Launching ceremony of the project “Zero Waste to Mekong River: Pilot Circular Economy model for Floating markets in Can Tho”

On May 18, 2022, the launching ceremony of the project “Zero Waste to Mekong River: Pilot Circular Economy model for Floating markets in Can Tho” was successfully held with the participation of representatives of relevant departments in Can Tho City, local government agencies in Can Tho City, Dow Vietnam Leaders, GreenHub and RECERD.

Notably, within the framework of the event, representatives of the parties including: the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Can Tho City, People’s Committee of Binh Thuy District, People’s Committee of Cai Rang District, Dow Vietnam, and GreenHub signed a Memorandum of Understanding, officially starting the project and creating a premise for close and long-term cooperation to promote the circular economy and reduce waste on the Mekong River in Can Tho.

The project marks a new milestone, contributing to the promotion of the Pilot Circular Economy model in Vietnam, reducing waste from rivers into the sea, and creating a behavioral change in waste management for local communities living on the river.

The project “Zero Waste to Mekong River: Pilot Circular Economy model for Floating markets in Can Tho”, will be implemented at con Son dune and Cai Rang floating market of Can Tho city. With the following objectives: Promote a circular economy, reduce waste from rivers into the sea and create behaviour change in waste management of local communities; strengthen waste collection, classification, reuse and recycling activities. The project’s activities will contribute to helping Can Tho city raise the community’s awareness of environmental protection, improve the quality of the environment in Cai Rang Floating Market, con Son dune, one of the touristic highlights of the city.

This project also has an important meaning in the cooperation activities, joining hands to protect the environment of Vietnam – the US, as well as the hope to open up long-term cooperation activities between Can Tho city and Dow Chemical Vietnam, and Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations.”

Ms. Cao Thi Minh Thao, Vice Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Can Tho City.

We are very pleased to collaborate with Can Tho City People’s Committee, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Cai Rang District Authority, and related stakeholders to implement this Project. In which, Dow is the sponsor of the project “Zero Waste to Mekong River: Pilot Circular Economy Model for Floating Markets in Can Tho City”. As sponsors of the project, · We strongly believe that the results and key learnings of this project would be a best practice for the implementation of Environmental Protection Law and the incoming EPR mechanism. Significantly, the project outcome would contribute to the Vietnamese government’s targets to reduce 50% and 75% of ocean plastics waste in 2025 and 2030, respectively in the National Action Plan for Ocean Plastic Waste Management to 2030.”

Mr. Ekkasit Lakkananithiphan, General Director of Dow Vietnam.