Artworks made from plastic waste in Hanoi's Phuc Tan Commune. (Photo: VNS)Thephoto contest, entitled Cau Chuyen RacNhua (Story of Plastic Waste), aims to increase community awarenessabout environmental protection.
“Currently,Vietnam is one of the top five countries in the world discharging the mostplastic waste into the ocean,” said Chu Thi Ha, Editor-in-chief of the Career & Life magazine.
“Wehope that this photo contest will contribute to raising awareness of themanagement of plastic waste and somewhat limiting the amount of plastic wastedischarged to the environment.”
Thesubmitted photos must be taken from January 1 to April 30 in the coastalprovinces of Vietnam. Entrants are not allowed to use Photoshop to change thecontent and nature of their pictures.
Thecontest organisation board encourages photos from the southern provinces of BinhDuong and Binh Thuan, the central province of Binh Dinh and central Da Nangcity and the northern province of Quang Ninh.
Thephotos should focus on the spread of waste, which is not properly disposed ofin Vietnam; plastic waste in the ocean; the impact of plastic waste on theenvironment and ecosystem and to people, and waste treatment.
Contestantscan register at cuocthianh.mediamaxvietnam.vn untilMay 5.
Theorganisation board is calling on both Vietnamese and foreigners living in Vietnamabove 18 years old who are concerned about plastic waste to participate in thecontest. Each of them can send 20 photos.
Topprizes will be announced in the magazine and FacebookOcean or Plastic at the end of June. The top prizes will be awardedcash worth 1 million VND to 5 million VND (43 to 220 USD).
Althoughthere are no official statistics on the amount and varieties of plastic in theVietnamese sea and islands, plastic waste is easy to see in Vietnamese waters,with the country’s 112 estuaries the main gateways of plastic to the ocean.
Numbersfrom Vietnam’s Association of Plastic illustrate the scale of the problem. In1990, each Vietnamese consumed 3.8kg of plastic per year, but 25 years later,the figure hit 41kg.
Asmany as 1,000 plastic bags are used each minute but only 27 percent of them aretreated and recycled.
TheMinistry of Natural Resources and Environment estimated that about 80 tonnes ofplastic waste and bags are thrown away every day in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh Citycombined.
Onthe positive side, Vietnam has taken efforts to manage imported plastic scrapand monitor plastic production and consumption./.
VNA
