Decision No. 121/2008/QD-TTg Approves the Overall Master Plan for the Development of Construction Materials in Vietnam until 2020

Pursuant to …;

Approve the Master Plan for the Development of Construction Materials in Vietnam until 2020

________________________

PRIME MINISTER

Based on the Government Organization Law dated December 25, 2001.

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Construction,

DECISION:

Article 1. Approve the Master Plan for the Development of Construction Materials in Vietnam until 2020 with the main contents as follows:

1. Development Orientation

a) The development of construction materials must ensure sustainability, contribute to economic development, create social stability, and protect the environment; it must be consistent with other related plans.

b) Develop construction materials based on effectively utilizing strengths in mineral resources, market, and labor, while continuously training to enhance management and production operation capabilities, and applying scientific and technological progress in business operations.

c) Develop construction materials based on selecting reasonable capacity scales, modern, clean technologies that consume little energy and raw materials; products must meet quality standards and have sufficient competitiveness in the international market; gradually eliminate production facilities with outdated technology causing environmental pollution and low economic efficiency.

d) Prioritize meeting domestic construction needs while choosing Vietnamese products with advantages for export, focusing on those produced with high-tech levels.

đ) Diversify investment forms, attract all resources into developing construction material production. Encourage various economic sectors to participate in production and trading of construction materials.

e) Unify the management of investment in the development of construction materials based on approved planning. The construction material planning will be reviewed and adjusted appropriately according to the country's socio-economic development situation at each specific period.

g) Construction materials products must be suitable for climatic conditions, fit Vietnamese living habits, be traditional yet modern, environmentally friendly, and highly competitive in both domestic and international markets.

2. Development Goals

a) Exploit potential in mineral resources, market, technology, and labor to develop the construction materials industry into a strong economic sector, ensuring quantity, quality, and types of basic construction materials to meet domestic needs and for export from 2010.

b) Produce construction materials using advanced technology to create high-quality products with low raw material and energy consumption, protecting the environment and natural scenery towards industrialization, modernization, and sustainability.

c) Enhance management and operational capabilities in the construction materials production industry. The construction materials industry workforce must quickly master production technology.

d) By 2015, Vietnam must be capable of manufacturing large-scale cement production lines with advanced technology, mastering production and service provision for spare parts, especially for cement plants.

3. Orientation for Planning the Development of Construction Materials until 2020

Continue to invest in developing basic materials such as: cement, ceramic tiles, sanitary ceramics, building glass, construction materials, roofing materials, construction stone, construction sand, and decorative finishing materials, while focusing on developing new environmentally friendly materials.

a) Cement:

- Orientation on scale of investment, limestone mining technology for cement production, and environmental protection.

The scale of investment, limestone mining technology, and other raw materials for cement production must comply with the contents in the "Master Plan for Exploration, Mining, Processing, and Utilization of Construction Materials Minerals in Vietnam until 2020," ensuring good protection of the environment and landscape, focusing on several key issues including:

+ Annually, mining facilities must carry out reclamation according to the Environmental Protection Law requirements in mining areas, including: restoring the environment, ecology, and land after each phase or completion of mining activities; treating wastewater before discharge according to environmental standards.

+ Regularly monitor topographical features of currently mined areas and take measures to ensure safe working conditions.

- Orientation for planning the development of cement production.

Developing cement production must be based on the approved Master Plan by the Prime Minister, including:

+ Completing new investment projects and expanding existing cement plant capacities according to approved schedules. Prioritize new investment projects for cement plants in southern provinces with large consumer markets and economically disadvantaged regions, expansion projects, and projects converting from vertical kiln technology to rotary kiln technology.

+ Develop modern, large-scale rotary kiln cement plants with high mechanization and automation, low fuel and raw material consumption, energy savings, and reduced environmental pollution.

+ For existing production facilities, regularly invest in researching and innovating production technology and equipment to improve product quality and labor productivity, reduce production costs, save raw materials and fuels, and regularly check compliance with environmental standards, firmly halting operations for non-compliance.

+ Do not invest in new vertical kiln cement plants or grinding stations without clinker production bases.

