CCBO 3R/SWM and Marine Debris Strategy Alignment Assessment – Vietnam

A significant fraction of the input of plastic into the ocean emanates from middle-income countries with rapidly expanding economies that have thus far lacked the resources to develop adequate infrastructure for waste management; of these countries, Vietnam falls fourth on this list behind China, Indonesia, and the Philippines.1 Vietnam is defined by its over 2,100-mile coastline including two massive rivers, the Mekong River (the world’s largest freshwater fishery) and the Red River, which can both act as conduits for mismanaged waste to enter the ocean. Based upon updated World Bank data and a similar approach to Jambeck at al. (2015), an estimated 0.9 million metric tons of plastic waste will be mismanaged in Vietnam in 2020. Some portion of that will enter aquatic systems and subsequently the ocean. A recent Duke Policy Report estimates 0.28 to 0.73 million metric tons of that mismanaged plastic waste will become marine debris in Vietnam, highly influenced by the nation’s vast coastline and two major rivers. As municipalities are faced with this growing challenge, locally appropriate solutions, designed along with community stakeholders, will be necessary to turn the tide against ocean bound plastic.

Legislation to create solid waste management systems that are protective of the environment has existed since 1999 when Vietnam’s Environmental Protection Law (EPL) was first introduced. It has been revised numerous times thereafter, but implementation has been challenging due to lack of mobilization among some social groups to participate, limited sense of responsibility and commitment in some communities, insufficient financial resources and labor forces, as well as a lack of governance and oversight broadly involving key stakeholders. The Government of Vietnam recognizes the importance of the 3R initiative and considers it to play a key role in developing a successful and sustainable solid waste management system. In 2018, the Prime Minister approved The National Strategy on Integrated Solid Waste Management until 2025, with a Vision up to the Year 2050 (NSGMSW), and later introduced a National Action Plan on Marine Plastic Debris Management until 2030 (NAPMPDM).

In August 2019, Tetra Tech was awarded the Clean Cities, Blue Ocean (CCBO) Program, a five-year, $48 million contract from the U.S. Agency for International Development Bureau of Economic Growth, Education, and Environment. CCBO is the Agency’s flagship program to respond to the global crisis of marine plastic pollution and includes Vietnam as one of its seven focal countries. CCBO’s objectives share alignment with Vietnam’s recent commitments, including the NSGMSW and NAPMPDM. To inform CCBO’s approach, the program has produced this 3R/SWM and Marine Debris Reduction Strategy for Vietnam to highlight the ways in which CCBO can support existing marine debris strategies and to provide recommendations for increased impact.