HCM City seeks international cooperation in plastic waste treatment

Cuong thanked the SNV for launching the project ‘Clean Cities for a Green Vietnam’ with financial support from the AEPW, and expressed his hope the two sides would have close cooperation activities to solve the problem of plastic waste and plastic pollution in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as to support the city in developing a sustainable circular economy model for the plastic industry.

Acknowledging the project’s progress in the city, Cuong proposed that the SNV and AEPW integrate the project into programmes and projects the city is implementing, including the National Action Plan on ocean waste management till 2030 and a programme on plastic waste collection and treatment in Can Gio district.

He expected that these two organizations would continue to promote cooperation with the city in supporting small and medium enterprises and start-ups in waste recycling, upgrading waste management infrastructure, and developing communication campaigns to raise public awareness about waste separation practices at source, or reducing plastic waste.

AEPW vice president Nicholas Kolesch for his part expressed his wish that Ho Chi Minh City would cooperate and support the implementation of the pilot project ‘Clean Cities for a Green Vietnam’ in the city.

As a global non-profit organization with 77 members, the AEPW is eager to support countries in solving challenges related to plastic waste through the application of modern technology and experience acquired from many other projects, he said.

Meanwhile, SNV country director Peter Loach said that the SNV and the AEPW jointly implement the project to address urban challenges of waste management. The project was developed with the aim of reducing 15-20% of plastic waste pollution in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in the 2023 – 2026 period.