Vietnam is facing a severe shortage of waste recycling facilities meeting Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) standards, an expert said at a seminar themed ‘Toward a Successful Extended Producer Responsibility Approach,’ held in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday.

A standard process is needed to collect and recycle waste, said Nguyen Huu Tien, chairman of the members’ council of Hanoi Urban Environment Co. Ltd..

Recycling activities in Vietnam mainly depend on scrap dealers and recycling villages.

To reduce recycling costs and successfully implement EPR, main forces should closely cooperate, Tien suggested.

He took Taiwan as an example as it recycles nearly 70 percent of its waste and has successfully implemented EPR.

The EPR implementation there has been jointly conducted by the administration, residents, recycling funds, and recycling factories.

Pham Phu Ngoc Trai, chairman of the Packaging Recycling Organization Vietnam (PRO Vietnam), gives the opening remarks at the event. Photo: Courtesy of organizer

Speaking at the seminar, Pham Phu Ngoc Trai, chairman of the Packing Recycling Organization Vietnam (PRO Vietnam), said that Vietnam is among the first countries in Southeast Asia to apply EPR, which are its significant efforts in preserving natural resources for future generations.

“The effective implementation of EPR will help us achieve targets for a better environment”, Trai emphasized.

“Producers will certainly face many challenges once EPR is officially implemented, but the EPR implementation in Vietnam will be effective with the efforts of relevant parties, especially non-profit organizations like PRO Vietnam”, Trai added.

Nguyen Thi Hoai Linh, country manager for the Environmental Development Action in the Third World (ENDA) Vietnam. Photo: Nhat Xuan / Tuoi Tre

Nguyen Thi Hoai Linh, country manager for the Environmental Development Action in the Third World (ENDA) Vietnam, suggested recognizing the role of scrap dealers and issuing supportive policies for them. 

They are the main collectors of trash and have to work in a hazardous environment but they are not entitled to supportive policies.

Thanks to EPR, scrap prices will be higher, thus improving the life of scrap dealers.

However, EPR will boost the establishment of waste recycling companies which will compete with traditional recycling units, forcing the latter to meet strict requirements, Linh added.

Therefore, they need more support.

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