Combating plastic pollution

Addressing plastic waste pollution has long been a pressing issue worldwide, and in Vietnam in particular. Many countries have implemented policies to limit the use of single-use plastics and ban plastic bags.

Alarming white pollution disaster.

In Vietnam, according to a report by the Plastics Association, in 2015, Vietnam produced and consumed approximately 5 million tons of plastic, and this figure is increasing by 20-30% annually. Of this, about 80% of the raw materials used are imported, primarily from recycled plastic waste. The per capita consumption of plastic in Vietnam has increased rapidly from 3.8 kg/year/person in 1990 to 41 kg/year/person in 2015, and is projected to reach approximately 43-44 kg/year/person by 2025, with the possibility of further increases.

The Department of Agriculture and Environment and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee have launched a campaign to join hands in combating waste and plastic waste.

Notably, plastic waste and plastic bags account for approximately 8-12% of household solid waste. If, on average, about 10% of plastic waste and plastic bags are not recycled but completely discarded, then the amount of discarded plastic waste and plastic bags would be approximately 2.5 million tons per year. This represents a heavy burden on the environment, and the "white pollution" disaster is not far off but already a reality.

In reality, although Tuyen Quang is considered one of the provinces not yet at an alarming level of plastic pollution, the amount of plastic waste and plastic bags used and discarded into the environment every day is shocking to many. According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Oanh, the owner of a budget-friendly restaurant in Phan Thiet ward (Tuyen Quang city), she uses about 1-1.5 kg of plastic bags daily to package food for customers, not to mention a large amount of styrofoam containers. These are small establishments; for larger businesses, stores, and supermarkets, the amount of plastic bags used is 2-3 times, or even 5-10 times higher. In public places in Tuyen Quang city and the centers of the districts, the improper disposal of plastic waste continues to occur. Mr. Tran Van Quyet, Team Leader of Team 1, Tuyen Quang Urban Management and Environmental Services Joint Stock Company, shared: Team 1 is responsible for collecting garbage in Tan Quang and Minh Xuan wards in Tuyen Quang city. Every day, the team collects no less than 40 truckloads of garbage, each truck carrying more than 1 cubic meter, much of which is plastic waste. This amount of garbage hasn't decreased; in fact, it's increasing. Mr. Quyet added: Besides the large amount of garbage, many people lack awareness and litter indiscriminately, making garbage collection difficult for the team members.

In urban areas, plastic waste and plastic bags are collected, disposed of, and processed through landfilling. However, in rural areas, this waste is hardly ever collected, or only minimally, and most of it is freely dumped into the environment.

According to statistics, as of December 31, 2024, the total volume of household solid waste generated in the province was approximately 390 tons/day, with a total volume collected of approximately 235 tons/day. The average collection and treatment rate in urban areas reached about 95.5%, while in rural areas it reached 40%.

The Khong stream in Hong Son commune (Son Duong district) is only clean during heavy rains or when the Lo River floods. Otherwise, it's a public dumpsite filled with sacks of garbage, mostly plastic bags. Mr. T.D.A. from Kim Xuyen village shared: "A year ago, a company started collecting and transporting garbage to the commune's waste collection site, and the Khong stream was clean for a few years. However, since the beginning of 2024, the commune's waste site has run out of space, the company stopped collecting garbage, and all waste, including solid waste, is now thrown down by residents in the area."

Overuse of plastic and plastic bags

Comrade Phung The Hieu, Head of the Department of Environment, Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change, Department of Agriculture and Environment, explained that the factors causing the increasing amount of plastic waste today are the rapid urbanization and population growth, leading to greater living needs, especially the dependence on and habit of consuming single-use plastic products in many fields (food, beverages, packaging...). In reality, many people still maintain the habit of overusing plastic products, plastic bags, even the smallest items like toothpicks that many people use after meals, which are now also made of plastic. They believe that using plastic is clean, durable, and convenient. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy, from An Tuong commune (Tuyen Quang City), readily shared: Since having a young child, instead of using porcelain, glass, and wooden items, her family has switched to using plastic items, from water kettles to household utensils. According to Ms. Thuy, plastic items are convenient, inexpensive, and durable; if accidentally dropped, they are not as dangerous as glass or porcelain.

Members of the Youth Union of the Department of Agriculture and Environment distributed eco-friendly bags to residents of Bang Coc commune (Ham Yen district).

The habit of using plastic products, especially single-use plastic items, is increasingly polluting the environment, yet it is not being effectively sorted and processed, becoming a serious problem. According to a report by Tuyen Quang Urban Management and Environmental Services Joint Stock Company – the largest waste collection and processing unit in the province – the company collects over 80 tons of household waste daily from residents in the inner city, as well as waste from local markets. This includes organic waste, non-biodegradable waste, primarily plastic waste and nylon bags. Currently, all of this waste is collected, accumulated, transported, and processed using the most common method: landfilling.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Anh, head of the Planning Department of the company, explained: If waste is sorted at the source, at least two types of vehicles are needed to collect and transport it to two separate processing facilities, which is difficult for businesses under current conditions. Another difficulty is the lack of economic and technical standards from competent authorities, making it very difficult for businesses to implement. Crucially, the technical infrastructure for processing this type of non-biodegradable waste is still lacking, if not non-existent. In 2021, the Provincial People's Committee approved the investment plan for the construction of three solid waste treatment plants using incineration technology combined with the production of bio-fertilizer in Son Duong, Ham Yen, and Yen Son districts. However, during implementation, many difficulties and obstacles arose, and the limited capacity of investors affected the progress and planned schedule. Currently, one investor has requested to terminate the project, and another has requested an adjustment to the investment plan.

Let's act together for a green, clean, and beautiful environment.

