Coca-Cola Foundation funds plastic waste management project

Plastic pollution has increased in recent years around Ho Chi Minh City's Can Gio district and put pressure on Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, the first world biosphere reserve in Vietnam, recognised by UNESCO in 2000. A large amount of waste from the sea has flowed into the Long Tau and Soai Rap river systems, and domestic waste continues to increase.

To create a circular model for plastic recycling by bringing together consumers, waste pickers, recyclers, and local authorities, the project sets out to provide feedback for national policy adaptation.

Representatives from GreenHub, Can Gio People’s Committee, the Coca-Cola Foundation, and others at the project's launch ceremony

The project has been implemented with three main components. The first is to assess local plastic waste, the second is to design a circular economy solution and build the capacity for stakeholders to implement the model, and the third will work to raise public awareness and push for behavioural change.

Saadia Madsbjerg, president of The Coca-Cola Foundation said, “We are proud to support this important project. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate together with partners including Can Gio People’s Committee, Duy Tan Plastics Recycling Co., Ltd., and GreenHub to help reduce the impacts of plastic pollution in coastal regions of Vietnam.”

A visit to a plastic collecting facility in Can Gio District in November.

Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, co-founder and deputy director of GreenHub said, “This will be a pilot for a new and innovative approach to the circular economy model for plastic waste management in Can Gio. We hope to be able to spread this approach to other localities in the future.”

Tran Nhut Hien, supply chain manager at Duy Tan Plastics Recycling Co., Ltd. added that his company’s goals were to raise awareness of waste sorting at source, improve the incomes of waste collectors, reduce plastic waste, and effectively implement the circular economy model.

Coca-Cola and The Ocean Cleanup join forces to fight plastic pollution On April 8, the inauguration of the river cleanup system Interceptor 003 on the Can Tho River opened up opportunities for multilateral cooperation to tackle the plastic pollution in Vietnam.

Coca-Cola Foundation provides support to freshwater and nature-based solutions in Vietnam Funding from the Coca-Cola Foundation provides continued support for the WWF’s efforts to conserve freshwater resources and nature-based solutions in Vietnam.