Traders at Long Phước traditional market in Thủ Đức City are gifted reusable bags by members of the Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union during a campaign for the reduction and recycling of plastic waste in May. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — The HCM City People’s Committee has unveiled a plan to strengthen the management, recycling, reuse, processing, and reduction of plastic waste in the city.

It targets supermarkets and other commercial centres in the city using eco-friendly reusable plastics in place of single-use plastics this year.

Traders at traditional markets are encouraged to use eco-friendly reusable plastics to package food and cut single-use plastic packaging by half by year-end.

Shoppers are encouraged to limit the use of disposable plastic items and take reusable bags when they shop.

State agencies and State-owned companies are required to take the lead in campaigns for the reduction and recycling of plastic waste and ban single-use plastic items such as bottles, straws and containers.

Plastic waste discharged by seaside tourism services and seafood farming have to be collected and transferred to waste treatment facilities for recycling and treatment to reduce plastic waste in the oceans.

The city’s reduction, reuse and recycling programme will be scaled up to encourage the reduction of plastic waste.

City authorities have ordered district authorities to strengthen communication to raise public awareness and change attitudes towards plastic to reduce waste and to reuse and recycle.

It should be carried out at crowded public places such as supermarkets, malls, traditional markets, the airport, railway stations, hospitals, schools, stores, tourist sites, hotels, and parks.

Inspections related to plastic waste discharge and environmental protection taxes will be tightened.

More than 9,000 tonnes of solid household waste are generated daily in HCM City, including 1,800 tonnes of plastic, according to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. — VNS