HCM City (VNS/VNA) - The ‘Plastic Rehab Camp’ communication project has been initiated by Choice, a Vietnamese non-profit company, in Ho Chi Minh City to wean the community off using single-use plastic (SUP).

They want to change consumption habits and help build a more sustainable living environment.

Choice, which provides practical solutions and cost-effective services in environmental communications, education and sustainability consultancy, said the initiative is built with the slogan ‘Stop the plastic addiction, heal the planet’ in response to the alarming reality of plastic pollution.

“The project will help raise awareness about the harmful effects of plastic on health and the environment, and it is inspired by the model of recovery from bad habits (such as alcohol, tobacco and even sweets),” according to Choice’s statement.

“The ‘Plastic Rehab Camp’ emphasises the harm of ‘addiction’ to single-use plastic and practical solutions for ‘plastic rehab’ to change plastic consumption habits, contributing to reducing plastic pollution and protecting public health and the environment.”

The Plastic Rehab Camp event, which took place at the AEON MALL, in Tan Phu district of HCM City, offered an experiential space for self-assessing the level of ‘plastic addiction’, exploring information about plastic pollution and hands-on testing of ‘plastic rehab’ solutions.

Consul General of Canada in HCM City Annie Dubé said: "Plastic pollution is threatening our oceans, harming marine life and ultimately affecting our health. Reducing plastic is not just a trend but everyone's responsibility. I am delighted to witness the Plastic Rehab Camp inspiring people to take action and build a greener planet together."

The project has been working with Tiktok to promote a warning message: ‘Choose plastic addiction, choose danger’. It also shares regularly information and stories for ‘plastic rehab’ on Facebook.

Director of Choice, Tran Thanh Kim Tien said: "The transition from awareness to action is a long journey. The Plastic Rehab Camp project is expected to call for cooperation for a greener future, helping people recognise the problem and work together to find solutions.

"We need the joint efforts of the community and all stakeholders to achieve sustainable success."

🅘 The ‘Plastic Rehab Camp’ project has received support from the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) and partners such as AEON MALL Tan Phu Celadon Shopping Centre, Lagom Vietnam and goodwill ambassadors through the TikTok platform, singers Du Uyen, Dao and Marko Nguyen./.