Promote circular economy, protect the environment

Leaders of the Women's Union of Da Nang City presented tools and protective gear to women who collect and trade scrap at the launching ceremony to respond to the month of action for the environment and the week of seas and islands in 2025. Photo: HOANG HIEP

From 2021-2024, the city will implement the project Building a sustainable circular economy for plastic waste in Vietnam (called the DMDP project) funded by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) through the iDE International Development Organization. The project's outstanding activities connect scrap collectors and traders with residential areas in Ngu Hanh Son, Son Tra and Thanh Khe districts to consume recycled products after sorting waste at the source. At the same time, these households also guide residential areas to further classify low-value nylon and plastic for purchase. The project also supports livelihood solutions to increase profits for independent scrap collectors and traders, with the majority of workers being female, and supports the operating conditions of scrap collection facilities.

Following the above project, with support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Vietnam and the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program (GEF-SGP), the City Women's Union is implementing a project to enhance capacity and mobilize the participation of women who collect and trade scrap in managing, classifying and treating household waste and plastic waste. According to the City Women's Union, there are currently more than 1,000 women in the city working as scrap collectors. This is a quiet, simple force, but plays an important role in collecting and classifying plastic waste in particular, and recyclable waste in general. On average, each month, a person can collect from 2-5 quintals of recyclable waste, helping to promote waste classification at the source in residential areas, businesses, units, etc.

However, most women who collect and trade scrap work in conditions lacking protective equipment, with unstable incomes, and are not officially recognized in terms of law or social policy, despite their important role in promoting waste sorting at source, developing a circular economy, and protecting the environment.

The project supports the establishment and operation of two women's clubs for collecting and trading scrap with 55 members in Thanh Khe and Ngu Hanh Son districts; organizes training sessions, community communication, guides on waste classification at source and ensures health safety for waste classification participants, labor safety for scrap collectors and traders; donates 30 health insurance cards and 10 means of livelihood (pushcarts, bicycles) to women who collect and trade scrap in difficult circumstances...

Ms. Ho Thi Nhan (Tan Trung 1 residential area, Xuan Ha ward, Thanh Khe district), a scrap collector and trader, shared: “My sisters and I often work with high intensity, hard work and are exposed to toxic substances from scrap. Through club meetings and some activities, we are more aware of the role of the work we are doing, which not only brings economic benefits to our families, but also contributes to environmental protection. We identify ways to coordinate with localities, units and households to collect recyclable waste to promote recyclable waste classification and circular economy”.

Through the project, the City Women's Union will propose to recognize the role and rights of groups of women who purchase and trade scrap in the city to contribute to the implementation of some goals of the project "Building Da Nang - Environmental City" in the period of 2021-2030. At the same time, spread green lifestyle, promote waste classification at source, reduce plastic waste and protect the environment in all levels of the union and all women's union members in the city.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen, coordinator of the small grants program of the Global Environment Facility (GEF-SGP), said: “Women who buy and trade scrap are ordinary people but are playing an indispensable role in the waste management system. Recognizing and supporting the group of women who buy and trade scrap not only helps improve their livelihoods, but also contributes to promoting the participation of ordinary women in the waste management chain in particular and the sustainable development process of Da Nang city in general. This project is an effort to promote the circular economy and environmental protection.”

HOANG HIEP

Source: https://baodanang.vn/xa-hoi/202506/thuc-day-kinh-te-tuan-hoan-bao-ve-moi-truong-4008390/