Accordingto the Vietnam Environment Administration, as of the end of June, the number ofscrap containers which have been stuck at Vietnam’s seaports for over 90 days reduced to 7,450from the peak of 10,124 in November 2018.
At theevent, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Tuan Nhan said morethan 500 containers of scrap hadbeen re-exported, including 289 ones of plastic waste and 98 others containingiron and steel scrap.
He urged competent ministries and agencies to actquickly to handle and curb negative impacts of scrap containers which failed tomeet environmental protection standards and prevent them from entering Vietnam.
Nhan also asked ministries and agencies topropose solutions to hasten the re-export of imported waste and keep a closewatch on the import of used goods. Communication campaigns are needed toprevent violation, he added.
A representative from the General Department ofVietnam Customs said scrap classification is important in order to handle thestuck containers, adding that shipping companies are slow in re-exporting thewaste. He proposed that the Ministry of Transport not grant licence to thoseshipping companies that do not re-export waste.
Ministries should compile legal documents to preventthe import of waste that do not meet environmental protection requirements, saidthe Ministry of Public Security.
The MoNREasked the Ministry of Finance to revise and provide a list of importers whoviolate the regulations but have yet to undertake procedures of sending backthe waste, while the Foreign Ministry was asked to study experience of regionalcountries in the issue.-VNA