World Environment Day: Increase reuse, recycling, and treatment of plastic waste

Students on Co To Island join in collecting trash and cleaning up the beach. (Photo: VNA)

On the morning of June 1, at 30-10 Square, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment coordinated with the People's Committee of Quang Ninh Province to organize a Rally to respond to World Environment Day (June 5) and the Month of Action for the Environment in 2025.

Speaking at the rally, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Le Cong Thanh said that this year, World Environment Day was launched by the United Nations Environment Program with the theme "Fighting plastic pollution."

This is not just a call but also an urgent global warning. Plastic pollution is becoming one of the most serious challenges to the living environment.

“No country can stand outside the fight against plastic waste. The Vietnamese Government has actively participated in proposing global and regional cooperation mechanisms on reducing plastic waste at international conferences and forums,” Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh emphasized.

Vietnam has also issued the Law on Environmental Protection, documents guiding the implementation of the law and especially a series of policies to reduce plastic waste such as regulations on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) on waste classification, collection and recycling.

Mr. Nghiem Xuan Cuong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province, shared that Quang Ninh is well aware of the importance of protecting the environment, preventing plastic pollution, and improving the quality of the living environment.

Quang Ninh has issued many fundamental and strategic directives, creating a synchronous and unified legal framework for implementation with the orientation of environmental protection as the foundation for sustainable development; it is necessary to effectively implement plans to prevent and combat ocean plastic pollution.

Typically, Quang Ninh province is one of the first provinces and cities in the country (in 2019) to launch a province-wide campaign to "Anti-plastic waste" mobilizing the participation of the entire political system, business community and people.

Co To District Party Committee issued and implemented the Project of Co To District saying no to plastic waste - the first island district in the country to have a project (in 2022), and a separate Resolution of the Party Committee on preventing and combating plastic waste.

In addition, models such as Ha Long Bay without plastic waste implemented by Ha Long Bay Management Board; Vrac-Bank Program implemented by Quang Ninh Cement and Construction Company... have created a positive impression and received strong response from the community.

Up to now, the movements “Green Saturday”, “Green Journey”, “Collecting plastic waste along the coast”… and many plastic waste collection campaigns at coastal tourist destinations, Ha Long Bay… have been maintained and implemented regularly.

Thereby forming a civilized and environmentally friendly lifestyle, contributing to significantly improving the quality of the tourism environment, raising awareness and consumer behavior of the community.

Mr. Nguyen Huy Nam, Deputy General Director of Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group, said that along with production, the group also pays attention to improving and restoring the environment of mine waste dumps such as: planting trees to cover the land; building a complete drainage system, dams to prevent soil and rock at the foot of the waste dump; building, managing and stably operating 45 underground and open-pit wastewater treatment stations to ensure environmental standards; investing in industrial hazardous waste treatment plants; dust control solutions, improving the environment of production sites.

Like Quang Ninh, many other localities such as Hai Phong, Da Nang, Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh City, etc. have effectively implemented models of waste classification at source, “green markets,” and plastic waste-free urban areas. Enterprises have also begun to apply bio-materials, recycled packaging, and waste circulation models in industrial parks.

Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh also frankly admitted that besides positive results, it is undeniable that there are many challenges in managing and reducing plastic waste in Vietnam.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment hopes that through the Month of Action for the Environment, it will continue to spread and share experiences and knowledge about good models in managing and recycling plastic waste; turning challenges related to plastic waste into opportunities and motivation for Vietnam to implement a circular economy and a knowledge-based economy with the application of high technology to reduce plastic emissions.

At the ceremony, many meaningful gifts were presented to spread the spirit of "green living" and call on the community to join hands to protect the marine ecosystem.

Representatives of the Organizing Committee presented life jackets to fishermen - those who are working day and night at sea, contributing to preserving sovereignty and aquatic resources.

At the same time, the Ha Long Bay Management Board also received environmentally friendly non-woven fabric bags, gradually replacing plastic bags in management and propaganda activities.

In particular, cruise ships in the Bay were given glass product sets to launch a movement to limit the use of disposable plastic - a practical action to help reduce ocean pollution.

The gifts, though small, have great symbolic value, demonstrating a commitment to action for a sustainable, green-clean-beautiful marine environment.

Along with the rally, there were also very meaningful sideline activities, such as visiting and experiencing booths displaying recycling models and reducing plastic waste, typically displaying plastic waste recycling models, environmentally friendly products associated with community livelihoods (Vietnam Women's Union of Quang Ninh province); introducing creative recycled products, circular economic solutions in treating household waste (Green Life Ha Long Cooperative); demonstrating achievements in reducing plastic waste in Ha Long Bay - a world natural heritage (Ha Long Bay Management Board); the unique "Deposit trash and withdraw money" model - linking social responsibility with innovation in collecting, classifying and treating plastic waste (Quang Ninh Cement and Construction Joint Stock Company - Vracbank model).

Source: https://baobinhphuoc.com.vn/news/9/173478/ngay-moi-truong-the-gioi-tang-tai-su-dung-tai-che-xu-ly-chat-thai-nhu