Ukraine has approved DSTU 9328:2025 “Eco-industrial parks. Sustainability criteria and assessment method,” which implements international framework criteria for eco-industrial parks (EIPs) taking into account national conditions of application.
This was reported by the All-Ukrainian public organization “Living Planet,” whose group of experts worked on the draft of this document as part of the project “Global Program of Eco-Industrial Parks in Ukraine: Implementation at the Local Level.” It is part of the Global EIP Program implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in seven countries around the world with financial support from Switzerland through the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
According to the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, our country became the first country on the European continent and the second in the world to approve a national standard for EIPs at the state level.
What is an eco-industrial park?
The ministry noted that an eco-industrial park is an industrial cluster where enterprises exchange resources, energy, and waste. According to officials, the development of such clusters is part of the strategic transformation of Ukraine's economy within the Ukraine Facility plan. It includes decarbonization, increasing added value, rational use of resources, and improving the competitiveness of domestic industry.
“The status of an eco-industrial park is an indicator for international investors that the park meets established European standards, as do the products manufactured there,” said Deputy Minister of Economy Vitaliy Kindrativ.
New national standard: details
Specialists from the Living Planet NGO, who developed the draft of this DSTU, said that the rating system for assessing the compliance of industrial parks consists of adding points for meeting additional requirements defined by this national standard.
“An industrial park will be considered certified as environmentally friendly if it meets at least the basic requirements for the ‘bronze’ class of compliance. The higher the class of compliance (‘silver’ or ‘gold’), the more additional requirements the park has fulfilled in improving its sustainability,” they explained.
Photo: livingplanet.org.ua.
According to experts, the draft DSTU 9328:2025 “Eco-industrial parks. Sustainability criteria and assessment method” underwent public discussion for more than 60 calendar days. During this time, seminars were held with presentations of the first and second editions of the standard. As a result of the discussions, the experts of Living Planet received and reviewed numerous comments and recommendations on the project.
How the approval took place
On May 5, 2025, the national technical committee for standardization TC 82 “Environmental Protection” approved the third edition of the DSTU draft as final. After that, the standard file with all accompanying documents was transferred to the national standardization body.
After technical verification and editing, the DSTU draft was adopted. It is scheduled to come into force on September 1, 2025.
“Until then, training and piloting of the standard's application can be carried out through internal or external evaluation of industrial parks against established criteria,” say representatives of Living Planet.
Photo: livingplanet.org.ua.
Experts from the Living Planet NGO explained that the level of application of the standard will be influenced by:
- legislative reform regarding industrial parks;
- the availability of financial instruments to support green transformation;
- improving the competence of management company employees and participants.
The next stage in the implementation of eco-industrial parks in Ukraine should be the adoption of draft law No. 12117 “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Regarding the Improvement of the Functioning of Industrial Parks.”
As reported by EcoPolitics in early January, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a draft law “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Improvement of the Functioning of Industrial Parks and the Introduction of an Eco-Industrial Park Model in Ukraine,” which, in particular, provides for the creation of a new format of industrial sites—eco-industrial parks.
