Located 50 km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Cần Giờ is home to the Cần Giờ Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, Vietnam’s first UNESCO-recognized world biosphere reserve, designated on January 21, 2000. Once devastated by war, this ecological treasure stands today as a testament to four decades of relentless efforts by local communities to restore, protect, and expand the mangrove forest—creating a “green lung” for Ho Chi Minh City.

With the goal of preserving and fostering the sustainable development of this green lung, the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and the People’s Committee of Cần Giờ have launched various policies and directives to combat environmental pollution and restore biodiversity. However, local waste management efforts still face significant challenges due to limited resources and approaches, making it difficult to fully address household waste issues. Each year, Cần Giờ generates an average of 15,000 tons of household waste, with plastic usage growing at a rate of 7-8% per year. Yet, only 15% of plastic waste is collected and recycled.

To promote a circular economy model for plastic waste, GreenHub, in partnership with the Cần Giờ People’s Committee and with funding from the Coca-Cola Global Foundation, launched the project “Promoting a Circular Economy for Plastic Waste in Cần Giờ.” This initiative aims to foster collaboration between consumers, waste collectors, recycling businesses, and local authorities to enhance plastic waste collection and recycling. The project will also gather feedback on national policies to refine waste management strategies.

Representing a key project partner, Mr. Trần Nhựt Hiện, Supply Chain Director of Duy Tân Plastic Recycling Co., Ltd., shared: “With the mission of reducing plastic waste pollution in Vietnam, we aim to support residents in improving waste separation at source, enhancing income for waste collectors, and minimizing plastic waste pollution in Cần Giờ. This will enable the effective implementation of the circular economy model.”

The project is scheduled to run until December 2023 and comprises three key components: assessing the current state of plastic waste in Cần Giờ; developing circular economy solutions and models; and enhancing stakeholder capacity to implement these models, raise awareness, and promote behavioral change while supporting plastic recycling businesses.

Ms. Saadia Madsbjerg, President of the Coca-Cola Global Foundation, expressed her enthusiasm for the project: “We are proud to support the ‘Promoting a Circular Economy for Plastic Waste in Cần Giờ’ project. We are also delighted to collaborate with the Cần Giờ People’s Committee, Duy Tân Plastic Recycling Co., Ltd., and GreenHub to mitigate the impacts of plastic waste on Vietnam’s coastal regions.”

The people of Cần Giờ hope the project will make significant contributions to alleviating worsening plastic pollution, which stems from both marine debris washing ashore via the Lòng Tàu and Soài Rạp rivers and increased urban waste due to recent urbanization.

According to Ms. Nguyễn Thị Thu Trang, Deputy Director of GreenHub, this project will serve as a pilot model for an innovative circular economy approach to plastic waste management in Cần Giờ. GreenHub aspires to expand this model to other localities in the future, amplifying its impact beyond Cần Giờ.