Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister, Hoang Trung Hai, has agreed to allow Nghi Son Cement Corp to pilot the import of fly ash over the 2015-16 period.

Under approval, Nghi Son Cement Corporation will be allowed to import an annual volume of 200,000t within two years.

The deputy prime minister also requested the company to develop a plan to use domestic fly ash from 2017.

Nghi Son Cement Corporation had repeated seeking the government for approval for the import of fly ash as material for cement production. However, the firm’s proposals have previously been met with rejection.

In September 2006, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment issued the list of waste materials allowable to import for local production but fly ash was not named in the list.

It is estimated that thermal power plants in Vietnam produce 4.5Mta of ash. The figure is expected to hit 35Mta in 2030. (Source: Vietnam News Brief Service).