In November 2022, the EU Delegation to Vietnam (EUD) is slated to release a special report featuring its funded project ‘Rethinking Plastics – Circular Economy Solutions to Marine Litter’ on Vietnam Television (VTV), capping off a series that has highlighted EU-Vietnam partnerships for sustainable development under the mutual commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050.

The project, implemented in collaboration with the Vietnam Maritime Administration (Vinamarine), works to protect the marine environment from ship waste, through policies and actions that reduce plastic waste and marine litter using circular economy principles and responsible practices.

The report will also introduce the EU-Vietnam pilot project to enhance port management practices as a way to reduce the illegal dumping of ship waste at Cat Lai terminal, also known as Saigon Newport. Vietnam’s expanding marine economy and port operations have posed challenges to its sustainable development, with increasing garbage, plastic, sewage, waste oils and other hazardous waste wreaking significant and long-term negative impacts.

As a finale to the series, the report draws attention to the EU’s commitment to addressing marine litter as a growing global challenge to ecosystems, fisheries and tourism. It underscores the importance of the EU’s partnerships in South-East Asia under the EU’s Plastic Strategy and more recent Circular Economy Action Plan.

Studies estimate that around 150 million tonnes of plastic are in the ocean today, with 5 to 13 million tonnes added to that every year, causing severe problems for marine life, economies, human health and the climate.