On November 23, in Hanoi, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee held a scientific seminar “Production and consumption of biodegradable plastic products – Prospects of replacing disposable plastic products in Vietnam”.
The seminar was organized by the Science – Education and Environment Advisory Council (Fatherland Front Central Committee of Vietnam) to clarify the scientific and practical basis of biodegradable plastics and production development mechanisms and policies, consumption of biodegradable plastic products in Vietnam.
Vice Chairman of Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, Mr. Phung Khanh Tai; Prof. Nguyen Lan Dung, Chairman of the Advisory Council for Science – Education and Environment; PhD. Nguyen Linh Ngoc, Vice Chairman of the Advisory Council for Science, Education and Environment, Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee chaired the Workshop Mr. Nguyen Quang Huan, Member of Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, Chairman of Halcom Vietnam JSC., also attended the seminar and exchanged more with experts on environmental protection activities.
Vice Chairman of Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Mr. Phung Khanh Tai spoke at the Workshop
Raising community awareness about the risk of plastic pollution
At the seminar, scientists, experts, and managers all said that the problem of plastic waste in the world is becoming more and more urgent and seriously affecting the environment and human health. Every year, the world generates 300 million tons of plastic waste, nearly one third of the plastic bags that human beings put out are not collected and treated, more than 9.1 billion tons of plastic waste is accumulating on the earth. Plastic waste and plastic bags discharged into the environment are increasing exponentially, devastating the human environment and the animal world, especially marine life.
In order to protect the environment from the negative impacts of plastic waste, Prof. Dang Kim Chi posed the problem, it is necessary to have integrated management solutions from policies and planning for development of plastic products. Along with that is education and propaganda to limit the use of plastic products, increase the reuse and recycling of plastic waste.
“Technological and technical solutions are very necessary and need to be encouraged and invested in creating conditions for practical application results to contribute to the development of the country”, Professor Dang Kim Chi expressed.
Citation of the Institute of Marine and Island Research (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), PhD. Nguyen Hoang Linh – Deputy Director General of the General Department of Metrology and Quality stated that in fact, in Vietnam, plastic waste accounts for about 50 to 80% of marine waste. Currently, Vietnam is one of the countries with the 4th largest amount of waste discharged into the sea in the world with the volume of 0.28 to 0.73 million tons / year (equivalent to about 6% of the total plastic waste discharged into the sea. of the world).
To minimize the source of pollution related to plastic waste, PhD. Nguyen Hoang Linh recommends that in the coming time, it is necessary to launch movements to promote production associated with the use and reuse of products of the circulating economy. Along with that, enhancing communication, raising public awareness about the risk of plastic pollution in order to step away from the habit of using plastic bags and non-biodegradable plastic products and switch to using biodegradable plastic products.
“In the “recirculating economy “, products from crops such as starch, cane sugar, etc. are converted into renewable materials, as inputs to the production of bio-materials. This closed cycle creates a green value chain, is completely environmentally friendly and does not cause any negative effects ” Dr. Dinh Xuan Cuong said.
Environmental protection is the main mission of the Front
Speaking at the seminar, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, Mr. Phung Khanh Tai affirmed that protecting the environment and combating plastic waste is a key task of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, which is clearly defined in Party documents, laws of the State and concretized in the actions of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front. Over the past years, the environmental protection associated with the anti-waste movement has been regularly maintained by the Fronts at all levels and achieved positive results.
Based on the recommendations in the seminar, the Organizing Committee synthesized and reported the results to the Standing Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, focusing on proposing and consulting solutions to well perform the task of environmental protection, “Against plastic waste”; There are recommendations and proposals to the Party, State, and relevant competent agencies on environmental protection, “anti-plastic waste”, and production and consumption of biodegradable plastic products.
