Hanoi (VNA)- A workshop to kick off pilot activities in the “Rethinking Plastics - Circular Economy Solutions to Marine Litter inVietnam” project was held in Hanoi on April9.

The workshop was jointly held by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment(MoNRE), the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Vietnam,Expertise France (EF),and the German Cooperation Organisation(GIZ).

Benefitting the Asian countries of China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand,Japan, Singapore, and Vietnam, the project is funded by the EU and the German FederalMinistry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

In Vietnam, it is being implemented by EF, with the overall goal of supporting theimplementation of the EU’s plastic strategy in the region, towards further strengtheningcooperation between the EU and regional countries in promoting the circular economyand plastic waste treatment and reducing marine waste.

Pilot activities are expected to contribute to resolving plastic waste-related challengesin Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and central Phu Yen province, with the specific goalof reducing the amount of plastic waste not treated on land and at sea.

Accordingly, in HCM City, the project will focus on collecting, classifying, andrecycling plastics packaging and managing waste from ships at seaports. Meanwhile,a supermarket alliance will be established in Hanoi to reduce the use of disposableplastic bags at supermarkets and retail outlets, and in Phu Yen the projectwill support the formation of a volunteer team to collect marine waste and bringcollected waste ashore.

Apart from pilot activities, MoNRE will also coordinate with EF and other relevantagencies in Vietnam to support the building of key strategies and policies to effectivelyreduce and manage plastic waste.

Rui Ludovino, First Counsellor in charge of climate action, environment, employment,and social policy at the Delegation of the EU to Vietnam, highlighted the significanceof the project, saying that his agency will work closely with Vietnam tominimise marine plastic waste and share the experience of European countries inthis endeavour.

He expressed a hope that the pilot activities will become models and inspire policy-makingand initiatives in the future.

According to the Director General ofMoNRE’s InternationalCooperation Department, Pham Phu Binh, the Vietnamese Governmentin general and the ministry in particular have affirmed that they are very muchinterested in seeking urgent and long-term solutions to reducing plastic pollutionand promoting economic development in line with a circular economic approach./.