Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam will cooperate with Japan in reducing marineplastic waste, according to head of the Vietnam Administration of Seas andIslands (VASI) Ta Dinh Thi.

Theofficial highlighted the effective cooperation between Vietnam and Japan in seaand island-related issues, saying his administration has drafted possiblecontents for cooperation with Japan such as sharing experience in management ofmaritime environment and resources, sea-based economic development and marinescience.

Theagency will soon begin building a project on cooperation with Japan inaddressing the problem of marine plastic waste.

Accordingto Japan’s estimate, Vietnam ranks fourth worldwide in the amount of plasticwaste dumped into the sea, with about 730,000 tonnes each year.

Thisaid Japan is one of the countries taking the lead in marine plastic wastetreatment, noting that the country has showed their praise and support for theinitiative to establish a common cooperation framework in East Asia in handlingmarine plastic pollution.

Atthe sixth Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) which took place inVietnam’s central Da Nang city in June 2018, the Vietnamese Ministry of NaturalResources and Environment (MoNRE) and the VASI proposed a regional project onmarine plastic waste, covering contents in which Japan can support the regionand Vietnam in particular.

TheVASI has also proposed programmes to Japan, aiming to enhance collaboration inscience and maritime natural resources survey in Vietnam, especially in deepand far waters.

Dr.Nguyen Le Tuan, Director of Sea and Island Research Institute under the VASIsaid Vietnam has yet to put in place any common framework or specificmechanisms and plans to reduce marine plastic waste. The country also lacksinformation to assess the impacts of marine plastic waste on the environment,economy, human health and safety and society in coastal areas.
However,the country has raised various initiatives and made great efforts in thisregard recently.

Atthe GEF6, Vietnam proposed that East Asian countries build, approve andimplement a strategy and action plans on marine plastic waste management in theregional waters; reduce plastic production and tighten the management of thetrading and use of plastic products. It also called for applying newtechnologies to replace plastic products by biodegradable plastics, amongothers.

TheMonRE has assigned the VASI to coordinate with relevant agencies in realisingsuch initiatives, Tuan said, noting that the Sea and Island Research Institutehas also proposed a project on assessing plastic waste in Vietnam, along withcountermeasures.

TheWork Economic Forum (WEF)’s Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland in January2016, heard that by 2050 there could be more plastic than fish in the sea (by weight). -VNA