Solutions to Plastic Pollution is the theme of this year 5-6 World Environment Day. This topic shows the urgency of environmental protection against the harmful effects of plastic pollution on life; At the same time, calling on the community to come together to change consumption habits and eliminate plastic waste...
The armed forces and youth union members of Sam Son City went out to clean up the marine environment in response to the World Environment Day 2023.
According to the assessment of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), environmental pollution from plastic waste is becoming the most pressing problem facing countries around the world. Every year, around 400 million tons of plastic are produced around the world, half of which is designed to be used only once, less than 10% is recycled. It is estimated that every year, about 19 – 23 million tons of plastic waste is discharged into lakes, rivers and seas; at the same time, each person on the planet may be receiving more than 50.000 plastic particles each year. Discarded or burned disposable plastic harms human health, polluting ecosystems, from mountain tops to ocean bottoms. It is also estimated that at the current rate of plastic use, tens of billions more tons of plastic will be produced by 2050 and a large part of that will be in the oceans, where it will remain for centuries. With sustainable characteristics in nature, plastic waste (plastic bottles, plastic bags, food containers, cups ...) along with other environmental pollutants have been negatively impacting socio-economic and human health, becoming a great challenge for the environment.
Over the years, Vietnam has been implementing many mechanisms, strategies, policies and projects to reduce plastic waste and protect the environment. Typically, the Law on Environmental Protection in 2020 has added regulations on the reduction, reuse, recycling and treatment of plastic waste; limit the use of single-use plastic products and non-biodegradable plastic bags; encourage the production of environmentally friendly products to replace traditional plastic products. However, the convenience of plastic bags creates difficult habits of consumers in using. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has surveyed and shown that, on average, each Vietnamese household uses more than 200 plastic bags of all kinds per month. This also means that, if there is no practical solution in limiting the use of plastic bags, it won't be long before plastic bags are flooded all over the streets, canals, fields..., the environment will be severely damaged and difficult to overcome.
From the above fact, MONRE has called on ministries, branches, provinces and cities; socio-political organizations and unions organized a series of activities to respond to "Action Month for the Environment" and to respond to World Environment Day nationwide with the theme "Solutions to plastic pollution". In particular, focusing on implementing the campaign "Fighting plastic pollution" to strongly convey the message and build a sustainable lifestyle, in harmony with nature; rational use of natural resources, biodiversity and adaptation to climate change; control and solve plastic waste pollution through policies and initiatives and participate in global and regional cooperation mechanisms; towards a greener, cleaner lifestyle; increase recycling and reuse; promote the building of a green economy, circular economy and sustainable development; effectively implement the policy against plastic waste.
With the theme of this year's World Environment Day, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment also proposed central ministries, departments, branches and mass organizations; People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities and agencies and units are interested in directing and guiding the organization of activities, propaganda and implementation of the provisions of the Law on Environmental Protection in 2020 and mechanisms, policies and laws on environmental protection. Agencies and units need to effectively implement the Project "Strengthening propaganda on plastic waste prevention and control in the 2021-2025 period"; Directive No. 33/CT-TTg on strengthening management, reuse, recycling, treatment and reduction of plastic waste; Project "Strengthening plastic waste management in Vietnam"… At the same time, develop and promulgate regulations, mechanisms and preferential policies for enterprises producing environmentally friendly products and recycling enterprises; strengthen research and transfer advanced technologies to recycle plastic waste into useful and environmentally friendly products. Besides, promoting infrastructure development, plastic waste collection and recycling services; collect, classify and treat domestic waste and plastic waste at source.
In Thanh Hoa, through a survey of the functional sector, the amount of plastic waste generated in 2022 in localities in the province fluctuates greatly. In which, the highest is Thanh Hoa city with a total emission of 54,27 tons/day, equivalent to nearly 19.809 tons/year (accounting for 15,49% of the province), especially in urban areas is 8.709,38 tons/year. Sam Son city has the second largest emissions with a total amount of plastic waste of 20,44 tons/day, equivalent to nearly 7.461 tons/year. With such a large volume of plastic waste and plastic bags being used and discharged, the management of this waste is still inadequate and difficult. In order to limit the use of products derived from plastic and plastic bags, in recent years, functional agencies in the province have actively coordinated with relevant departments and agencies to organize propaganda to people about the harmful effects of the habit of using plastic bags. At the same time, giving practical solutions such as sorting plastic bags, encouraging repeated use in supermarkets, trade centers, etc. Supporting the Women's Union to set up clubs to limit the use of plastic bags, etc. However, the effect has not been as expected.
Practically responding to this year's World Environment Day, on May 30, 5, the Provincial People's Committee issued Plan No. 2023/KH-UBND with many important contents and tasks assigned to sectors, units and localities to implement such as: organizing propaganda, education and awareness raising activities for all levels, departments, organizations and people about the importance of plastic pollution in life and work; print banners made from environmentally friendly materials to propagate in response to World Environment Day, Vietnam Sea and Islands Week 135 and hang them in public areas, streets, offices and suitable places. Strengthening control over the collection, transportation and treatment of waste and plastic waste, especially in coastal areas and on islands; organize activities to clean up the coast and clean the environment at sea embankment areas, sea tourist resorts, anchoring areas, fishing ports, and wholesale markets along the coast; Planting trees to prevent coastal erosion...
World Environment Day is not only an opportunity for everyone to participate in environmental protection activities, but also to further raise awareness for all classes of people about the importance of environmental protection work. More than ever, let's each speak up for the environment, recognize the challenges that people are facing, thereby, uphold the spirit, responsibility and by small daily actions such as, classify and treat organic waste at the place of origin, limit the use of single-use plastic products and non-degradable plastic bags towards the common goal for people's lives, for the province's development in particular and the country's sustainable development in general.
Article and photo: Phong Sac
