The target is to be completely free from plastic waste within two years. This can only be achieved if all parties implement the initiative with strong discipline.

World Environment Day 2025, initiated by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), is themed “Beat Plastic Pollution”, calling on the global community to take bold action in tackling plastic waste - one of the most urgent environmental challenges today. In recent years, Vietnam has issued and implemented numerous key policies, programs, and strategies aimed at improving plastic waste management and minimizing plastic pollution.

Vietnam has taken various steps to manage marine plastic waste, including the National Action Plan to 2030. However, weak links between island and mainland development, along with increasing marine pollution, remain key challenges.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, approximately 1.8 million tonnes of plastic waste are generated in Vietnam every year, with between 0.28 - 0.73 million tonnes of this waste ending up in the oceans. Only 27% of plastic waste is recycled or repurposed by businesses and facilities.

The project aims to identify sources of plastic waste, assess its socioeconomic and environmental impacts, and propose policies to minimise its effects on coastal communities and key industries such as fisheries and tourism.

Following extensive assessment, WWF-Vietnam has recognised six particularly successful models that could be expanded.

Dr Nguyen Trung Thang and a research team from the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment have proposed a three-pronged approach that combines policy reform, market incentives and public awareness improvement to combat Vietnam’s growing plastic waste crisis.

The Indonesian government will start imposing a ban on the import of plastic waste from the beginning of next year, according to Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurrofiq.

The Philippines expects its "Extended Producer Responsibility" (EPR) that came into force last year will help it curb plastic waste.

Malaysia is the world’s second-largest dumping ground for plastic waste from the European Union (EU), undermining its government’s commitments to prevent the Southeast Asian nation from becoming a dumping ground for detritus from around the world.

Forest fires and deforestation in Indonesia declined drastically in the last 10 years, Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar said on September 29.

According to a representative from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam, innovating waste collection technology in rivers will help the Southeast Asian country to prevent plastic waste from reaching the sea.

Many coastal and island localities have developed action plans to raise awareness of environmental protection and promote tourism development in conjunction with solutions to reduce plastic waste.

Malaysia will raise the issue of plastic pollution plaguing the world when it hosts the ASEAN Summit 2025, Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Nik Nazmi Nik Admad told the press on July 16.

Together with other countries in the world, Vietnam has been taking actions to reduce plastic waste and the use of single-use plastic bags, towards a plastic bag free community.

Together with other countries in the world, Vietnam has been taking actions to reduce plastic waste and the use of single-use plastic bags, towards a plastic bag free community.

Indonesia is optimistic about reducing plastic waste in the ocean by 70% by 2025.

The booming e-commerce sector, covering online retail and food delivery, is discharging an “alarming level” of single-use packaging and plastic waste.

In order to address the growing issue of pollution, Ho Chi Minh City has been launching various joint dissemination campaigns and activities with businesses to encourage its dwellers to reduce the use of single-use or non-degradable plastic bags, and collect and recycle plastic waste.

Statistics from the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands showed that the country discharges about 0.28 - 0.73 million tonnes of plastic waste into the sea annually, ranking fourth among those discarding the biggest volumes of this type of waste.