US-Vietnam join hands in the fight against plastic pollution

US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Susan Burns and students of Fulbright University Vietnam

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Dep (54 years old) lives in Binh Thanh District (HCMC). Previously, like other scrap collectors, every day she pushed her bulky cart along the routes where she thought she could pick up scrap. She did not mind the sun or rain just to earn more money to improve the livelihood of her small family.

Collecting scrap metal in the technology era

Everything changed when she joined the scrap collection model on the VECA application, which stands for Technology Scrap. "Before, I had to push the cart, but now I just need to hold my phone, see the notification message and ride my motorbike to the seller's house to buy scrap, much easier than before," said Ms. Dep.

Mrs. Dep boasts that this way of collecting scrap is less tiring and that she can collect all kinds of scrap, thus increasing her income 5-6 times compared to pushing her cart the old way and leaving it to luck. She also boldly dreams that her income can increase 8-9 times if VECA develops further.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Dep (54 years old) joined VECA from 2021

Operating as a technology-based car-booking application, the VECA application, founded by Mr. Bui The Bao, connects people who want to sell scrap with collectors who come to buy it on-site. Mr. Bui The Bao said that the idea of ​​VECA was born in 2018, and officially started operating in 2021 and has been operating to this day.

Currently, the technology Scrap application is trying to "cover" 19 districts, connecting people who want to sell scrap and buyers. Besides creating more income for those who make a living by collecting scrap, this approach also allows sellers to raise environmental awareness, and conduct waste sorting at the source in households, companies, and businesses.

Mr. Bao said that VECA has so far recorded more than 43,000 uses, among which there are many people who are truly concerned about the environment and besides that, there are also people who are curious to try selling scrap metal through the application.

Mr. Bui The Bao, founder of VECA

From 2023, VECA will begin receiving support from USAID. In addition to financial matters, USAID also provides orientation for VECA to develop sustainably and expand its network of partners. Mr. Bao shared that with support from USAID, VECA will shift its focus to entities such as companies, supermarkets, and schools, and will install classified trash bins there, allowing people to collect scrap metal periodically.

According to the founder of VECA, the above approach is said to encourage companies and businesses to be more responsible in classifying waste at source and thereby creating a more widespread impact.

Refuse bottled water

Scrap collectors like Ms. Dep have appeared in the "Reduce Plastic Waste" mural collection organized by USAID to raise awareness of the global plastic pollution crisis. From now until December 15, the collection will be exhibited on the wall of the US Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City on Le Duan Street, District 1.

VECA Team and USAID Acting Administrator Bradley Bessire

The exhibition reflects the special interest of Ms. Susan Burns, US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, in environmental protection, including reducing plastic waste.

During the first interview of her term with Thanh Nien at Le Duan Flower Street on the occasion of the Year of the Cat, Ms. Burns refused to drink bottled mineral water even though she forgot to bring her personal water bottle despite the scorching heat in the days leading up to the New Year.

Image of a woman collecting traditional scrap metal

After more than a year and a half, in her latest interview with Thanh Nien on the occasion of the opening of the mural exhibition, she shared: "I think the first and most important thing is to reduce the use of plastic products."

The US consul general has admitted to being a long-time advocate of reducing plastic waste at work and at home. “One reason for this habit is because of my children. I have two children, 21 and 23 years old. I want to leave a better planet for them and make sure they don’t have to deal with the problems of microplastics, which are extremely harmful to human health,” she said.

Ms. Susan Burns, US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, wants to protect the environment for the future of the young generation.

So, Mrs. Burns always tries to use as little plastic as possible. She always carries a reusable water bottle. If she goes to a cafe, she brings her own cup. She refuses to use plastic water bottles, tries not to buy things in plastic packaging, and carries her own bags when she goes to the market to buy food and vegetables.

She was pleased to discover that the trend of reducing plastic use is happening across Vietnam. "I saw some stores selling refillable products, like shampoo and soap," she said.

Increasing recycling of medical plastic waste is part of efforts to reduce plastic waste.

She also teaches her children to reduce their plastic use. Her two children grew up following their mother’s diplomatic career in many places, and also witnessed how plastic pollution affects the quality of life in each locality.

