[GEF 2023] The Role of EPR in Driving Circular Economy and Waste Management in Vietnam: Overview and recommendations

The 2020 Vietnam Law on Environmental Protection and the draft decree detailing the Law both establish the obligation of manufacturers and importers to recycle and rehabilitate their abandoned products and packaging, to implement the extended producer responsibility mechanism in Vietnam. To dive deeply into the Role of EPR in Driving Circular Economy and Waste Management in Vietnam, EuroCham welcomed key figures who are top-level government officials and leaders in relevant sectors to join the GEF 2023 event, including:

• Moderator: Mr. Evgeni Zapryanov, GGSC Vice Chairman, General Manager of Evonik Vietnam
• Mr. Hoang Duc Vuong, President Recycled Plastics Branch, VPA
• Mr. Tam Nguyen Director, LO Operations & Government Affairs, Adidas
• Ms. Le Thi Ngoc My, Head of Sustainability, Heineken Vietnam
• Ms. Morgane Rivoal, Climate Change and Circular Economy Officer, UNDP
• Prof. Tran Thi Thanh Tu, Director of Science and Technology Department, Vietnam National University Hanoi

The strategy of CE development has been pointed out in the Socio-Economic Development Strategy 2021-2030 Document of the 13th National Congress of Deputies. The legal system related to EPR implementation is constantly being developed. Furthermore, there are many NGOs and International associations like UNDP, GIZ, etc. are kicking off projects to address these issues focused on the SMEs in Vietnam to enable compliance with the EPR.

However, there is a lack of understanding of CE and the necessity for a transition to the establishment of a CE model. Although most of the Multi-National Companies (MNCs) and Foreign Direct Investors (FDIs) in Vietnam are also committed to the implementation of the EPR as part of their Net Zero and Circular Economy Roadmaps, 90+% of Vietnam businesses, comprising Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) need support from the government and NGO’s in terms of capacity building, technology and financing. Toward a potential circular economy future in Vietnam, the GEF panelists have proposed some essential points for the government and stakeholders to ensure their advantages, as follows:

• It is necessary to issue a clear legal corridor, and transparent laws and regulations, for the formation and development of a circular economy, to create a strong motive for enterprises to collaboratively operate a circular economy smoothly in the market.
• Technological innovation is a critical aspect in determining the success of a circular economy, hence it is important to design policies for the development of clean technologies, the reuse and recycling of wastes, and the transformation of wastes into economic resources in terms of both production and consumption.
• The circular economy should be integrated into all levels of education and training programs so that people are fully aware of their responsibilities to be self-aware from the stage of selecting eco-friendly products for intelligent use, as well as the need to separate waste from a convenient source for disposal.
• International collaboration in the development of the circular economy should be strengthened. As a result, Vietnam can benefit from the experiences of successful models while also receiving international support in developing policies and laws, as well as technology transfer, human resource training, and widespread communication about the circular economy.