On February 26, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) launched the 2025 Plastic Innovation Program to offer $30,000 in funding to six winning projects aimed at reducing plastic pollution in Vietnam, state media reported.
The program prioritizes participation from women’s groups, youth organizations, NGOs, community organizations, academic institutions, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It seeks to expand successful initiatives while fostering new business models in waste collection, recycling, and technological innovation.
The initiative is part of an extended partnership between the UNDP and the Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF) to combat plastic pollution in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, the Maldives, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.
Vietnam generates 1.8 million tons of plastic waste annually, with up to 0.73 million tons ending up in the ocean, but only 27% being recycled. 90% of plastic waste is disposed of through landfill disposal, incineration, or open dumping, underscoring the urgency for improved waste management solutions. (Kinh Te Moi Truong, Vietnam Plus, QDND, VnEconomy, Bao Tai Nguyen Moi Truong, www.nangluongsachvietnam.vn)