Extended producer responsibility (EPR) – The role of informal waste workers – chance for Phu Yen province
On July 3, 2023, women informal waste workers in Phu Yen province have recently listened to Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai Linh – Director of ENDA Vietnam sharing her practical experience in extended producer responsibility (EPR) and economic potential for recycling collection activities.
The workshop focused on raising people’s awareness about the role of informal waste workers in the waste management system of Phu Yen province, sharing information on the role of waste-collecting activities in the context of implementing EPR and discussing building a plan to establish and develop a Co-operative to collect recyclables in Phu Yen.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai Linh also shared: “Phu Yen is now having a golden opportunity in the context of the EPR system. Women informal waste workers need to know their role in the law (EPR) in order to fulfill their job. We participate not only to earn more money, but also to let the collectors’ words carry more weight and influence in the solid waste management system in Phu Yen.”
The workshop also had the participation of representatives of the Phu Yen Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE) and the Women’s Union of Phu Yen province. Mr. Huynh Huy Viet – Head of Administration Department of Environmental Protection Agency said: “Phu Yen is having a big opportunity, but it still takes a lot of effort from both the locality and organizations like GreenHub to support the collectors to gain the experience and knowledge for a big change before this new EPR law system.”
In addition, the Women’s Union of Phu Yen province shared: “Through the propaganda activities, we hope that the women informal waste workers would be recognized by society, people will have a different view of their role in the chain of recycling plastic waste and their contributions to environmental protection.”
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The workshop “Extended producer responsibility sharing (EPR) and economic potential for recycling collection” is an activity under the project “Phu Yen Zero waste”, implemented by GreenHub and sponsored by the Institute for Development, Environment and Energy (IDE-E).