+ Diversify cement types to meet domestic market demands and promote exports when necessary.

b) Ceramic Tiles and Sanitary Ceramics:

- Orientation on scale of investment, kaolin and feldspar processing technology for ceramic building materials production, and environmental protection, must comply with the contents in the "Master Plan for Exploration, Mining, Processing, and Utilization of Construction Materials Minerals in Vietnam until 2020," focusing on several key issues including:

+ Concentrate on researching and establishing processing technologies for kaolin, clay, and feldspar suitable for the characteristics and formation origins of minerals.

+ Organize clusters for the exploitation and processing of kaolin and feldspar to produce commercial raw materials, ensuring stable quality;

+ Exploitation and processing facilities must have specific orientations regarding the purpose of use for each type of raw material with different quality requirements.

- Orientation for planning the development of ceramic tile and sanitary ware production.

Orientation for investment, technology, product types, and exports:

+ Existing production facilities need to be deepened in investment, innovate technology to improve product quality, save raw materials and fuel, reduce production costs, and ensure environmental standards during production;

+ Invest in centralized production facilities with large capacity, specialized in producing raw materials to enhance investment efficiency, reduce material and energy costs, increase productivity and product quality;

+ The production capacity of a single ceramic tile manufacturing facility must reach at least 2 million m²/year or more;

+ For new facilities with advanced technology, the following criteria must be met:

* Modern ceramic tile production technology must be capable of producing various types of products with different sizes; able to apply new decoration technologies to create diverse products with economic value; while having the following levels of fuel and energy consumption:

. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) ≤ 0.88 kg/m² product;

. Diesel ≤ 1.07 kg/m² product;

. Electricity ≤ 2.58 kWh/m² product.

For production facilities with suitable conditions, research can be conducted on using coal gas as a substitute but must comply with emission standards to ensure no environmental pollution and product quality.

* Modern sanitary ware production technology must be capable of casting large-sized products with modern usage features, reducing noise, decreasing adhesion, and saving water when used; able to use nanocoating to enhance product surface quality; while having the following levels of fuel and energy consumption:

. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) ≤ 0.275 kg/kg of porcelain;

. Diesel ≤ 0.72 kg/kg of porcelain;

. Electricity ≤ 0.55 kWh/kg of porcelain;

- For production facilities using other fuels as substitutes, they must meet corresponding consumption standards.

+ Product types must be diverse, with many designs, especially high-quality products suitable for Vietnam's climate, domestic consumer preferences, and export markets:

. Export target: from now until 2010 about 20%, 2011-2015 about 25%, and 2016-2020 about 30% of production volume.

c) Construction glass.

- Orientation for scale of investment, extraction, processing technology for white sand for construction glass production and environmental protection: carried out according to the contents stipulated in the "Master Plan for Exploration, Extraction, Processing, and Utilization of Building Materials Minerals in Vietnam until 2020." Specifically, focus on the following key issues:

+ Invest in enrichment technology suitable for different types of sand in each region to ensure product quality meets the requirements of glass production;

+ Prohibit the export of unprocessed white sand.

- Orientation for planning the development of construction glass production.

Orientation for investment, technology, product types, and exports:

+ Must deepen investment and improve the technology of existing construction glass production facilities to ensure product quality, save raw materials and fuel, reduce product costs, and meet environmental standards;

+ Focus on producing large-sized and thick glass products; types of glass with soundproofing, thermal insulation, energy-saving, safety, self-cleaning properties suitable for the hot and humid rainy climate in our country; decorative and artistic glass; various glass blocks...;

+ New investments should follow modern float glass technology with low fuel and energy consumption, enhancing product competitiveness. Consumption levels as follows:

. Fuel oil ≤ 200 kg/ton of product;

. Diesel ≤ 0.5 kg/ton of product;

. Electricity ≤ 100 kWh/ton of product.

Concentrate on researching and developing post-glass technologies to produce special types of glass; diversify products to meet the growing demand and increasing aesthetic requirements of the market.

+ When selecting locations for constructing new production facilities, attention must be paid to the requirements and characteristics of the technology (continuous production) to avoid production disruptions caused by various factors, particularly in areas prone to typhoons and floods;

+ Export target: from now until 2010 about 20%, 2011-2015 about 25%, and 2016-2020 about 30% of production volume.

d) Construction materials: encourage investment in the development and use of non-fired construction materials, minimizing the production of construction materials from agricultural land.

