A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build public private collaboration towards circular economy in plastic waste management was signed in Hanoi on February 19.

At the signing ceremony (Photo: VNA) 

The agreement, the first of its kind in Vietnam, was inked between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Dow Chemical Co., Ltd. Vietnam (Dow Vietnam), Siam Cement Group (SCG), and Unilever Vietnam International Co., Ltd. (Unilever Vietnam).

Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Tuan Nhan said the average use of plastic per capita in Vietnam is not as high as that of developed countries in the world.

However, with a population of nearly 100 million and an incomplete solid waste management infrastructure, plastic waste has been a big challenge for developing countries like Vietnam, he said.

Being aware of the role and mission in addressing the global plastic waste crisis, Vietnam as a responsible member of the United Nations has committed to taking actions to reduce plastic waste to protect the marine ecological environment and oceans, Nhan said.

In December 2017, Vietnam officially joined the list of 127 countries adopting a resolution of the UN Environment Assembly on addressing plastic waste and marine debris.

At the expanded G7 Summit in Canada in 2018, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc called for global cooperation in solving the ocean plastics problem.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has signed a protocol with the World Economic Forum on cooperation to tackle plastic waste, and established an anti-plastic coalition and packaging recycling organization in Vietnam (PRO Vietnam).

After the signing ceremony, the ministry will set up a joint working group to build and carry out specific plans to raise public awareness of plastic waste mitigation.