Municipal Waste Recycling Program (MWRP) – Vietnam Country Profile

The global crisis of ocean plastic pollution—each year eight million metric tons of plastic pour into the ocean— has local origins in poor waste management in cities of the developing world. Vietnam is the world’s fourth largest plastic polluter1 to the marine environment, contributing approximately 730,000 metric tons annually.

The global crisis of ocean plastic pollution—each year eight million metric tons of plastic —originates partly  in poor local waste management in cities of the developing world. Vietnam, as the world’s fourth largest plastic polluter1 to the marine environment, contributes approximately 730,000 metric tons annually.

In Vietnam, rapid urbanization and industrialization spark economic growth yet generate 10 to 16 percent annual increases in urban waste. Municipalities’ ability to manage waste lags, leaving negative consequences: uncollected waste frequently goes into  rivers and seas, polluting marine resources and endangering community health. These challenges threaten Vietnam’s economic development, tourism industry, cultural heritage, and the environment.