Hanoi is mapping out solutions to encourage the production and consumption of eco-friendly alternatives to plastic items.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, head of the Environmental Impact Assessment and Appraisal Division under the Hanoi Department of Environmental Protection made the statement at a seminar held in Hanoi on October 27.

The seminar with the topic "Recycling technology for plastic waste and producing eco-friendly products" was jointly held by Kinh te & Do thi newspaper and the Hanoi Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Plastic waste is properly disposed. Photo: An Phat

Ms. Huong suggested that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment should consider waste and plastic waste as resources when drafting the amended Law on Environmental Protection.

Besides, the municipal government should encourage local residents to effectively reduce and separate solid waste at source, as well as reuse, recycle and treat waste (including plastic waste), Ms. Huong added.

She highlighted the importance of improving mechanisms and policies to support manufacturers of green items, especially to replace technology that uses plastic with the one using green materials.

The Department of Industry and Trade should coordinate with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to establish alliances to disseminate environmentally-friendly products, and phase out disposable plastic products (plastic cups, straws, among others) and persistent plastic bags.

The city’s authorities need to establish locations for collecting recycled plastic waste and send them to the plastic waste recycling plant. Collecting, separating and treating waste in tourist establishments, resorts and attractions in accordance with regulations should be compelling.

Competent forces continue to call on shopping malls, supermarkets, shops, wet markets, hotels, restaurants, resorts and production establishments in the city to commit to reducing plastic waste, using disposable plastic products or replacing them with environmentally friendly products. People must pay to have plastic bags, and non-biodegradable plastic bags will be replaced by environmentally friendly ones, Ms. Huong said.

In the time ahead, Hanoi will carry out a pilot model at scenic spots, pagodas, bus stations, and ports where bins with three compartments will be installed to classify garbage into organic waste and recyclable plastic waste.

Recently, Hanoi Urban Environment Company 10 (Urenco 10) has invested in a plastic waste sorting and recycling line. However, if trash collectors and local residents do not join hands with Urenco, the line will not be effective.

According to the national environmental protection strategy to 2020, Vietnam will strive to reduce the volume of hard-to-decompose plastic bags used in supermarkets and commercial centers by 65% and in wet markets by 50%. Some 50% of persistent plastic bags in daily life will be collected and reused.