Article 73 of the 2020 Environmental Protection Law clearly stipulates that organizations and individuals are responsible for limiting the use, minimizing, classifying, and disposing of single-use plastic products and non-biodegradable plastic packaging in accordance with regulations; and for not disposing of plastic waste directly into drainage systems, ponds, lakes, canals, rivers, and oceans. Furthermore, plastic waste must be collected and classified for reuse, recycling, or treatment in accordance with the law. Non-recyclable plastic waste must be transferred to facilities with the function of processing it according to regulations. To reduce plastic waste, the province has issued numerous directives and recommendations encouraging organizations, households, and individuals to work together for environmental protection. To date, several agencies and schools in the province have stopped using single-use plastic products, replacing water bottles with glass bottles and cups in conferences and meetings. In some organizations and associations, members have consciously used environmentally friendly bags and baskets when shopping, repurposed plastic bottles and jars for growing flowers on walls and making eco-bricks; collected and sorted plastic bottles and jars for sale to raise funds; collected pesticide packaging from the fields; reused plastic waste to make flower pots and planters in households and at village cultural centers; and collected plastic scrap for sale to create funds to help poor people in difficult circumstances in the area... These activities have been gradually changing awareness and consciousness about environmental protection, changing behavior and habits to "say no to plastic bags and single-use plastic products," contributing to building a bright, green, clean, and beautiful environment. Currently, the entire province has established over 2,000 self-governing models for waste management and combating plastic waste in residential areas.

Young people in Son Duong participate in sorting plastic waste.

Comrade Dang Minh Ton, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, frankly acknowledged: While the sorting and reuse of plastic waste has been implemented, it has not been thorough. The misuse and habit of using plastic items, including single-use plastic items such as plastic cups and containers, is still on the rise, especially among young people.

Authorities are advising higher levels of government to refine policies and strengthen the enforcement of legal regulations and strict penalties for illegal waste disposal. They are also implementing and closely monitoring waste sorting at source in households, agencies, and businesses. It is expected that by the fourth quarter of 2025, the Nhữ Khê waste treatment plant, with a total investment of 180 billion VND and a processing capacity of 160 tons of waste per day, will produce and recover recycled plastic pellets, organic fertilizers, and other recycled materials, thus resolving the current plastic waste pollution problem in the area – the Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment anticipates.

Waste is also a resource. As we develop a circular economy, sorting and reusing waste, especially plastic waste, will minimize environmental pollution and provide raw materials for a new production cycle. This has been proven in several major provinces, cities, and advanced countries around the world.

Mr. Le Ngoc Tan, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province

Coordinate efforts to raise awareness and encourage people to protect the environment.

Currently, the entire province has established over 2,000 self-governing models for waste management and combating plastic waste in residential areas. People's awareness of limiting the use of single-use plastic bags and bottles, and working together to protect the environment for a green and sustainable future, is increasingly being raised.

We highly appreciate the role of associations and organizations such as the Vietnam Women's Union, the Youth Union, the Farmers' Association, the Veterans' Association, etc. These associations and organizations have actively integrated their content into major movements and campaigns such as: "All people unite to build new rural areas and civilized urban areas," "Families with 5 no's and 3 clean's," "Green Sunday," etc.

The Fatherland Front at all levels will continue to be the coordinating body, promoting cohesion among social forces, contributing to raising awareness and changing people's behavior. At the same time, it will strengthen supervision of the implementation of environmental policies at the local level.

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Mr. Lai Minh Hong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Son Duong town

Let's work together for a plastic-free environment.

We have intensified our awareness campaigns through communication sessions to improve understanding and change habits regarding the use of plastic bags and single-use plastic items. Hotspots of waste along rivers, streams, and public areas have also been addressed, contributing to a cleaner urban landscape.

However, during the implementation process, several difficulties remain, such as the fact that up to 80% of households still use plastic bags when shopping due to unfamiliarity with alternative products and the ingrained habit of using plastic bags is not easily changed; alternative products are scarce and expensive; and awareness of waste sorting and collection efforts are still limited.

To address this issue, the town will continue to innovate its communication methods through visual forms such as billboards, posters, and social media, while also organizing more awareness campaigns at schools, markets, and public places; expanding and commending innovative models and practices in environmental protection. In addition, inspection and monitoring will be strengthened, and acts of littering and improper use of plastic bags will be strictly dealt with in order to build a green, clean, and beautiful living environment.

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Ms. Nguyen Thi Linh Nham, Director of Tuyen Quang Environmental Services and Urban Management Joint Stock Company

Develop the habit of sorting waste at the source.

Currently, waste sorting at source faces many obstacles because a sorting process has not yet been established in the collection chain, and people have not yet formed the habit of sorting waste at source, with only a few residential areas having developed this habit. In addition, the province still lacks a waste treatment plant, so current waste disposal is primarily done through landfilling.

Forming the habit of sorting waste at source requires the joint efforts of each family, community, and society so that when the waste treatment plant becomes operational, waste treatment will be thorough, contributing to building an increasingly green, clean, and beautiful living environment.

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Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc, Manager of Sang Nhung Green Agricultural Products Center (Tuyen Quang City)

Change starts with the smallest things.

Over the past period, the store has intensified its efforts to promote and encourage consumers to bring their own bags, reusable cloth bags, or reusable reusable cloth bags when shopping. At the store, for the past two years, we have partially replaced the use of plastic bags with paper boxes and paper bags, and used banana leaves to hold food, especially ready-to-eat food, for our customers. Using paper bags for food also helps keep food warm longer and preserves its flavor. Paper food containers are biodegradable, leaving no serious consequences or negative impact on the environment.

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/chong-o-nhiem-nhua-212957.html