The new regulation was passed by the Hanoi People's Council on Thursday during its 25th session as part of a resolution aimed at reducing plastic waste across the capital.

Under the resolution, all production, business, service and household activities in Hanoi must adopt stricter measures to cut plastic pollution.

In the manufacturing sector, the city requires producers using polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) plastics to include at least 20 per cent recycled plastic in packaging by 1 January 2028. This figure will increase to 30 per cent from 1 January 2030. Meanwhile, the production and import of single-use plastics and non-biodegradable packaging will be gradually phased out.

From 1 January 2031, Hanoi will ban the production and import of single-use plastic products entirely, except for those certified with the Vietnam Eco-label.

For retailers, the use of free non-biodegradable plastic bags will no longer be allowed at markets and convenience stores starting 1 January 2027. One year later, from 2028, these outlets will be prohibited from selling or using single-use plastics or non-biodegradable packaging such as plastic bags and foam food containers, with exceptions only for products where the plastic packaging is part of the item itself.

E-commerce businesses must reduce their use of plastic-based packaging and cushioning materials or establish take-back systems to prevent environmental leakage.

Hotels and tourist accommodations will be required to eliminate the use of single-use plastic items from 1 January 2026. These include plastic toothbrushes, razors, cotton swabs, shower caps and small plastic containers for toiletries such as toothpaste, shampoo, body lotion and conditioner.

Dustcarts line up on a street in Hanoi.

According to the Hanoi People’s Committee, the city currently sees a massive volume of plastic bags in circulation. A survey conducted at 48 supermarkets in the city revealed that around 104,000 plastic bags are handed out free of charge each day, amounting to over 38 million bags per year. Most of these are used only once before being discarded into landfills.