HCM City campaign calls for joint actions to reduce plastic waste
A campaign named “Day to clean plastic waste 2019” was launched in Ho Chi Minh City on March 9 to raise public awareness and call for practical actions to protect the environment.
Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council Pham Duc Hai (first from left) gives farbic bags to local residents (Source: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) – A campaign named “Day to clean plastic waste 2019”was launched in Ho Chi Minh City on March 9 to raise public awareness and callfor practical actions to protect the environment.
Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s CouncilPham Duc Hai stressed that protecting the environment is the responsibility ofall people.
To address plastic waste-related issues, the engagement of all ministries,sectors, socio-political organisations, enterprises and individuals in the workis needed, Hai said.
Canadian Consul General in HCM City Kyle Nunas appreciated the city’sefforts to tackle plastic waste issues, especially its initiative to classifywastes and launch of the campaign.
After the launch ceremony, HCM City’s leaders and foreign ConsulsGeneral delivered fabric bags to shop owners and local residents at Ben Thanhmarket, while representatives from Consulates General, departments, sectors andorganisations and local people collected plastic waste on several streets.
On this occasion, a roundtable was held to make people understand moreabout impacts of plastic waste pollution and measures to prevent plastic waste.
Vietnam is one of Asia’s five worst polluters of ocean plastic waste,according to international organisations. With 13 million tonnes of wastereleased to the ocean every year, the country ranks 17th in the world for oceanplastic waste pollution.
Although there are no official statistics on the amount and varieties ofplastic in the Vietnamese sea and islands, plastic waste is easy to see inVietnamese waters, with the country’s 112 estuaries the main gateways ofplastic to the ocean.
Numbers from Vietnam’s Association of Plastic illustrate the scale ofthe problem. In 1990, each Vietnamese consumed 3.8kg of plastic per year, but25 years later, the figure hit 41kg.
As many as 1,000 plastic bags are used each minute but only 27 percentof them are treated and recycled.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) estimated thatabout 80 tonnes of plastic waste and bags are thrown away every day in Hanoiand HCM City combined.-VNA
In 2017, up to 38,000 tonnes of municipal waste was generated a day in Vietnam and a lack of proper solutions to the waste problem is harming the urban environment.
Vietnam is one of Asia’s five worst polluters of ocean plastic waste, according to international organisations. With 13 million tonnes of waste released to the ocean every year, the country ranks 17th in the world for ocean plastic waste pollution.
The Central Highlands (Tay Nguyen) region would be affected by the El Nino phenomenon this year, Tran Trung Thanh, said Deputy Director of Hydro-Meteorological Station in the region.
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.
The dispatch noted that since the beginning of 2025, natural disasters have claimed 29 lives and left several others missing. A total of 67 houses have collapsed, and 2,342 homes have been unroofed or damaged.
Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council Pham Duc Hai (first from left) gives farbic bags to local residents (Source: VNA) 
