HCM City wants to stop the production and import of single-use plastic products, non-biodegradable plastic bags and microplastic items to lower plastic waste pollution and treatment cost by 2030.(Photo: VNA) HCMCity (VNS/VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City is striving to stop theproduction and import of single-use plastic products, non-biodegradable plasticbags and microplastic items to lower plastic waste pollution and treatmentcosts.
The municipal’s People’s Committee has issued a plan onstrengthening the management, reduction, reuse, recycling and treatment ofplastic waste in the city in the period of 2022-2025, with a vision to 2030.
Accordingly, the city will eliminate the use ofnon-biodegradable plastic bags and single-use plastic products,excluding products intended for export or packaging of other goods,and products certified with eco-labels.
Ittargets to reduce 75 percent of plastic waste on the Can Gio beach, and end thedisposal of fishing gear directly into the sea.
It will implement preferential policiesto support the production of environmentally friendly products, andencourage the reuse and recycling of plastic waste.
A road map will soon be developed for increasing theenvironmental protection tax on non-biodegradable plastic bags andsupplementing the environmental protection tax on single-use plastic products.
The city will also soon issue rules for agencies, offices andestablishments to minimise the use of single-use plastic products andnon-biodegradable plastic bags and packaging in events and activities.
Itcontinues to target using 100 percent environmentally friendlyplastic bags and packaging at shopping centres, supermarkets, traditionalmarkets, hotels, tourist accommodation establishments and tourist attractions.
About 9,000 - 9,500 tonnes of domestic solidwaste is discharged into the environment daily in the city, according to thecity’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
Of that, 20-25 percent are recyclableitems such as plastic packaging, paper, and metal.
Suffering great pressure from an increasingamount of plastic waste, the city has implemented many drastic solutions in themanagement, reduction, reuse, recycling and treatment of plastic waste.
State agencies and State-owned companies arerequired to take the lead in the reduction and recycling of plastic waste andban single-use plastic items such as bottles, straws and containers.
In fact, the city’s environmental managementstill faces challenges in sorting, recycling and treating plastic waste.
Nguyen Thi Thanh My,deputy head of city’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said thecity is focusing on solutions to reduce the use of single-use plasticproducts by promoting production and consumption of products made fromnatural and environment-friendly materials.
It is also takingsteps to adopt advanced waste-treatment technologies. It will invest in solidwaste treatment with advanced technologies that save energy and protect theenvironment, and seek recycling technology that makes recycled products suitedto the consumption habits of each locality.
Local waste-treatmentfacilities have been encouraged to switch to waste-to-energy technologies./.
