Vietnam's plastic consumption surges 21-fold in 3 decades
Friday, February 21, 2025, 18:22 GMT+7
Plastic consumption in Vietnam has skyrocketed from 3.8kg per capita in 1990 to 81kg per capita in 2019, marking a 21-fold increase over nearly three decades.
The alarming statistics were shared by Nguyen Thi, a representative from the Department of Legal Affairs, under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, at a seminar offering insights and updates on key trends in green, eco-friendly packaging held in Binh Duong Province in southern Vietnam on Thursday.
This is a pre-show event of the 18th International Processing and Packaging Exhibition (ProPak Vietnam 2025).
Globally, plastic production soared to 368 million metric tons in 2019 from around two million metric tons in 1950.
Without effective intervention, the figure could double to 736 million metric tons by 2040, Thi warned.
Despite efforts by many countries to reduce plastic use, global consumption continues to rise faster than population growth, indicating an over-reliance on plastic.
Vietnam is following the same trajectory.
The country’s plastic consumption increased to over nine million metric tons in 2022 from 0.2 million metric tons in 1990, and it is expected to double again by 2029.
Thi emphasized the urgent need for drastic solutions, including waste reduction, recycling initiatives, and circular economy models, to curb dependence on virgin plastics.
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| PRO Vietnam’s COO Chu Thi Kim Thanh briefs participants about its programs aimed at raising awareness about waste sorting and recycling at a conference in Binh Duong Province, southern Vietnam, February 20, 2025. Photo: Nhat Xuan / Tuoi Tre |
In response to this crisis, major consumer goods companies have formed the Packaging Recycling Organization Vietnam (PRO Vietnam) to promote plastic waste collection and recycling programs.
Since its establishment in 2019, PRO Vietnam has partnered with Vietnam Television (VTV) and Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper to raise awareness of waste sorting and recycling.
Sustainability is not just the responsibility of businesses, it requires collective action from all of society, said PRO Vietnam’s COO Chu Thi Kim Thanh.
Leading multinational corporations are also adopting sustainable packaging solutions.
Nguyen Thanh Giang, managing director of Tetra Pak Vietnam, a global leader in sustainable packaging, highlighted the company’s focus on using eco-friendly materials, simplifying packaging designs for easier recycling, and leveraging digital transformation to cut production costs and carbon emissions.
Tetra Pak has invested in recycling technology in Vietnam, working with local partners to bring recycled products back into circulation while supporting the development of efficient waste collection and recycling systems.
These initiatives align with the company’s net-zero strategy which aims for carbon neutrality in production.
The ProPak Vietnam 2025 exhibition, co-organized by Informa Markets Vietnam and Tetra Pak Vietnam and set to take place in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 7 from March 18 to 20, will feature over 340 businesses from 26 countries and territories.
The trade event will showcase the latest trends and technologies in food processing, packaging, and waste management.
In addition to product exhibitions, ProPak Vietnam 2025 will offer networking events and specialized seminars to help businesses optimize production processes, improve efficiency, and work toward sustainable development.
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