Vietnam is set to welcome a pioneering sustainable agriculture initiative, as Japanese biotech firm CHITOSE and Vietnamese environmental solutions company TA Vital join forces to transform industrial sludge into agricultural compost
This collaborative project marks a significant step toward Vietnam’s net-zero emissions goal by 2050, aligning with the nation’s broader environmental and circular economy ambitions.
The facility, under construction in the Prodezi Industrial Park—one of Vietnam’s first recognised eco-industrial zones—is expected to begin trial production by the end of 2025. During the initial phase, the compost produced will be used for landscaping purposes within the park itself, due to variability in sludge content sourced from multiple factories.
At the heart of this initiative is CHITOSE’s advanced composting technology, which employs an industrial-scale barrel system combined with a custom microbial blend. This enables the effective breakdown and detoxification of sludge materials, converting up to 80% into usable compost. Integrated AI monitoring tools track fermentation conditions in real time, optimising temperature, moisture, and microbial activity to ensure consistent quality.
A key innovation lies in the ability to tailor the nutrient content of the compost to meet the specific needs of crops—such as dragon fruit—enhancing yield and soil health. Although initial applications will focus on non-food plants, the long-term goal is to expand into food crop fertilisation by working directly with factories producing more consistent, organic waste streams.
Another future ambition is to shift from Japanese-sourced equipment to local production, helping reduce costs and expand deployment across Vietnam and potentially Southeast Asia.
By transforming waste into high-value agricultural input, this project stands as a practical model of the circular economy in action. It not only supports industrial sustainability but also holds promise for reducing chemical fertiliser use and improving soil resilience—two critical needs for climate-smart agriculture in the region.
As Vietnam continues to advance its green agenda, this sludge-upcycling venture represents a meaningful step toward a more regenerative and resource-efficient future.