- Fired clay bricks:

+ Deepen investment and improve the production technology of fired clay bricks at all existing production facilities to reduce raw material and fuel consumption and protect the environment;

+ Develop large-sized bricks with high porosity ≥ 50% to save raw materials and fuel, enhance soundproofing and thermal insulation;

+ Review and reorganize current manual brick production facilities to switch to tunnel kiln technology or other advanced technologies that meet Vietnam's environmental quality standards;

+ Develop the production of high-quality fired bricks with economic value, especially non-plastering bricks for domestic construction and export;

+ Encourage the transition from clay to hillside soil, waste soil, and industrial waste (coal seam in coal mining, fly ash...) as raw materials in brick production.

- Non-fired construction materials:

+ Develop the production of non-fired construction materials from raw materials such as cement, gravel, sand, and fly ash from thermal power plants; towards modern technology, large-scale production, large size, lightweight to gradually replace fired clay bricks. The proportion of non-fired bricks by 2015 is 20-25% and by 2020 is 30-40% of total construction materials in the country;

+ Invest in researching projects to develop non-fired materials.

Encourages the development of production of lightweight and super-lightweight materials for walls, partitions, fire-resistant, slow-burning, soundproofing, thermal insulation, electrical insulation, energy-saving materials.

d) Roofing materials:

- Develop the production of traditional fired tiles at a rate of 22 pieces/m² in localities with raw material sources, ensuring product quality and minimizing environmental impact with fuel and energy consumption criteria as follows:

+ Anthracite 4-5 ≤ 209 kg/1000 pieces;

+ Electricity ≤ 59 kWh/1000 pieces.

- Develop the production of high-quality glazed tiles and decorative tiles with economic value for domestic construction and export.

- Develop the production of non-fired tiles with diverse colors to meet the needs of urban and rural areas, especially regions prone to floods and storms.

- Diversify the production of roofing sheets such as composite sheets, polycarbonate sheets, polycarbonate-aluminum alloy sheets, organic fiber and bitumen sheets, acrylic sheets coated with natural gravel particles... and process metal sheets.

- Strictly prohibit the use of amphibole asbestos (brown and blue asbestos) in the production of roofing sheets.

- Production facilities using chrysotile asbestos must continuously invest in depth, improve technology to strictly comply with environmental and health standards.

e) Construction stone:

- Continue to invest deeply, improve production and extraction technology of construction stone at all existing production facilities, reduce raw material and fuel consumption, enhance product quality, and protect the environment.

- Inspect and organize the reorganization of small-scale stone quarry operations in localities to conserve resources and protect the environment.

- Cease the exploitation of quarries near scenic spots, cities, and residential areas to ensure landscape and environmental protection. Strictly prohibit organizations and individuals from organizing stone quarrying near national highways and residential areas without complying with the provisions of the Law on Minerals.

- Develop the production of construction stone according to planning in localities with potential stone resources. Production facilities must have advanced crushing and screening technology, meeting quality standards while ensuring air quality, dust concentration, noise levels, and waste disposal standards. Research and combine stone production with artificial sand production to replace part of the natural sand demand, conserving resources.

g) Construction sand:

- Continue to extract concrete sand according to planning, ensuring safety and protecting the ecological environment.

- Organize the reorganization of small-scale private sand extraction operations in all localities, forming centralized extraction facilities according to planning to facilitate management and environmental protection.

- Develop the production of crushed sand with advanced technology, capacity of 50 thousand m³/year or more to replace part of the natural sand used in concrete.

- Study the export of sand from some central provinces with reasonable quantities, contributing to river dredging, generating economic benefits, ensuring supply-demand balance of sand in localities, protecting the environment, and preventing landslides and traffic obstructions.

h) Construction concrete:

- Develop the production and application of new technologies in precast concrete component production and commercial concrete to meet the demands of civil, transportation, and industrial construction.

- Develop various types of special concrete, high-quality concrete, and high-strength concrete to meet increasingly stringent construction requirements.

