Accordingly, they will implement uniformly, synchronizedly and effectively the tasks and solutions assigned by the Prime Minister in Directive No. 33/CT-TTg on August 20, 2020 on strengthening management, reusing, recycling, treatment and reduction of plastic waste and Decision No. 1746/QD-TTg on December 4, 2019 on the enacting of the National Action Plan on Ocean Plastic Waste Management to 2030. At the same time, the Ministry mobilizes the practical and proactive participation of agencies, units, officials, and employees of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in the activities of management, reusing, recycling, treatment and reduction of plastic waste, from policies, laws to specific activities.
In particular, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will appreciate the agencies, units, officials, and workers in the fight against plastic waste; thereby spreading and raising community’s awareness of the impact of environmental pollution due to the use of disposable plastic products and hard-to-decompose plastic bags (in manufacture, business, and living activities); proceed to abandon the habit of using disposable plastic products, hard-to-decompose plastic bags and replace them with environmentally friendly products.
In the years from 2020 to 2023, the Vietnam Environment Administration will develop and complete the institution on solid waste management in the Law on Environmental Protection (amendment) and documents stipulating details of the Law in the direction of treating waste and plastic waste as resources; review and propose to complete the law on plastic waste management; propose legislation on re-export or return of imported plastic scrap that does not meet environmental protection requirements; review and recommend to complete the law on ecological resources, especially for environmentally friendly plastic bags and plastic products with high recycling content.
In addition, the Ministry will review and propose to complete or coordinate to develop new environmental technological regulations and standards for products, goods and plastic bags derived from recycled plastics, products and goods containing microplastics and nano plastic in order to prevent negative impacts on human health and ecological environment; propose regulations and roadmaps for banning the use of microplastics; research and propose policies and regulations on restricting disposable plastic production and consumption as well as having a roadmap to ban their production and consumption; researching and developing policies and legal regulations to encourage individuals and organizations to classify plastic waste at sources to create favorable conditions for collecting and recycling.
The Department of Legal Works (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) develops the detailed regulations on the Law on Environmental Protection (amendment); proposes policies to promote the development of circular economic models, public-private partnership models, sharing economy models, and initiatives promoting the participation of associations, organizations and enterprises to reduce, reuse, recycle and treat plastic waste. The Institute for Strategy, Natural Resources Policy and Environment conducts an assessment of the status and trends of plastic waste generation (in living, manufacture, business and services). After that, the Department proposes mechanisms and policies to manage plastic waste in accordance with Vietnamese conditions.
The Center for Resource and Environmental Communication develops content and implements programs raising public awareness of the harmful impacts of plastic products and hard-to-decompose plastic bags on the environment, oceans and human health in order to change the habits of using disposable plastic products and hard-to-decompose plastic bags; form people's awareness of minimizing, classifying, reusing and recycling plastic waste; at the same time, provides professional training in communication for the network of reporters and editors specialized in natural resources and environment field on plastic waste; develops and implements some communication projects propagandizing and improving capacity of organizations, units and enterprises in management, operation, production, business and services on plastic waste reduction; proceeds to the use of environmentally friendly products. Significantly, environmental awards will be given to some models, solutions and initiatives on reduction, classification, collection, recycling and treatment of plastic waste.
Decision No. 2395/QD-BTNMT takes effect from October 28, 2020. This Decision replaces Decision No. 1855/QD-BTNMT on August 21, 2020 of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment to promulgate the Prime Minister's plan for the implementation of Decision No. 1746/QD-TTg on December 4, 2019 on the enacting of the National Action Plan on ocean plastic waste management to 2030.
Huyền Anh