Hanoi (VNA) – Prime MinisterNguyen Xuan Phuc has praised domestic and multinational companies in the foodand beverages industry for their initiative of setting up PRO Vietnam, an organisationfor recycling packaging materials.

In his letter, the PM cited the UnitedNations’ campaign in 2018 to call on people to change the habit of usingsingle-use plastic and reduce environmental pollution, with many countries takingspecific actions to restrict the use of plastic products and enhance plasticrecycling and reuse.

The Vietnamese Government is also makingsteps to control plastic waste and call on its people to protect theenvironment, he noted.

The PM voiced his hope that the newly-establishedorganisation will work together with the Government and people to minimiseplastic pollution and cut down the use of single-use plastic.

He also asked PRO Vietnam to use advancedtechnologies in the collection, reuse and recycling of packaging materials inVietnam.

PM Phuc asked the Ministry of NaturalResources and Environment (MONRE), the Ministry of Industry and Trade, relevantbranches and local authorities to create optimal conditions for the operationof PRO Vietnam, contributing to environmental improvement and implementation ofsustainable development goals.

Vietnam is one of Asia’s five worstpolluters of ocean plastic waste, according to international organisations.With 13 million tonnes of waste released to the ocean every year, the countryranks 17th in the world for ocean plastic waste pollution.

Although there are no official statisticson the amount and varieties of plastic in the Vietnamese sea and islands,plastic waste is easy to see in Vietnamese waters, with the country’s 112estuaries the main gateways of plastic to the ocean.

The MONRE estimated that about 80 tonnes ofplastic waste and bags are thrown away every day in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh Citycombined. -VNA