Leaving the market, Nguyen Bich Hao from Phung Khac Khoan street,Hanoi’s Hai Ba Trung District carries almost all the food and otheritems she has bought in her handbasket.
Only one plastic bag forraw meat or fish is used, in contrast with the dozens of plastic bagsmany shoppers use during a single trip to the market or supermarket inVietnam.
"Plastic bags that are disposed of and buriedunderground take hundreds of years to disintegrate, causingenvironmental pollution and there are also harmful chemicals used inmaking plastic bags," Hao said.
The 67-year-old woman said thathandbaskets used to be a popular choice for Vietnamese housewives whiledoing shopping in the past.
"Things have changed, now most peopleuse plastic bags as they are more convenient, single-use and then arethrown away as rubbish," she said.
As a member of the localWomen's Union, Hao began using a handbasket following the launch of acampaign to say ‘no' to plastic bags several years ago. She also sets agood example for other women in her neighbourhood, and some have changedtheir habits.
Pham Kim Thu from Hoa Ma street, said she oftencollects used plastic bags to give back to vegetable sellers at themarket, where they are reused.
Another housewife, Nguyen HongHanh, 27, from Hoang Mai district, said she opts to use reusable bagsafter receiving a free one from a local supermarket last year. Thesetypes of bags have become common in Western countries such as Australia,where the use of plastic bags at supermarkets is discouraged.
Unfortunately, examples such as Hao are rare in Vietnam today.
About2,500 tonnes of plastic waste are discharged daily across the country,more than three times the volume in 2000. Between 60 to 70 percent ofplastic waste that is thrown away is collected and treated.
Eachperson uses about 30-35kg of plastic each year, according to figuresfrom Hanoi's Natural Resources and Environment Department director VuVan Hau, who noted the statistics at an event highlighting the need tostop using plastic bags in Hanoi on Oct. 30.
In the capital cityalone, about 70-80 tonnes of plastic products are used each day, withsometimes ineffective classification and recycling making waste a hugethreat to the environment and human health, according to thedepartment's vice director Pham Van Khanh.
Khanh said it willtake years for people to get rid of the habit of using plastic bagsbecause of their low price and convenience.
The Oct. 30 event,which was planned as a street festival themed "Hanoi – Sunday withoutplastic bags", drew thousands of people to Thong Nhat (Unification)Park.
The Natural Resources and Environment Department's directorVu Van Hau said this yearly event, first launched in 2009, hassuccessfully raised public awareness on environment protection,encouraging people to use environmentally-friendly bags.
Manywards, communes and enterprises in the city have carried out measures toeliminate plastic bags, he said, pointing out the example of women inGia Lam district's Kieu Ki commune, who refuse to use plastic bags andopt for handbaskets when shopping.
This year' activities are heldacross the city from October to December, and are expected to gain aneven greater response from local people.
Local supermarkets andmajor traditional markets including Big C, Hapro, Hom Market and BuoiMarket saw more consumers using reusable bags that were provided underseveral campaigns. The number of enterprises to join the programme hasalso increased, said Hau.
The city calls on enterprises to investin environmental-friendly bags to replace plastic ones, and offeredsupport such as preferential policies for businesses investing inproduction of environmentally-friendly bags.
Vice chairwoman ofthe Hanoi Women's Union Tran Thi Phuong Hoa said women plays a decisiverole in eliminating plastic bags as they are mainly responsible forshopping for food and domestic appliances.
Moreover, they aresensitive to issues of food safety and health, so providing them withproper understanding can lead to whole families changing their habits.
Shesaid the union has about 700,000 members committed to working togetheron eliminating plastic bags through practical actions such as usingalternative bags, classifying waste, collecting plastic bags and wastepaper to exchange for cloth bags.
Meanwhile, the VietnamEnvironment Administration (VEA) has gathered opinions on a proposal oneliminating plastic bags. The draft plan will soon be submitted to thePrime Minister for approval./.
Only one plastic bag forraw meat or fish is used, in contrast with the dozens of plastic bagsmany shoppers use during a single trip to the market or supermarket inVietnam.
"Plastic bags that are disposed of and buriedunderground take hundreds of years to disintegrate, causingenvironmental pollution and there are also harmful chemicals used inmaking plastic bags," Hao said.
The 67-year-old woman said thathandbaskets used to be a popular choice for Vietnamese housewives whiledoing shopping in the past.
"Things have changed, now most peopleuse plastic bags as they are more convenient, single-use and then arethrown away as rubbish," she said.
As a member of the localWomen's Union, Hao began using a handbasket following the launch of acampaign to say ‘no' to plastic bags several years ago. She also sets agood example for other women in her neighbourhood, and some have changedtheir habits.
Pham Kim Thu from Hoa Ma street, said she oftencollects used plastic bags to give back to vegetable sellers at themarket, where they are reused.
Another housewife, Nguyen HongHanh, 27, from Hoang Mai district, said she opts to use reusable bagsafter receiving a free one from a local supermarket last year. Thesetypes of bags have become common in Western countries such as Australia,where the use of plastic bags at supermarkets is discouraged.
Unfortunately, examples such as Hao are rare in Vietnam today.
About2,500 tonnes of plastic waste are discharged daily across the country,more than three times the volume in 2000. Between 60 to 70 percent ofplastic waste that is thrown away is collected and treated.
Eachperson uses about 30-35kg of plastic each year, according to figuresfrom Hanoi's Natural Resources and Environment Department director VuVan Hau, who noted the statistics at an event highlighting the need tostop using plastic bags in Hanoi on Oct. 30.
In the capital cityalone, about 70-80 tonnes of plastic products are used each day, withsometimes ineffective classification and recycling making waste a hugethreat to the environment and human health, according to thedepartment's vice director Pham Van Khanh.
Khanh said it willtake years for people to get rid of the habit of using plastic bagsbecause of their low price and convenience.
The Oct. 30 event,which was planned as a street festival themed "Hanoi – Sunday withoutplastic bags", drew thousands of people to Thong Nhat (Unification)Park.
The Natural Resources and Environment Department's directorVu Van Hau said this yearly event, first launched in 2009, hassuccessfully raised public awareness on environment protection,encouraging people to use environmentally-friendly bags.
Manywards, communes and enterprises in the city have carried out measures toeliminate plastic bags, he said, pointing out the example of women inGia Lam district's Kieu Ki commune, who refuse to use plastic bags andopt for handbaskets when shopping.
This year' activities are heldacross the city from October to December, and are expected to gain aneven greater response from local people.
Local supermarkets andmajor traditional markets including Big C, Hapro, Hom Market and BuoiMarket saw more consumers using reusable bags that were provided underseveral campaigns. The number of enterprises to join the programme hasalso increased, said Hau.
The city calls on enterprises to investin environmental-friendly bags to replace plastic ones, and offeredsupport such as preferential policies for businesses investing inproduction of environmentally-friendly bags.
Vice chairwoman ofthe Hanoi Women's Union Tran Thi Phuong Hoa said women plays a decisiverole in eliminating plastic bags as they are mainly responsible forshopping for food and domestic appliances.
Moreover, they aresensitive to issues of food safety and health, so providing them withproper understanding can lead to whole families changing their habits.
Shesaid the union has about 700,000 members committed to working togetheron eliminating plastic bags through practical actions such as usingalternative bags, classifying waste, collecting plastic bags and wastepaper to exchange for cloth bags.
Meanwhile, the VietnamEnvironment Administration (VEA) has gathered opinions on a proposal oneliminating plastic bags. The draft plan will soon be submitted to thePrime Minister for approval./.