- Develop concrete admixtures to enhance concrete properties and improve concrete technological characteristics.

i) Natural stone for paving and facing:

- Invest in processing facilities equipped with modern equipment capable of processing hard stones to high quality standards, meeting domestic and export demands.

- Develop the production of paving stones for roads, courtyards, etc., to meet domestic and export demands.

k) Artificial stone for paving and facing:

Invest in developing the production of high-quality artificial stone products such as Terastone and Brettonstone... to serve domestic construction projects and exports.

l) Concrete paving bricks:

Develop the production of new types of products such as smooth-faced bricks, bricks with grooves for better adhesion, antique-style bricks, stone-like bricks, wood-like bricks, textured bricks, tactile bricks for visually impaired people in various colors, with diverse applications to meet the needs of paving and decorative purposes for streets, gardens, courtyards, sidewalks in cities, towns, tourist centers, sports, cultural, and entertainment venues.

m) Special feature cladding materials:

- Develop the production of interior cladding materials that can prevent condensation, resist dirt accumulation, and absorb odors.

- Develop the production of exterior cladding materials with surfaces made of compounds with high water resistance, anti-adhesive properties, self-cleaning capabilities, and mold prevention.

- Develop the production of engineered wood panels to replace natural wood in construction, such as medium density fiberboard (MDF), glued laminated timber with surfaces coated with protective layers like plastic, aluminum oxide... to resist scratches and enhance surface decoration.

- Develop the production of floor materials such as epoxy flooring imitating stone, polyvinyl chloride composite sheets laid directly on cement surfaces. Develop the production of raised floors (modular floors) for office and industrial buildings.

n) Aluminum alloy, plastic, gypsum materials:

- Develop the production of high-quality aluminum window frames and plastic window frames reinforced with steel cores, diverse in design and color, with good soundproofing and thermal insulation properties, resistant to shape changes, warping, and shrinking under outdoor weather conditions.

- Develop the production of lightweight, high-strength aluminum alloy sheets.

- Develop the production of gypsum ceiling panels primarily made of organic resin and fiberglass fabric with fire-resistant properties; aluminum ceiling panels with rich colors, diverse shapes, light weight, and high durability; gypsum ceiling panels and partition panels, fiberglass wool ceiling panels... with soundproofing, thermal insulation, moisture resistance, and fire-resistant properties.

- Develop production of various types of hard plastic sheets that can be used as partition walls, or as paving blocks for walkways, parking areas, coastal wharves.

o) Composite materials:

- Develop production of high-strength composite materials with wear resistance and erosion durability based on mineral fibers, synthetic organic fibers, steel fibers, glass wool, combined with inorganic or organic binders.

p) Construction paints:

- Develop production of interior and exterior coating paints with high gloss and color retention, capable of resisting water penetration, adhesion, and easy cleaning with water.

- Develop production of heat-resistant paints that reduce surface temperature.

- Develop production of industrial primer paints with abrasion resistance and durability in freshwater, seawater, oil, and chemical environments.

- Develop production of modified paints and paints durable in tropical climates with frequent hot sun and rain.

q) Soundproofing and thermal insulation materials:

- Develop production of soundproofing and thermal insulation materials from mineral wool, fiberglass, ceramic wool, and other soundproofing and thermal insulation materials made from inorganic and organic materials.

r) Other materials:

- Develop production of ready-mixed mortar in bags, tile adhesives, stone adhesives, grout mortars, waterproofing materials for underground structures, residential and industrial buildings, high-speed railway projects, etc.

s) Frit production:

- Develop frit production with a total capacity of approximately 300,000 tons/year to serve the ceramic and glass industries.

Article 2. Implementation

1. Ministry of Construction:

- Announce and disseminate directives for implementing the planning and development of construction materials.

- Coordinate with localities to inspect and supervise the implementation of the overall national planning and development of construction materials and local material development plans, reporting annually and urgently to the Government.

- Study and propose mechanisms and policies to ensure stable and sustainable development of the construction materials manufacturing industry.

- Monitor and direct the development of the cement industry according to the approved planning by the Prime Minister, establish annual supply-demand balance plans for cement, coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to research and propose measures to stimulate cement demand for sustainable development.

