Ho Chi Minh City residents exchange recyclable trash for gifts
Monday, July 24, 2023, 16:37 GMT+7
Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 10 have launched 14 collection and drop-off points across the district where local residents can exchange recyclable trash for gifts.
The launch was part of the Environment Day co-held on Sunday by the People’s Committee and relevant state agencies in the district.
With the theme ‘Saying No to Non-biodegradable Plastic Bags and Single-use Plastics,' the Environment Day was held in response to World Environment Day (June 5) led by the United Nations Environment Program.
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| Recyclable bottles are displayed at a booth run by the Vietnam Women’s Union of District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, July 23, 2023. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
The event is expected to raise public awareness about environmental protection and encourage the public to get into the habit of using less non-biodegradable plastic bags and single-use plastics in their daily activities, as well as sorting garbage at the source.
Participants in Sunday's event were called on to exchange their recyclable trash for gifts.
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| Local residents play games on waste classification at Environment Day held by authorities in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, July 23, 2023. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
They were also briefed on eco-friendly products and played games to receive eco-friendly items as gifts.
Besides, representatives of two traditional wet markets, five supermarkets, and one shopping mall active in the district pledged to reduce the use of non-biodegradable plastic bags.
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| Kids paint paper bags and receive reusable bottles as gifts at Environment Day held by authorities in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, July 23, 2023. Photo: Tuoi Tre |
Data from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment revealed that Vietnam consumes more than 30 billion plastic bags per year and each household utilizes an average of five plastic bags daily.
Most plastic bags were used once before ending up in landfills, the ministry said.
In Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, the two largest metropolises in Vietnam, up to 80 metric tons of plastic waste are discharged every single day, with plastic bags accounting for some 7-8 percent.
To cope with such a huge volume of discarded single-use plastic bags, the administration of Ho Chi Minh Chinh City issued a plan to speed up efforts in managing, reducing, reusing, recycling, and treating plastic waste in the city during the 2022-25 period, with a vision toward 2030.
The city is striving to minimize the use of non-biodegradable plastic bags and single-use plastics by 2030.
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