Regarding the US and Vietnam’s commitment to reduce plastic waste, the consul general said that the two countries are implementing a number of policies in this direction. According to her, the US currently has specific programs to protect its marine reserves from plastic pollution. Vietnam also has similar programs in places like Phu Quoc and Con Dao.

Replace plastic products with more environmentally friendly alternatives

In response to the need to further this effort, the United States, through USAID, is supporting Vietnam in reducing plastic pollution. Consul General Burns cited an example of an effort to raise awareness among children through a mobile game called "Green Turtle Hero", which teaches children to better understand the harmful effects of plastic waste on the surrounding environment.

In addition, the US Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City has implemented measures to reduce plastic waste within the consulate premises and has also joined hands with community partners to provide the best support for local efforts, including the Mekong Delta.

Recycling is an important but still limited step in Vietnam.

The US diplomat praised many young people in Ho Chi Minh City, especially in universities, who are switching to using reusable water bottles instead of disposable plastic bottles.

"However, another challenge is present in coffee drinking culture. Many places still use plastic cups, plastic bags and plastic straws. I think young people can change this habit by buying coffee at places that do not use disposable plastic. If you ask, surely the seller will find a way to adjust to meet the needs of customers," said Ms. Burns.

Use reusable bottles instead of plastic cups, wraps, and straws when drinking coffee.

The power of youth

Mr. Bradley Bessire, Acting Director of USAID Vietnam, affirmed that efforts to reduce plastic waste are a priority for the US and USAID, accordingly, wants to support Vietnam in raising people's awareness about some of the types of plastic they use, whether it is plastic bags for cups or plastic straws.

"You know, when you go to a store and you want to buy a can of soda and the first thing the clerk does is take the plastic bag that the can came in. But do you really need a plastic bag to take the can out of the store?" Mr. Bessire gave an example to show that consumers should think instead of automatically accepting the plastic bag in this case.

Mr. Bradley Bessire, Acting Director of USAID Vietnam, with plastic bags (made by deaf people) and plastic bags made from recycled plastic

The Acting Director of USAID highly appreciated Vietnam’s implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which is the responsibility of manufacturers and importers to manage their product packaging when disposing of them into the environment. This is considered a breakthrough policy towards Vietnam’s Green economy .

Besides, Mr. Bessire said that Vietnam can trust in the youth, one of the greatest sources of hope and inspiration for society. The youth are the ones who come up with ideas in an effort to change society for the better, such as making changes in the field of climate change, rescuing endangered animals.

USAID Acting Administrator Bradley Bessire supports Vietnam's efforts to address plastic waste, a global issue

Last year, USAID sponsored Fulbright University Vietnam to host the Southeast Asia Social Impact Project (ASIP) 2023 competition, which seeks to develop leadership and project management skills among young leaders to address cross-border social issues in the region. ASIP 2023 focuses on the theme of "Towards Zero Waste".

Consul General Burns is particularly concerned about plastic pollution, a global crisis.

By participating in ASIP 2023, student Truong Le Quynh Hoa's group, who is currently preparing to enter the 4th year at Fulbright University Vietnam, had the opportunity to be trained, coached and visit leading companies in the field of moving towards zero waste in Vietnam. This was an opportunity for Quynh Hoa and her friends to approach the current situation of waste in Vietnam and to better understand the views of the student community in particular and young people in general on the issue of plastic waste.

Fulbright University Vietnam students attend mural exhibition

“We want to continue to support Vietnam in making decisions about its future, protecting the environment, protecting species, keeping this country – which for me is one of the most wonderful destinations I have ever visited – clean and safe for its people, as well as for citizens around the planet,” Mr. Bessire concluded.

The younger generation is now interested in contributing to efforts to reduce plastic waste and protect the environment in Vietnam.

Mural exhibition 'Reduce plastic waste'

The photo exhibition "Reducing Plastic Waste" is organized by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to raise awareness about the global plastic pollution crisis. This is part of a broader bilateral cooperation effort to promote low-emission and climate-resilient agriculture, conserve biodiversity, reduce pollution, and strengthen the response capacity of vulnerable communities. The collection includes 10 murals, providing striking images that highlight the current state of plastic pollution in Vietnam and suggest measures to reduce plastic waste. The exhibition is on display from now until the end of the year.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/my-viet-chung-tay-trong-cuoc-chien-chong-o-nhiem-nhua-185240629112751381.htm