environment Department, Institute of Mining Science and Technology, No. 3 Phan Dinh Giot Street, Hanoi, Vietnam Received 22 March 2005; accepted 27 March 2006 Available online 15 May 2006 Abstract Using the concept of life cycle analysis, the whole life cycle of anthracite production in Vietnam was assessed and the environmental ‘‘hot-spots’’ were identified. These include (i) dust pollution at coal transfer points or piles in storage; (ii) noise pollution resulting from the usage of heavy equipment, and (iii) high volume of acid and turbid mine water discharged into the environment. Pollution prevention and treatment options were identified and discussed in this study which consists of wet treatment of dust, planning, collection and treatment of mine water, planting of trees for dust and noise reduction as well as minimization of erosion. Some recommendations are made for pollution abatement from coal production and improvement of anthracite production in the region. Ó 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Anthracite production; Integrated environmental assessment; Life cycle analysis; Pollution prevention; Vietnam 1. Introduction Coal has played a key role and maintained a large share as the primary energy source in the 20th century. Even though the percentage contribution of coal decreased from 55% in 1900 to 22% in 1997, the amount of coal consumption increased from 501 TOE in 1900 to 2122 TOE in 1997 or 424% of the world’s 1900 levels. The known world recoverable coal re- serves in 1999 were 1087.19 billion tonnes or 215 times the world consumption level in 1998. Thus, coal holds great potential as a future source of energy [1]. Vietnam has a high coal potential which has been exploited for over 120 years. Anthracite, brown coal and fat coal are the types most abundantly available. The proven reserves in 1998 were 3.6 billion tonnes. Table 1 summarizes information re- garding coal reserves in Vietnam. In Vietnam, coal extraction concentrates mainly on anthra- cite, a large portion of which is found in the Quang Ninh prov- ince, accounting for 89% of the total amount. By 2020, the quantity that can be mobilized for extraction is projected to be about 1 billion tonne (economic coal capacity). It is antic- ipated that the coal output could reach 20 million tonnes per year and coal exploitation would last for over 50 years taking economical, technical and environmental parameters into con- sideration [3]. At present, coal extraction in Vietnam amounts to 14 mil- lion tonnes and the coal sector plans to boost its capacity to 15e17 million tonnes per year by 2010 and more than 20 mil- lion tonnes per year by 2020 [4]. This increased capacity aims to supply many sectors and industries including steel and ce- ment industries, pulp and paper manufacturers and power plants (Table 2). The total domestic coal consumption amounts to 5.8 million tonnes, 33% of which were used for electricity production and 52% for other industrial usage [5]. The coal sector plays a very important role in terms of en- ergy security. It also provides jobs to 8500 workers. Recently * Corresponding author. Fax: þ66 2 872 9805. E-mail address: shabbir_g@jgsee.kmutt.ac.th (S.H. Gheewala). 0959-6526/$ - see front matter Ó 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.03.006