Campaign launched for plastic-free SEA Games 31

#Seagamesnoplastic and #Greensport are the hashtags of a campaign launched during SEA Games 31 to raise public awareness of environmental protection.

Various souvenirs like key rings and handbooks are made from recycled materials such as metal, fabric and wood. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - #Seagamesnoplastic and #Greensportare the hashtags of a campaign launched during the 31st SoutheastAsian Games (SEA Games 31) to raise public awareness of environmentalprotection, according to the Organising Board. 

The drive is jointly held bythe communications centre at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment(MoNRE) and the Vietnam Sports Administration.

It is intended to reduce the use of single-useplastic products and nylon bags at meetings, training venues, matches and othersites for athletes, delegates and journalists, and activities within thebiggest regional sport event.

The rule of 3R – reduce, reuse and recycle – hasbeen promoted as part of the communication activities in the campaign.

The media and social networks have been utilised tospread the message of environmental protection through articles.

Notably, special dustbins are designed and set up atstadiums and gymnasiums. Collected waste will be classified, recycled andtreated in line with regulations.

Various souvenirs like key rings and handbooks are madefrom recycled materials such as metal, fabric and wood.

The campaign sees the participation of volunteerswho collect waste and perform communication tasks at stadiums and sport venues.They are also provided with training, uniforms, documents and tools to servethe work.

Audiences are also guided to collect waste atstadiums and exchange waste for gifts.

Eco-friendly water bottles, bags, boxes, cups, knifes,spoons, and folks replace single-use plastic products during the Games.

In the localities that host the events, there will bebuses carrying the message of environmental protection in SEA Games 31.

SEA Games 31, themed “For a Stronger South EastAsia”, will be held in the capital and 11 neighbouring provinces and citiesfrom May 12 to 23.

Featuring 40 sports with more than 500 events, it isexpected to attract around 10,000 participants. The biennial event wasinitially slated for late 2021 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnam aims to use 100 percent ofenvironmentally-friendly plastic bags and packaging at shopping malls andsupermarkets by 2025, according to a project on strengthening management ofplastic waste in Vietnam approved by Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh.

Other goals include to collect, reuse, recycle andtreat 85 percent of plastic waste; to reduce the volume of plastic waste dumpedto ocean by half; to have 100 percent of tourism complexes, hotels and otherlodging facilities not use non-biodegradable plastic bags and single-useplastic products by 2025.

Additionally, the project will gradually cut theproduction and consumption of non-biodegradable plastic bags and single-useplastic products in daily life; while raising awareness among organisations,enterprises and the community about the harmful effects of single-use plasticitems to the environment, ecosystem and human health, and encouraging consumersto shift away from single-use and non-biodegradable plastics to eco-friendlyalternatives.

It will campaign producers and distributors ofsingle-use and non-biodegradable plastic products to shift to eco-friendlyequivalents and promote the development and application of advanced technologyin plastic waste management and manufacturing of environmentally-friendlyproducts.

The project will also build a network of localcommunicators who are tasked to instruct people on how to properly classify,reuse and treat plastic waste and waste at large; and integrate knowledge aboutsingle-use and non-biodegradable plastics into school curriculums at alllevels.

Vietnam is said to be the world's fourth-largestmarine plastic polluter after China, Indonesia and the Philippines. Each year,the country reportedly dumps an estimate of 300,000 – 700,000 tonnes of plasticwaste into the ocean per year, accounting for 6 percent of the world's marineplastics./.

VNA