Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam Ping Kitnikone addressing the event The event saw the participation of Le Cong Thanh, Vice-Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Nguyen The Hung, Vice-Chairman of Hanoi City People’s Committee as well as representatives of twenty-two embassies and international organizations in Vietnam. According to the Code of Conduct, international partners commit to assessing their current office practices related to one-time use plastic, and instituting operational changes to minimize their “plastic waste footprint”. All signatories also agreed to engage their staff in reducing plastic waste and encourage their partners and stakeholders to implement policies of throwing away no plastic waste. By taking this joint action, international partners in Vietnam seek to act as change agents in reducing plastic pollution and raising awareness of its negative effects on humans, animals and the environment. We have been working in the campaign … [Read more...] about Foreign embassies cooperate to combat plastic waste in Vietnam
Plastic waste
Overloaded Vietnam shipping terminals take a break from plastic waste
By Dang Khoa  May 29, 2018 | 03:51 pm GMT+7 Vietnam's largest shipping terminal, Tan Cang Cat Lai. Photo by VnExpress/D.L. Vietnam became the U.S.'s biggest plastic waste partner in the first quarter of 2018. Choked by plastic waste, shipping terminals in Vietnam will temporarily stop this commodity from June 25 to October 15, the business journal Resource Recycling Inc. reports. A letter sent to shipping companies by the Tan Cang Cai Mep International Terminal, obtained by the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, says that the vast amount of plastic waste containers the port has received has caused backups and delays. The port currently has 1,132 TEUs (1 TEU equals a 39-cubic-meter container) of plastic scrap.Tan Cang Cat Lai, one of Vietnam’s largest shipping terminals, had more than 8,000 TEUs of plastic waste and paper as of May 21. Both terminals, which are operated by the Saigon Newport Corporation, are no longer accepting plastic scrap. … [Read more...] about Overloaded Vietnam shipping terminals take a break from plastic waste
Urgent solutions needed to fight plastic waste ruining oceans and waterways
Viet Nam News HCM CITY — Land-based solutions are urgently needed to address the leakage of plastic waste into the ocean and other waterways, experts said on Thursday at a workshop held in HCM City. The workshop, organised by the US Consulate General in HCM City on the occasion of Earth Day on April 22, was attended by environmental experts, and representatives from NGOs and government agencies. Speaking at the event, US Consul General Mary Tarnowka said that caring for the environment was not only a government challenge but also a community responsibility. “The accumulation of marine debris (which is mostly plastic) is a human-made problem that requires a human solution. People can and must do more to prevent plastics from polluting the oceans,” she said. She called on everyone to play a role by reusing plastic bags, separating food waste from other garbage, and rejecting the use of plastic cups and straws at restaurants and plastic … [Read more...] about Urgent solutions needed to fight plastic waste ruining oceans and waterways
Plastic waste – serious threat to environment
Protecting the living environment, especially curbing plastic waste, is the responsibility shared by the entire community, the diplomat said at an event to mark the Earth Day (April 22) held by the U.S. Consulate General in HCM City on April 19. Photo for illustration: dw.com Mary Tarnowka described plastic waste as a serious threat, noting that piles of plastic waste in oceans have destroyed the natural environment, adversely affected the marine life and threatened the living environment. Plastic trash has also accumulated on land, harming humankind’s life, the Consul General added. Given this, she urged agencies and units to regularly launch campaigns to clean up rubbish, especially plastic waste, in localities, thus raising public awareness of this issue. Echoing Mary Tarnowka’s views, Quach Thi Xuan, Director of the Da Nang-based Center for Sustainable Development Consultation, said it is necessary to change people’s habit of using plastic … [Read more...] about Plastic waste – serious threat to environment
Vietnam urged to control ocean plastic waste
VietNamNet Bridge - A survey by the Marine Environment Survey and Natural Resources Control Agency found that plastic waste, including domestic land litter and marine waste, is polluting the marine environment in the sea areas of Quang Binh – Hai Phong, Da Nang – Quang Nam and Ba Ria-Vung Tau – HCM City. Land litter is polluting coastal areas Land litter is mostly from urbanization and industrialization in coastal areas. In the Quang Ninh - Hai Phong area, for example, waste water from industrial facilities goes directly into the sea without any treatment. Domestic waste water is also untreated and discharged directly to lakes and rivers in the locality. Solid waste is not fully treated, but is mostly buried. Some dumping grounds in Ha Long City, including Ha Lam and Ha Khau, are always overloaded. Local people also have the habit of throwing garbage into the bay. The domestic waste water of Da Nang City is collected and treated before it reaches rivers … [Read more...] about Vietnam urged to control ocean plastic waste