Documents Awareness - Knowledge
logo
ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS

Viet Nam plastic waste problem goes from bad to worse

13 September 2019 | 09:16:00 AM

Vietnamese per capita plastic waste is the third highest in Southeast Asia after increasing more than 10-fold in the last three decades.

 

Each Vietnamese person consumed only 3.8 kg of plastic in 1990, but 28 years later this had risen to 41.3 kg, according to a report released on Wednesday by Ipsos Business Consulting.

In Southeast Asia, only Malaysia (75.4 kg) and Thailand (66.4 kg) generate more.

For the study, Ipsos polled more than 17,000 respondents and did 3,900 selective interviews.

Viet Nam's plastic waste discharge is among the highest in the world, it said, without revealing specific ranking.

While more than half (55 percent) of respondents in the country said plastic waste is a serious problem, one third (33 percent) said plastic bottles and food wrap are indispensable in their daily life.

Viet Nam annually produces 1.8 million tons of plastic waste, but only 27 percent is recycled, the report said. 

The government has been making increasing efforts to combat the plastic waste epidemic, with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc calling for action to achieve zero disposable plastic use in urban shops, markets and supermarkets by 2021 and nationwide by 2025.

The report warned that these targets would not be easy due to poor public awareness of the impacts of plastic waste on the environment and low taxes on plastic products.

It also said Viet Nam is at high risk of becoming the world’s landfill with many countries taking advantage of policy gaps to ship large volumes of plastic waste to the country.

Viet Nam imported 9.2 million tons of scrap last year, up 14 percent from 2017, according to customs data.

The biggest sources of plastic recyclable wastes to Viet Nam are Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand, according to environmental organization Greenpeace.

Quach The Phong, Viet Nam country manager of Ipsos Business Consulting, told VnExpress International that while plastic waste is a headache for Viet Nam, it is not feasible to ban the use of plastics.

"In Viet Nam, there is increasing awareness of limiting plastic use, for example, single-use bags at supermarkets, and replacing plastic straws at cafés with more environmentally-friendly alternatives. But it seems that much more needs to be done on a larger scale to get rid of this deep-rooted habit in the country."

Source: Vnexpress

Views: 1358

Other news

Restart the public bicycle system in Hue City centre

(24/01/2024 08:24:AM )

HCM City water park hands over three bears to rescue centre

(18/01/2024 07:15:AM )

Thừa Thiên-Huế to reduce plastic waste, develop sustainable tourism

(07/01/2024 08:16:AM )

Localities join in efforts to fight plastics pollution

(31/12/2023 07:31:AM )

Dozens of pangolins, monkeys released into wild

(21/12/2023 07:53:AM )

Green lifestyle encouragement for environmental protection in Phu Yen

(30/09/2023 06:18:AM )

Hundreds of wild animal traps found in Son Tra

(23/09/2023 06:28:AM )

Đồng Nai seeks human-elephant coexistence

(11/09/2023 07:04:AM )

Vietnamese wildlife conservationist wins international award

(08/09/2023 07:07:AM )

VIDEO

Environmental Sustainability - we have choices

See more

ENVIRONMENT BRAND

UPCOMING EVENTS
The first Green Cypress to be recognized...

(VACNE) – These are 2 green cypress trees more than 300 years old...

See more
Some pictures of the ceremony to recognize...

(VACNE) – N(VACNE) – Authorities, mass...

See more
ADB finances climate resilience infrastructure...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $60 million financing...

See more
US support Vietnam strengthen wildlife protection

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry of Agriculture and...

See more
PHOTO GALLERY