Myanmar calls for developing chemical industries at home

A Myanmar industrial official has called for developing chemical industries in the country, especially petrochemical industry, saying that the country has potential for such large-scale undertakings, sources with the Ministry of Industry said Wednesday.

Myanmar has no large chemical factory nor multinational enterprises so far due to its lack of investment and technical know-how.

Addressing the 8th Regional Chemical Management Forum in Yangon, U Ye Mon, managing director of the Paper and Home Utility Industries of the Ministry of Industry, stressed the need for mutual cooperation, investment, technology exchange, policies of standardization procedure and chemical management for the development of petrochemical industry in Myanmar.

The three-day forum, hosted by Myanmar for the first time, is organized by the Swedish Chemical Agency KEMI and is participated by delegates from Sweden, Japan, China, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

The forum introduced specific chemicals management issues to regional countries.

Myanmar enacted Prevention of Hazard from Chemicals and Related Substances Law in August 2013 and has a plan to declare the notification of hazardous chemicals as a following up action, according to the International Conventions.