Environment

Vietnam acts to combat white pollution

The Vietnamese Government has issued a lot of policies, participated in various forums, and promoted international cooperation, demonstrating its activeness and affirming its determination to reduce plastic waste and join global efforts toward a planet without white pollution.
Vietnam acts to combat white pollution ảnh 1Hue people exchange trash for gifts at Plastic Reduction Day in Thua Thien-Hue province in 2024. (Photo: VNA).
Hanoi (VNA) - The Vietnamese Government has issued a lot of policies,participated in various forums, and promoted international cooperation,demonstrating its activeness and affirming its determination to reduce plasticwaste and join global efforts toward a planet without white pollution.

According to the Ministry of NaturalResources and Environment, Vietnam's per capita plastic use has increasedrapidly, from 3.8kg a year in 1990 to 41kg in 2015 and about 54kg currently. Theincreasing consumption will lead to rises in plastic waste, the risk of whitepollution, as well as the pressure on the environmental management system, unlesseffective and scientific management is conducted.

On December 4, 2019, the Prime Ministerissued a decision announcing the National Action Plan on Ocean Plastic WasteManagement by 2030.

It aims to reduce 75% of plastic waste inseas and oceans; collect 100% of lost or abandoned fishing gears and put anend to the disposal of fishing tools directly into the sea; ensure 100% of touristareas, attractions, accommodation establishments and other coastal tourismservices suppliers do not use single-use plastic products and non-biodegradableplastic bags; and 100% of marine protected areas are free of plastic waste.

Following the plan, the ministry officiallyapproved a project on reducing ocean plastic waste in Vietnam. The project,funded by the German Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and NuclearSafety through the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), has been implemented in 10areas of Da Nang city and eight provinces.

At the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meetingin Davos, Switzerland, in 2019, the Minister of Natural Resources andEnvironment and a WEF representative signed a Letter of Intent related to plasticwaste treatment and the building of a circular economy, aiming to help Vietnamparticipate in the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP). To implement theGPAP, a project on strengthening plastic waste management in Vietnam wasapproved by the Prime Minister in 2021. On November 19, 2021, the Minister ofNatural Resources and Environment issued a decision on the establishment of a working group to implement the National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP)programme in Vietnam.

On March 7, 2024, Deputy Minister ofNatural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh signed a decision publising aplan to implement NPAP activities and participate in international forums onplastic waste in 2024.

The plan aims to support and enhance theoperation effectiveness of technical groups established within the framework ofthe NPAP based on main pillars of innovation, finance, policy, gender equality and inclusive development, and communications and awareness improvement.

In addition, the Institute of Strategy andPolicy on Natural Resources and Environment under the Ministry of NaturalResources and Environment is coordinating with the United Nations EnvironmentProgramme to build steps to implement a project on enhancing the capacity ofplastic pollution management in Vietnam.

It includes two component projects onstrengthening plastic pollution control through promoting monitoring activitiesin Vietnam to provide information for the management and policy making process,and on intensifying plastic waste value chain management in target provinceswith river basins through promoting circular economic models and innovativesolutions to prevent plastic waste at source./.
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