The seminar is held in Quang Ninh province on March 21 (Photo: VNA)Quang Ninh (VNA) – A seminar took place in thenorthern coastal province of Quang Ninh on March 21 to discuss solutions toplastic waste – a major threat to the environment around the globe.
The event was held by the Quang Ninh Departmentof Natural Resources and Environment and the centre for supporting greendevelopment Greenhub.
Participants looked into plastic pollution inthe world and Vietnam. They offered recommendations and experience in buildingplastic waste management models, reducing single-use plastics and turning thistype of waste into a resource.
The United Nations predicts that there will bemore plastic in the oceans than fish by 2050. An approximated 1,000 plasticbags are consumed around the world every minute, but only 27 percent of themare processed and recycled. The amount of plastics thrown away annually isenough to circle the Earth four times.
Data shows that Vietnam ranks 17th among 109countries in terms of plastic pollution with about 1.8 million tonnes ofplastic waste each year, including 730,000 tonnes directly released into theenvironment. The amount of plastics produced and discharged is stillincreasing.
In Quang Ninh province, 1,136 tonnes of solidwaste are released each day with plastic accounting for a majority.
Participants at the seminar warned that if sucha large volume of plastic waste is not managed well, it will negatively affectthe environment, people’s health, as well as socio-economic activities,including tourism – a big sector in Quang Ninh.
On the sidelines of the seminar, an exhibitionon plastic waste and green initiatives were organised to call for ideas to dealwith plastic waste.-VNA
VNA
