Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City and representatives from many consulate generals launched a campaign aimed at minimizing plastic waste in the city center on Saturday.

Pham Duc Hai, deputy chairman of the municipal People’s Council, announced the commencement of the ‘plastic waste cleanup day’ during a ceremony at the 23/9 Park in District 1 in the morning.

Hai was joined by representatives from the consulate generals of Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, and Indonesia, as well as local officials and residents.

According to the vice-chairman, plastic products have become very necessary items in daily life in the southern metropolis.

The objects, however, have also left behind a lot of consequences, he continued.

About 20 percent of household waste across the city comes from plastic products, while they take hundreds of years to decompose.

This type of waste has not only caused environmental pollution but also exacerbated inundation in the southern hub, Hai elaborated.

“In order to protect the environment, a joint effort from authorities, residents, and organizations is a must,” he stressed.

On behalf of Ho Chi Minh City authorities, the deputy chairman called on citizens to start reducing the use of plastic in their daily life.

Following the ceremony, participants began collecting trash along many streets in the downtown area and handing recycled bags to traders and buyers at Ben Thanh Market.

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