Hue pledges to reduce 30% of plastic waste by 2024

The central city of Hue has announced its participation in the Plastic Smart Cities Programme with the goal of reducing 30% of plastic waste by 2024.

Hue is the 7th city in Vietnam and the 32nd in the world to participate in Plastic Smart Cities. (Photo: WWF Vietnam)
Hue is the 7th city in Vietnam and the 32nd in the world to participate in Plastic Smart Cities. (Photo: WWF Vietnam)

The information was released on November 11 at a workshop co-organised by the Hue Municipal People’s Committee and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Vietnam to launch a project on reducing plastic waste in the central city.

The workshop discussed the initial evaluation results of the solid waste management system in Hue City in general and plastic waste in particular; as well as some intervention orientations for the solid waste management system for Hue City in the future.

Although the waste collection rate in Hue City reached 98% in 2020, along with the efforts made by local authorities, volunteer groups, Hue Urban Construction and Environment Joint Stock Company and other parties, plastic pollution is still a serious environmental problem in some river basins, outdoor markets, public beaches, etc.

The loss of plastic waste clogs rivers and threatens marine and coastal ecosystems and environments, causing negative impacts on many sectors such as tourism, shipping and aquaculture.

The project will be implemented over 4 years, from 2021-2024, and is divided into 2 phases, with the aim to make Hue a plastic-free destination by 2030.

According to the expected results, by 2024, Hue will become a plastic-reducing city with 70% of solid waste being sorted at source, collected and treated, with an accelerated rate of recycled waste from landfills.

Hue is the 7th city in Vietnam and the 32nd in the world to participate in Plastic Smart Cities, a WWF initiative bringing together cities and tourism destinations to commit to fighting plastic pollution.