International Plastic Bag Free Day 3/7: Be a responsible consumer

2024 is the second year Vietnam participates in responding to International Plastic Bag Free Day.

Using 100% nylon bags, environmentally friendly packaging

According to statistics from the Worldwatch Institute, it is estimated that since 2002, approximately 5,000 billion plastic bags have been produced worldwide each year, a large number of which are used and then discarded into the environment. The international community and national governments are increasingly recognizing the unpredictable harm of plastic waste to the living environment, affecting living organisms; especially the direct and severe impact on human health.

In Vietnam, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, each year the country discharges about 1.8 million tons of plastic waste, including more than 30 billion nylon bags. On average, each Vietnamese household uses about 1 kg of nylon bags per month; more than 80% of which are discarded after single use, and very little is processed. Statistics from the Vietnam Plastics Association show that the amount of plastic waste and nylon bags in Vietnam is about 8% - 12% of domestic solid waste, but only about 11% - 12% is processed and recycled, the rest is mainly buried, burned and discharged into the environment. In urban areas, the amount of nylon bags consumed is about 10.48 - 52.4 tons/day; of which only about 17% of nylon bags are regularly reused.

It can be seen that nylon bags and disposable plastic products are still the top priority choice, meeting the function of packaging, containing goods and low production costs. This habit can bring convenience to people in a short period of time but leaves long-term consequences for the environment. A nylon bag takes 500-1,000 years to completely decompose. In particular, nylon waste, if burned in the environment, will create toxic emissions, persist in the environment for a long time, directly affecting human health. Some countries have even banned the free provision of nylon bags to customers or banned the use of nylon bags in some locations.

Along with many countries around the world, Vietnam is committed to taking strong action to reduce plastic waste and nylon bags. The Law on Environmental Protection 2020 clearly stipulates the responsibility for recycling, waste treatment of manufacturers, and regulations on reducing, reusing, recycling, treating plastic waste, and preventing and combating ocean plastic waste pollution.

In Decision 1316/QD-TTg dated July 22, 2021, the Prime Minister approved the Project to strengthen plastic waste management in Vietnam. The Project contributes to the successful implementation of the national strategy on integrated solid waste management to 2025, with a vision to 2050; contributes to building a circular economy in Vietnam with the orientation of reducing the use of disposable plastic products and non-degradable nylon bags, increasing the reuse, recycling and treatment of plastic waste...

The project aims at three specific goals. These are to perfect the mechanism, policies and laws on plastic waste management, production and consumption of non-degradable nylon bags used in daily life, and disposable plastic products used in daily life. By 2025, strive to use 100% of nylon bags and environmentally friendly packaging in shopping malls and supermarkets; ensure the collection, reuse, recycling and treatment of 85% of plastic waste generated; reduce 50% of plastic waste in the sea and ocean; strive for 100% of tourist areas, tourist accommodation establishments and hotels not to use non-degradable nylon bags and disposable plastic products; gradually reduce the production and use of non-degradable nylon bags and disposable plastic products in daily life. The project also aims to raise awareness among agencies, organizations, businesses, communities and people in the production, consumption and disposal of plastic waste, non-biodegradable nylon bags and disposable plastic products in daily life.

Responsible Consumer

In response to the International Day of No Plastic Bags 2024, the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) together with the Alliance of Retailers Reducing Single-Use Plastic Bags organized many activities to raise customers' awareness of reducing plastic bag consumption. Taking place from June 29 to July 3, 2024 with the message "Less plastic bags, more life", supermarkets and shopping malls that are members of the Alliance (TH true mart, Central Retail Vietnam, AEON Vietnam, LOTTE Mart Vietnam...) will have many activities organized that promise to bring many interesting and useful experiences such as mini-games of questions and answers about knowledge related to plastic waste: Learning while playing, playing while learning; Lucky spin; Visit the check-in photo studio; Message to the future; Online contest "Less plastic bags, more life".

The LOTTE Eco Green campaign "I act - you too" has been effectively implemented by LOTTE Mart Vietnam, spreading the spirit of green consumption and reducing nylon bags to the community. In 2024, LOTTE Mart continues to implement the Day of No Nylon Bag Use at all 16 supermarkets nationwide on July 3...

With the desire to support customers in making sustainable shopping and consumption decisions more easily, AEON Vietnam is the first retailer in Vietnam to implement the “Rent a bag” initiative. Accordingly, customers can borrow environmental bags directly at the cashier counters for a fee of VND5,000/bag and receive a full refund of the rental fee when returning the bag at the service counter.

AEON Vietnam also maintains other “green” initiatives such as Greenline - a priority cashier counter for customers who refuse to use nylon bags, using products made from environmentally friendly materials such as paper cups, trays and bowls made from sugarcane pulp... in the self-service dining area. In the supermarket area of ​​all AEON General Stores and Supermarkets nationwide, 100% of shopping bags for customers are biodegradable nylon bags.

Meanwhile, Central Retail Vietnam has been successfully implementing the programs “No Plastic Bag Day” and “Bring Your Own Bag to the Market” at supermarkets nationwide - moving towards completely ending the provision of plastic bags at supermarkets in the system in the near future. Central Retail Vietnam encourages consumers to proactively reduce the use of plastic bags when shopping by reusing environmentally friendly bags, selling Lohas bags at no profit, supporting free packaging of cardboard boxes containing goods, etc.

TH is the first dairy company in Vietnam to use bags made from “greener” bio-materials, applying modern technology to reduce the amount of plastic in the packaging and labeling system; at the same time, it has launched many programs to encourage customers to use canvas bags to limit plastic waste.

Mr. Nguyen Trung Thang, Deputy Director of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment, emphasized that everyone should be a smart and responsible consumer, reduce the use of nylon bags and promote environmentally friendly solutions, contributing to environmental protection and ensuring sustainable development goals.