A fish-shaped bamboo dustin for collecting plastic waste on My Khe beach of Da Nang city (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) – An environmental protectionprogramme will be carried out in 2019 to help improve plastic consumptionhabits.
The programme, named “Caravan Can Gio”, wasannounced in Ho Chi Minh City on May 15 by the Vietnam Plastics Association(VPAS) and the HCM City Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment(HACNE).
Under the programme, the two organisations will join hands to promote thesorting of solid waste in Ho Chi Minh City via coordination with local schoolsand district authorities, and organise tree planting and clean-up activities.
The two organisations plan to carry out this programme in CanGio district of HCM City, Da Nang city or Quy Nhon city of Binh Dinh provincein the central region, and Van Don district of the northern province of QuangNinh.
The events will feature exhibitions introducing greeninitiatives, green businesses and environmentally friendly products. Organiserswill also call on people to join in beach cleanups and present dustbins tolocal schools, aiming to help change consumption habits and promote plasticwaste treatment.
VPAS Chairman Ho Duc Lam said plastic productsare indispensable in the daily life. Therefore, to reduce the release ofplastic waste into the environment, it is necessary to involve multiple partiesand have public support.
The Caravan Can Gio programme is a practicalactivity helping with sustainable development and environmental protection, henoted.
Echoing the view, HACNE Secretary General VanThi Minh Hoa said this programme will also be an occasion for businesses tojoin hands to protect the environment, thereby encouraging them to makeinnovations and produce environmentally friendly products.
According to international organisations,Vietnam is one of Asia’s five worst polluters of ocean plastic waste. With 13million tonnes of waste discharged into the ocean every year, the country ranks17th in the world for ocean plastic waste pollution.
The Ministry of Natural Resources andEnvironment estimated that 80 tonnes of plastic waste and bags are thrown awayevery day in Hanoi and HCM City alone.-VNA
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A fish-shaped bamboo dustin for collecting plastic waste on My Khe beach of Da Nang city (Photo: VNA) 
