(HQ Online) – Along with the transformation of the Vietnamese economy, the Vietnamese plastic industry has made continuous strides to keep up and more effectively support the business community, especially in converting production. green.
Ready for the new phase
According to statistics from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, each year in Vietnam there is about 1.8 million tons of plastic waste, of which more than half is discharged into the sea. However, after the Vietnamese Government’s commitment to “Net-Zero” by 2050 at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Summit (COP-26) and new generation trade agreements, Up to now, the topic of sustainable development has attracted more and more attention from businesses and the social community.
According to the Project “Producing plastic pellets and recycled plastic products”, in order to contribute to promoting the development of the recycled plastic industry, Ho Chi Minh City has supported the implementation of Duy Tan Recycled Plastic Factory Project at Lot D2 – Industrial Cluster. Duc Hoa Ha plastic, Duc Hoa Ha commune, Duc Hoa district, Long An province. According to a report of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, in 2024, the City will implement an investment project to upgrade the Laboratory, test and research and trial production of rubber and technical plastic products under the Center for Support and Development. City business development. In addition, Ho Chi Minh City focuses on developing the ecosystem and technology to collect and recycle rubber and plastic waste in the direction of recycling and reuse to meet green and sustainable production standards, contributing to building a sustainable economy. green city.
Joining that flow, many production and business units have been promoting a circular economy with a closed production cycle, where waste is returned to become raw materials for production, thereby minimizing waste. negative impact on the environment. Therefore, on the Vietnamese market, more and more products have appeared that use recycled plastic, or in other words, have a regenerated life cycle in production, business, consumption… which are encouraging signs. on plastic waste treatment in particular and green production transformation in the business community in general.
On the other hand, on the basis of strengthening investment cooperation and joint ventures, and becoming a supplier and participating in the supply chains of a number of global brands, it has helped many plastic businesses and related industries establish business models. circular economy model. For example, DKSH Vietnam (an enterprise operating in the fields of consumer goods, health care, special chemicals and PV technology) has expanded its strategic cooperation relationship with Elementis – a chemical company. Dedicated globally to distribute products and develop markets in Vietnam, as well as in the region. The cooperation between DKSH and Elementis also aims to increase production and sustainable development efforts in Vietnam, continuing the success of Elementis’ cooperation in China.
Recycling promotes exports
According to experts, investing in the production of plastic pellets and recycled plastic products aims to reduce environmental pollution, increase the localization rate of the plastic industry, towards a circular economy, and even a “passport”. ” for export products is a direction that many businesses are interested in.
According to actual records, currently, every day, 180 tons of plastic from 2,000 waste points in the Southern region are collected to the factory of Duy Tan recycling plastic enterprise (Duc Hoa Ha Plastic Industrial Cluster, Long An). . Mr. Le Anh, Director of Sustainable Development of Duy Tan Recycled Plastic Company, said that after being collected, 180 tons of used plastic bottles will be brought into factories to create plastic pellets and then produced. produces recycled plastic bottles. All these processes create a cycle and bring the flow of recycled plastic into everyday life.
With a capacity of 60,000 tons/year, equivalent to more than 4 billion plastic bottles recycled each year, when operating at maximum capacity it can reach 100,000 tons, equivalent to 7 billion plastic bottles, in 2023, Duy Tan has Collected and recycled 30,800 tons of plastic waste, equivalent to 2.4 billion plastic bottles. The number of recycled plastic bottles not only provides raw materials for major fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) partner companies in Vietnam but is also exported to 12 countries including the United States and Europe with export output is 60%.
Although there is much potential, Vietnam’s plastic recycling industry is still limited and cannot meet demand. To improve efficiency and develop plastic recycling activities, according to experts, Vietnam needs to synchronously implement strong legal and communication solutions to raise awareness about waste classification at source. , encouraging consumers to accept recycled plastic packaging products.
According to Mr. Phan Tuan Hung, Director of the Legal Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Vietnam’s recycling industry is facing an unprecedented opportunity for development when regulating product and packaging recycling (EPR). ) takes effect because businesses will receive financial support for recycling activities. But currently Vietnam’s recycling industry is still young, we do not have many large recyclers with modern technology. Current recycling activities are mainly carried out in craft villages, are very polluting and can be said to violate environmental laws.
Recyclers with effective recycling technology and compliance with environmental laws have the opportunity to receive financial resources from EPR. As for recyclers that pollute the environment and do not meet environmental protection requirements according to the law, they will not have this opportunity, Mr. Hung added.
On the business side, Mr. Hua Phu Doan, Vice President of the Recycling Association, said that Vietnam’s recycling industry is still weak and has low profitability, especially when it requires large investments to change technology and apparatus. . Therefore, it is necessary to take strong measures against facilities that do not meet standards as well as encourage and support recycling facilities to convert to create fairness for the market.
