Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The English-language daily Viet Nam News under the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and VINEXAD on April 4 jointly organised a seminar themed "Producers' Extended Responsibility: From Policy to Implementation", one of the key events within the framework of the 33rd Vietnam International Trade Fair (Vietnam Expo 2024) in Hanoi.
Stipulated in Article 54 of the 2020 Environmental Protection Law and detailed in Government's Decree No. 08/2022/NÐ-CP dated January 10, 2022, the extended producer responsibility (EPR) requires producers and importers of electronic products, lubricants, and various types of packaging to either recycle or pay fees to support waste recycling activities, starting from January 1, 2024. Manufacturers and importers of electrical and electronic products will implement recycling responsibilities from January 1 next year and manufacturers and importers of transportation vehicles (cars, motorcycles), from January 1, 2027.
According to industry experts, this is not only a responsibility but also an opportunity for businesses to develop more sustainably. By implementing the EPR, businesses can meet the increasingly high demands of partners and join extensively in the global value chain.
While the EPR has been implemented around the world to help reduce and control waste, Vietnam is among the first in Southeast Asia to introduce EPR regulations. Governmental agencies and the media are to play a crucial role in the implementation and the execution of the laws.
This is a key to achieving sustainable development for manufacturers and businesses, especially as Vietnam has been struggling with severe impacts caused by pollution and climate change, said VNA Deputy Director-General Doan Thi Tuyet Nhung.
Implementing the EPR will contribute to preserving resources for the future, reducing environmentally damaging waste, demonstrating businesses’ sense of social responsibility, and contributing to realising Vietnam’s commitment at the COP26 to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, she stressed.
During the seminar, policy makers, experts, domestic and foreign businesses as well as other stakeholders will discuss the opportunities and challenges in implementing the EPR in the Southeast Asian country./.
