A workshop took place on August 17 in Hanoi to discuss the health impacts of plastic waste and put forward policy recommendations for Vietnam.
The workshop on plastics wastes and human health. (Photo: PHA)
The event, jointly held by the Plastics and Health Action Partnership (PHA) and the non-profit organisation FHI 360, comes within the framework of a USAID-funded project to reduce plastic pollution with local solutions.
The workshop highlighted health risks related to the production, use and recycling of plastics, and made recommendations to promote research aimed at reducing the impacts of plastics on human health and the environment in Vietnam.
Vietnam produces an estimated 25 million tonnes of household solid waste each year, of which 10-20% are plastic waste, which has surged in the wake of COVID-19.
Plastics break down into small pieces over time, and eventually enter the food chain, becoming a serious health hazard.
PHA Secretary General Nguyen Duc Vinh said PHA and its partners will create a single voice on the issue of plastics and health, and work together towards reducing the impacts of plastic waste on human health and the living environment in Vietnam.
FHI 360 Representative in Vietnam Nguyen Thi Thu Nam said it will work with regulatory agencies, organisations and communities in the joint effort to address plastic pollution and its negative impacts.