Changing wastewater treatment technology is an inevitable trend in the context of increasingly strict environmental protection requirements. Updating technology helps businesses improve treatment efficiency and better control pollution sources. At the same time, this process contributes to meeting newly issued technical standards. If implemented in accordance with regulations, businesses can also minimize legal risks. Therefore, understanding the nature and impact of such changes is very necessary.
The environmental permit shall be considered for adjustment within its validity period in the following cases:
a) Changing the licensed contents specified in Clause 2, Article 40 of this Law at the request of the project owner, facility, or in accordance with legal regulations, except for the case specified at Point b, Clause 3 of this Article;
b) Investment projects or facilities that provide hazardous waste treatment services or import scrap from abroad as production materials after completing the trial operation period to align with actual operating capacity.
The environmental permit needs to be reviewed when the facility’s operations change compared to the approved documentation. Adjusting the permit helps ensure compliance with legal regulations and reduce the risk of violations. At the same time, it accurately reflects the actual status of production, business activities, and waste generation sources.
The environmental permit is considered for adjustment within the prescribed validity period
In cases where the scale, capacity, and characteristics of waste sources remain the same as those stated in the issued permit, the enterprise is not required to adjust the permit even if internal operations are optimized, provided that the change in wastewater treatment technology does not generate new environmental impacts or exceed permitted standards.
When implementing changes in wastewater treatment technology, enterprises need to review and comply with all relevant legal regulations to ensure legal validity and avoid penalties. These documents serve as important bases for determining obligations to adjust environmental documentation, permits, and management responsibilities during operation. Understanding these regulations helps the technology transition process proceed smoothly and in compliance with the law.
During project operation, changing wastewater treatment technology may generate new environmental impacts. Therefore, the project owner must adjust the Environmental Permit (EP) to ensure that the licensed contents align with the new treatment technology. The adjustment procedure must comply with legal regulations to effectively control waste sources and minimize environmental risks.
The procedure for adjusting the environmental permit is carried out in accordance with legal regulations
Enterprises need to carefully assess whether the change in wastewater treatment technology falls under cases requiring adjustment of the environmental permit. The assessment focuses on whether the new technology changes the main treatment process and whether it affects the system’s design capacity. At the same time, the expected effluent quality under the new technology must be compared with the limits specified in the current environmental permit and applicable technical standards. The results of this step serve as the basis for deciding the next procedures.
The enterprise prepares the dossier in accordance with regulations, including a written request for environmental permit adjustment using the prescribed form. In particular, the report describing the adjustment content is the most important document, clearly presenting the differences between the old and new technologies, the reasons for adjustment, and the expected efficiency. The dossier must also include a wastewater treatment technology diagram after improvement, clearly showing all treatment stages and discharge points. In addition, the most recent wastewater monitoring results of the existing system must be included as a basis for evaluation.
After completion, the dossier is submitted to the authority that issued the original environmental permit in accordance with its jurisdiction. If the permit was issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the dossier is submitted to the Ministry; if issued by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, it is submitted to the corresponding Department. Submitting the dossier is required to obtain approval for the change in wastewater treatment technology in accordance with legal regulations. The receiving authority will check the completeness and validity of the dossier before appraisal.
The competent authority will review the dossier and may conduct an on-site inspection of the treatment system or the proposed new technology. The appraisal focuses on the ability to meet technical requirements, especially ensuring that treated wastewater meets environmental standards. If all legal and technical conditions are satisfied, the competent authority will issue the adjusted environmental permit. From this point, the enterprise is allowed to operate the wastewater treatment system using the newly approved technology.
Changing wastewater treatment technology is not only a technical solution but also a legal and social responsibility of enterprises. The implementation process must be accompanied by reviewing and adjusting the environmental permit when necessary. This helps ensure that production activities always comply with current regulations. When implemented properly, such changes bring long-term environmental and economic benefits. Therefore, enterprises need to proactively prepare and follow the correct legal procedures.
