Participants at the launching ceremony (Source: VNA)BinhDinh (VNA) - An action month onenvironmental protection was launched in the south central province of BinhDinh on June 4, themed “Resolving pollution caused by plastic and nylon”.
The event was part of activities to mark World Environment Day on June 5.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, DeputyMinister of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Tuan Nhan said the event aimsto encourage people to change their daily habits to minimise the impacts of plasticand nylon waste on the environment and health.
Statistics show that each household in Vietnam uses about 1kg of nylon bags amonth.
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City each discharge about 80 tonnes ofplastic waste and nylon bags into the environment each day.
Plastic bags are very difficult to decompose, polluting the soil and waterenvironment and hindering the growth and development of plant species.
Burning plastic bags creates emissions of dioxin and furan, whichharm human health, Nhan noted.
Nhan affirmed the determination to raise public awareness of theimportance of preventing the pollution of plastic and nylon bags.
He called on ministries, political and social organisationsand citizens to work to change the bad habit, thus protecting the environment.
Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Ho Quoc Dung affirmed thelocality will promote action programmes to protect the environment.
TheCanadian Embassy in Vietnam said about 300 million tonnes of plastics isproduced globally each year, half of which is used to create single-useproducts like bags, bottles and straws. One million plastic bags are used everyminute.
According to earthday.org, 8.3 billion metric tonnes of plastic has beenproduced since plastic was introduced in the 1950s. The amount of plasticproduced in a year is roughly the same as the entire weight of humanity. 91percent of plastics waste isn’t recycled. And since most plastics don’tbiodegrade well, all that plastic waste could exist for hundreds or eventhousands of years.
Some 8 million metric tonnes of plastic winds up in the oceans each year.That’s enough trash to cover every foot of coast around the world with fivefull trash bags of plastic compounding every year.
A recent international survey revealed that Vietnam is one of the fivecountries in the world discharging the most plastic waste, with about 1.8million tonnes dumped each year. -VNA
VNA
