Directions for Circular Economy Development in Thanh Hoa Province: Potential, Challenges, and Policy Implications

Author's Information:

Tran Dang Quang

Thanh Hoa Provincial Inspectorate, Thanh Hoa, Vietnam

Vol 03 No 10 (2026):Volume 03 Issue 10 October 2026

Page No.: 1317-1324

Abstract:

A circular economy seeks to retain the value of products, materials, and resources within the economy while reducing waste generation and pressure on virgin-resource extraction. In Thanh Hoa Province, this transition is closely associated with the industrial concentration of Nghi Son Economic Zone, municipal solid waste management, agricultural value chains, and tourism. This article uses document analysis, policy analysis, and descriptive synthesis of secondary data published up to 25 October 2026. The findings indicate that Nghi Son offers a setting in which industrial symbiosis can be investigated, although investment scale and nameplate capacity do not demonstrate that material flows are already circular. In 2025, Thanh Hoa generated approximately 920,178.25 tonnes of municipal solid waste; the collection and treatment rate reached 93.68%, while landfilling remained substantial. The article recommends establishing a material-flow baseline, piloting industrial symbiosis, improving source separation, developing secondary-material markets, and adopting resource-efficiency indicators. Because the study relies on secondary data and does not audit material flows at individual firms, the proposed interventions require field validation.

KeyWords:

circular economy, Thanh Hoa Province, industrial symbiosis, municipal solid waste, resource efficiency.

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