The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) held a meeting in Hanoi on July 17 to discuss the launch of a national action programme on plastics for Vietnam.

VEA Deputy Director General Hoang Van Thuc said the PM launched an anti-plastic waste movement in June, towards banning disposable plastic products nationwide by 2025. 

He said Vietnam gives priority to action programmes to reduce plastic waste, including forming alliances that group enterprises discharging huge plastic wastes. 

On June 21, the Packaging Recycling Organisation Vietnam (Pro Vietnam) was established with the participation of nine major companies such as TH Group, Cola Cola, La Vie, Nestle and Nutifood. Between now and later this year, 30 others will join its plastic waste recycling scheme. 

The ministry is building a comprehensive action plan on plastic waste to submit to the PM later this year, he said. 

WEF’s Director of the global anti-plastic waste partnership programme Cristina said the organisation can help Vietnam collect data to build a specific action programme for the effort. 

The programme is based on the three pillars of public-private partnership; data analysis; and strategic investment on infrastructure, workforce training and policy building. 

Members of the programme will be able to access important partners and financial resources in the field, she said. 

Participants highlighted the need to raise public awareness of the effort, zone off industrial parks in a proper manner, and mitigate pollution in craft villages.