Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Vietnam: Vietnam will completely abolish the use of more than 500t of hydrochlorofluorocarbon HCFC-141b, a chemical that damages the ozone layer, in the production of thermal insulation foam by the end of 2014.

The move is part of the country’s efforts to reduce the use of HCFC substances by 10% from 1 January 2015 onwards, according to Nguyen Van Tue, director of the Department of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change under the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment.

Between now and 2019, Vietnam plans to cut the use of HCFC substances, mainly HCFC-22, by 900t from 3600t at present. The chemical is mainly used in refrigeration facilities. Van Tue added that that Vietnam had already successfully eliminated the import and use of CFCs, halons and CTCs, which are also ozone-depleting substances, between 1995 and 2010. As part of the project, Vietnam will choose alternative technologies and substances that are considered safe for the ozone layer and the climate, as set out by the Montreal Protocol on ODS.

To assist Vietnam’s efforts, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) worked with the department to design the project. UNIDO’s Representative in Vietnam, Patrick Gilabert, said that as part of the project UNIDO and equipment suppliers would deliver hydrocarbon technology to businesses that use refrigeration facilities.

Vietnam: Dat Viet Ceramics Company has reported that despite a sluggish building materials industry, it has met its eight-month target thanks to its spearhead products. In the first eight months of 2014, Dat Viet Ceramics earned a revenue of US$6.56m, 5% higher than in the first eight months of 2013.

Dat Viet Ceramics' main products are Cotto bricks, brick cladding and fish scale tiles, with applications in sound and thermal insulation, among others. Its products are sold in 30 foreign markets. In 2014 Dat Viet Ceramics plans to expand its export markets into 40 countries and increase its revenue to US$3m.

Vietnam: The Vietnamese Ministry of Health has proposed that the government should add asbestos, which is widely used to produce roofing sheets in Vietnam, to the list of toxic chemicals subject to a full ban. There are 36 producers of asbestos cement (AC) roofing sheets in Vietnam, with an annual production capacity of 100Mm² of roofing sheets.

Vietnam has used asbestos since the 1960s and the country is among the world's 10 largest users of asbestos, consuming and importing some 60,000t/yr. More than 90% is used to manufacture AC roofing sheets, while the rest is for the production of car brakes and thermal insulation.

Deputy health minister Nguyen Thanh Long has said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) and international cancer research agencies have warned that all types of asbestos can cause lung, larynx and ovarian cancer, as well as mesothelioma and asbestosis. Asbestosis, a disease of the lungs caused by inhaling asbestos fibres, has been recognised in Vietnam as an occupational disease eligible for compensation since 1976. Ministry research has shown that people living near an area where asbestos is used, or those living under a roof made from asbestos, can also be affected.

The Research Institute of Technology for Machinery under the Ministry of Industry and Trade have developed a non-asbestos roofing sheet production line. Polyvinyl alcohol synthetic fibre (PVA) is used to replace the asbestos, while pulp additives increase stickiness. Prices of non-asbestos roofing sheets are 10 - 15% higher than those made from asbestos.

Vietnam: Hoa Binh People's Committee and Slovakia-based BGT Slovensko Group have signed a memorandum of understanding on investment into Lac Thinh Industrial Zone with a total capital of US$548m. The Slovakian company pledged to carry out five projects in the Hoa Binh Industrial Park including the construction of an insulation materials plant.