- Organize the establishment of planning for major construction materials products within its authority.

- Direct the study to improve the quality of central, local, and sector-specific construction materials development plans.

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Science and Technology to research, complete, and promulgate standards for raw materials, product quality, and environmental standards.

- Develop a program for the development of non-fired construction materials until 2020.

- Develop a plan to investigate, research, exploit, and utilize existing potentials to develop construction materials production.

2. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

- Organize the implementation of basic resource surveys for construction materials minerals, particularly focusing on cement, ceramic, and construction glass minerals, prioritizing the investigation and survey of limestone resources in the Central and Southern regions.

- Inspect and supervise the exploitation of construction materials minerals according to its authority.

- Lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Construction and related agencies to promulgate and announce environmental standards in construction materials production.

3. Ministry of Industry and Trade:

- Lead and coordinate with the Ministries of Construction, Natural Resources and Environment to formulate and promulgate regulations on the management of technology for quarrying construction materials and limestone for cement to minimize work accidents and conserve mineral resources.

- Lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Construction and related ministries and sectors to research, design, and manufacture equipment for construction materials production, replacement parts, non-standard equipment, especially large-scale rotary kiln cement production lines.

- Organize research and development of mining drilling technology to fully utilize resources and protect the environment.

- Research policy mechanisms to support trade promotion and enhance the export of construction materials effectively.

4. Ministry of Transport:

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Construction to develop infrastructure investment plans for the construction materials manufacturing industry such as new investments and upgrading transportation systems in areas with many cement factories; building ports, inland waterway transport systems, and railways to facilitate the transportation of raw materials and finished products.

- Research and propose measures to stimulate cement demand, such as constructing new roads with concrete technology, elevated concrete bridges in flood-prone areas.

- Invest in developing north-south maritime transport capacity to serve the transportation of clinker, cement, and construction material exports.

5. Ministry of Education and Training:

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Construction to develop training plans for engineers to meet the development needs of the construction materials manufacturing industry by 2020 according to overall planning directions and sectoral development plans.

6. Ministry of Planning and Investment:

- Coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to research support policies and create conditions for investment projects in construction materials to develop. Coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to allocate funds to prepare planning for the development of construction materials for certain economic zones, localities, and key types of construction materials.

7. Ministry of Finance:

- Research and propose tax policies on natural resources, including clay taxes for fired bricks and tiles, to gradually reduce extraction, protect ecological environments, and develop preferential policies to promote non-fired materials.

8. Ministry of Science and Technology:

- Organize scientific and technological activities in the field of construction materials, introduce and popularize modern world technologies;

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to study and propose the potential for developing high-quality, super-durable, ultra-lightweight energy-saving materials, and environmentally friendly materials; supplement and improve construction material standards suitable for Vietnam's process of international economic integration.

9. Provincial People's Committees and municipal people's committees directly under the central government:

- Organize the establishment, review, and adjustment of construction material development plans up to 2020 within their authority to ensure compliance with this Plan. Announce and disseminate construction material plans within their authority.

- Manage and direct organizations and individuals participating in investment and production of construction materials according to the plan, in line with local economic and social development conditions.

- Review and inspect the use of clay for fired bricks and tiles within their jurisdiction.

- Regularly monitor and supervise the implementation of construction material development plans at the local level and submit periodic annual reports to the Ministry of Construction for consolidation and reporting to the Prime Minister.

Article 3. The Ministry of Construction will base its oversight and direction on the viewpoints, objectives, and specific indicators in the plan. Annually organize evaluations of plan implementation, propose necessary adjustments, and report to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision-making to align with national economic and social conditions and international integration.

Article 4. This Decision takes effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette and replaces Decisions No. 115/2001/QĐ-TTg dated August 1, 2001, and Decision No. 133/2004/QĐ-TTg dated July 20, 2004, approving the overall development plan for the construction materials industry in Vietnam until 2010.

Article 5. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of governmental agencies, Chairmen of provincial and municipal people's committees directly under the central government, Boards of Directors of Economic Groups and State-owned Corporations, and heads of related agencies are responsible for implementing this Decision./.