Vietnamese government explores plastic pollution escape routes amid mounting waste crisis

02 Dec 2022 --- The Vietnamese government has approached the World Bank for an advisory report on how to combat the country’s alarming plastic pollution problems. There are reportedly around 3.1 million metric tons of plastic waste discharged on land every year in Vietnam, forcing the government to consider alternative solutions like biodegradable plastics.

Meanwhile, researcher Huitong Wang from the Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources at University College London, UK, has provided a new vision to minimize plastic waste in Vietnam by 2050. 

According to Wang, there are several pathways for achieving a significant plastic reduction. The vision can be divided into three parts based on the reduce, reuse and recycle (3R) principles. 

Complying with this strategy would mean that by 2050, all plastic in Vietnam will be recovered for the production of high-end products, without any material being sent to landfills or incinerators. 

Vietnam aims to be plastic waste-free by 2050, partly through the adoption of biodegradable alternatives.Boosting biodegradables
To support petrochemical plastic reductions, the Vietnamese government reportedly plans to support accessibility to biodegradable plastic nationwide between 2020-2030. From 2030-2040, it will propose a better recycling system policy and enhance the public’s governance to ensure all biodegradable plastic is collected and recycled.

From 2040-2050, the country also plans to introduce new technology to transform waste into energy. 

Wang’s research paper, published in Frontiers in Business, Economics and Management, highlights the barriers to achieving these action plans, which include a lack of investment and public awareness.

Furthermore, the researcher notes that the vision is hard to achieve, with many more detailed areas still up for discussion. However, if this vision is achieved successfully, Vietnam aims to be plastic waste-free in 2050.

Curbing the single-use tide
Relatedly, a World Bank report titled Toward a National Single-use Plastics Roadmap in Vietnam has proposed a gradual effort to combat the country’s pollution through a mix of policy instruments and fiscal mechanisms, progressing from restrictions and fees to bans.

The majority of plastic polluting Vietnam’s waterways are single-use, low-value items such as plastic bags, food containers and straws, according to the study. To address the pollution caused by these items, the country requires a progressive phase-out system, the promotion of viable alternatives and improved solid waste management.

“Rapid economic growth, urbanization and changing lifestyles in Vietnam have led to a country-wide plastic pollution crisis,” says Carolyn Turk, World Bank country director for Vietnam. “This study sAn estimated 3.1 million metric tons of plastic waste is discharged on land in Vietnam.hows that single-use plastic items make up a large portion of plastic pollution in Vietnam, and addressing their use will make a big difference.”

Surveying plastic pollution
An estimated 3.1 million metric tons of plastic waste is discharged on land in Vietnam, with at least 10% of it going into the ocean every year. The Vietnam National Plastics Action Partnership says the amount of plastic in waterways could double by 2030 if the country’s current waste collection, recycling and treatment processes are not improved.

To explore the extent of pollution in Vietnam’s environment, the World Bank study was conducted between July 2020 and April 2021 on the different types of plastic waste that leak into rivers and the ocean, and the products on the market that could serve as suitable alternatives.

The study, which included field surveys of riverbank and coastal sites, found that plastic waste accounted for most of the waste collected, of which single-use plastic (SUP) items comprised 62% of the total plastic waste. 

Plastic bags and their fragments, styrofoam food containers and straws were identified as the most abundant SUPs in the environment, accounting for up to 38% of the plastic waste leakage at the surveyed locations.

Overflowing landfills 
According to a recent report by Mordor Intelligence, an organization for international statistics and insights, Vietnam is one of the top five countries in the world that together account for about 60% of the ocean’s plastic pollution. 

The majority of the companies in Vietnam’s solid waste management industry are state-owned, with the technologies provided by foreign countries. Few of these are large multinational companies that have subsidiaries in Vietnam. Most of the technology providers are from Singapore, China, the US and European countries. Waste pickers can play a key role in boosting recycling rates, highlights Mordor Intelligence. 

However, the country’s adoption of technologies is lower and mainly focuses on hardware products. The disadvantage created by the unclear legislation in the industry encourages businesses to utilize foreign methods to tackle waste. The government encourages numerous waste-to-energy technologies to utilize the waste and make useful resources for further use.

Furthermore, Mordor Intelligence says that waste pickers can play a key role in the waste management system as they sort out waste at source, classify it and then sell it to recycling companies.

This week, the International Alliance of Waste Pickers, which promotes the importance and role of up 56 million people working informally to collect plastic packaging trash across the globe, was officially recognized at the ongoing UN International Negotiating Committee for a global plastics treaty.

Most of the recycling businesses in Vietnam are either informal family businesses or small-scale enterprises. Recycling is considered an urgent requirement in Vietnam’s waste management system as an effective option to reduce waste going into landfills. 

By Natalie Schwertheim