PM hails supermarkets using eco-friendly alternatives to plastic bags
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has praised several supermarkets for using natural alternatives in wrapping goods, saying it contributes to raising public awareness of protecting the environment for the community’s benefits.
Co.op Mart Vietnam, Big C Da Nang and Big C Hanoi have used banana leaves to wrap foods in an effort to slash plastic waste. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has praised several supermarketsfor using natural alternatives in wrapping goods, saying it contributes to raisingpublic awareness of protecting the environment for the community’s benefits.
Co.op Mart Vietnam, Big C Da Nang and Big C Hanoi have used bananaleaves to wrap foods in an effort to slash plastic waste.
In his letter sent to these supermarkets on April 4, PM Phuc called on the businesscommunity, supermarkets, restaurants and hotels to join in efforts in reducingplastic bags and waste.
He suggested the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry ofIndustry and Trade, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry ofInformation and Communications, relevant branches and local authorities encouragethe use of environmentally-friendly goods while cutting the production ofplastic bags.
Vietnam is one of Asia’s five worst polluters ofocean plastic waste, according to international organisations. With 13 milliontonnes of waste released to the ocean every year, the country ranks17th in the world for ocean plastic waste pollution.
Although there are no official statistics on theamount and varieties of plastic in the Vietnamese sea and islands, plasticwaste is easy to see in Vietnamese waters, with the country’s 112 estuaries themain gateways of plastic to the ocean.
Numbers from Vietnam’s Association of Plasticsillustrate the scale of the problem. In 1990, each Vietnamese consumed 3.8kg ofplastics per year, but 25 years later, the figure hit 41kg. As many as 1,000 plastic bags are used each minute butonly 27 percent of them are treated and recycled.
The Ministry of Natural Resources andEnvironment (MONRE) estimated that about 80 tonnes of plastic waste and bagsare thrown away every day in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City combined.-VNA
Vietnamese companies making eco-friendly straws have received many orders from other countries that have reduced the use of plastic straws or even banned their production.
A conference was held in Hanoi on March 15 to discuss the role played by women in managing plastic waste as well as the relations between empowerment of women in households and community with the improvement in the field.
A seminar took place in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh on March 21 to discuss solutions to plastic waste – a major threat to the environment around the globe.
A non-refundable assistance package provided by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for the central province of Thua Thien-Hue to recycle urban waste has reaped positive results since its launch in August 2018.
Mariam Sherman, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, said the World Bank remains committed to working with the Vietnamese government to develop the next phase of climate resilience and transformation for the Mekong Delta.
Under the directive, the PM instructed relevant agencies to regularly inspect, supervise and proactively implement disaster prevention, response and rescue measures in line with their assigned roles and mandates, ensuring readiness, avoiding passivity or delays, and maintaining operational continuity amid ongoing political and administrative restructuring at levels.
According to Dr. Vu Anh Tuan, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam Space Centre and head of the project, this is the first study in Vietnam to simultaneously employ Sentinel-2 satellite data, advanced machine learning algorithms, and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud computing platform to model and monitor key seawater quality parameters.
The Deposit Return System is seen as a potential instrument for effectively advancing Vietnam’s vision of a circular economy, as outlined in Article 142 of the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection.
The figures were highlighted in a Pre-Feasibility Study on a DRS tailored for single-use beverage packaging in Vietnam, conducted by Eunomia Research & Consulting.
Young people should not view AI as salvation but rather as a tool under human control. Young creators should focus on learning and accumulating practical knowledge, using AI as a tool to carry out artistic projects in the most effective and cost-efficient manner.
Saigon Hi-Tech Park’s ambitious 50% renewable energy goal far exceeds the city’s 15% target, positioning the park as a trailblazing “living lab” for sustainable energy solutions.
Vietnam's economic losses from natural disasters are estimated to account for 1 to 1.5% of GDP annually - a steep price that will continue to rise unless the country takes strong action.
Wutip, the first storm in the East Sea so far this year, has wreaked havoc across central Vietnam, claiming lives, displacing residents, and causing widespread damage to houses, crops, and infrastructure, the Department of Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention and Control reported as of 6:30 pm on June 13.
The tremor occurred at 7:39:46 am (Hanoi time), with the epicentre located at latitude 14.924°N and longitude 108.236°E, at a depth of approximately 8.1 kilometres. The natural disaster risk level was classified as 0 – the lowest on the scale.
Addressing a session on “Accelerating Financing for Resilience: Tailored Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction,” Deputy Minister Hiep emphasised Vietnam's proposal in building sustainable financing in response to natural disasters, which aligns with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction's goals.
Vietnam has demonstrated its strong commitments by participating in global sustainable development forums, signing multiple free trade agreements, and attracting support from international partners for the implementation of the SDGs.
The fight against plastic pollution could not succeed through isolated efforts, but it must be a collective endeavour involving the entire political system, businesses, citizens, and the international community, said Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy.
Lang Son Global Geopark, with its outstanding geological values, cultural heritage, and unique natural landscapes, represents a valuable addition to UNESCO’s global geoparks system.
In 2019, Quang Ninh became one of the first localities in Vietnam to launch a province-wide campaign against plastic waste, mobilising the participation of the political system, the business sector, and the general public. Other localities—such as Hai Phong, Da Nang, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City—have also effectively implemented waste-sorting initiatives at source, along with models for plastic-free markets and urban areas.
This year’s World Oceans Day on June 8 is themed 'Wonderful Oceans: Sustaining What Sustains Us', while World Environment Day is on June 5 with the theme: 'Beat Plastic Pollution'.
According to Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment Le Huu Toan, a fire prevention and control plan has been in place since the dry season began, including round-the-clock patrols and rapid-response teams to snuff out fires before they could spread.
Renowned artists including Ha Anh Tuan, Den Vau, and Phan Manh Quynh, along with many directors and attendees, took part in planting hundreds of rare tree species such as mun (Diospyros mun) and cho chi (Parashorea chinensis) in the Thung Bong area of the Cuc Phuong National Park, contributing to forest ecosystem restoration.
Co.op Mart Vietnam, Big C Da Nang and Big C Hanoi have used banana leaves to wrap foods in an effort to slash plastic waste. (Photo: VNA) 
