Vietnam will ban the use of all plastic bags, even in wet markets, from 2030, according to an official of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam will ban the use of allplastic bags, even in wet markets, from 2030, according to an official of theMinistry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Deputy head of the ministry’s Institute of Strategy and Policy on National Resources and Environment (ISPONRE) Nguyen Trung Thang said that currently, manufacturers are considering changes totechnology to meet market demand and comply with State regulations.
Thang said over the past time, Vietnam has seen many positive signals inpromoting the restriction of plastic bags.
He took the establishment of the Plastic Alliance's pilotproject as an example.
Supermarkets begin using environmentally-friendly bags (Photo: VNA)
The Plastic Alliance gathers 16 retailers that pledge toreduce the use of disposable plastic bags. It is part of the “RethinkingPlastics - Circular Economy Solutions to Marine Litter in Vietnam” projectfunded by the European Union (EU) and the German Government, and carried out byExpertise France.
The alliance has stepped up communication programmes directedat retailers and on social media platforms to change consumer behaviour andreduce single-use plastic bags and plastic products.
According to an ISPONRE survey, up to 104,000 single-useplastic bags are used at supermarkets each day, equivalent to 38 million bags ayear. Among the 48 supermarkets surveyed, 46 are providing plastic bags free ofcharge.
Therefore, Vietnam has set a target of using 100 percentenvironmentally-friendly bags at commercial centres and supermarkets by 2025.
To that end, many policies have been approved by theVietnamese Government to limit plastic bags and single-use plastic products,including the National Strategy on Integrated Management of Solid Waste to2025, with a vision to 2050.
The 2020 Law on Environmental Protection also stipulates theresponsibility of manufacturers for waste recycling and treatment, and includesregulations on the reduction, recycling and treatment of plastic waste as wellas prevention and control of ocean plastic waste./.
The Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (ISPONRE) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, in collaboration with the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade and the Vietnam Business for Environment (VB4E) Alliance, held a consultation session with retailers on stepping up the implementation of a communication plan on reducing plastic bags.
An alliance of retailers who pledged to reduce the use of disposable plastic bags made its debut at a ceremony held by the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (ISPONRE) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Hanoi’s Department of Industry and Trade on January 14.
A seminar was held in Hanoi on March 2 to find solutions to replace plastic bags and single-use plastic products in Vietnam and help connect manufacturers and retailers in the supply of these products.
Retailers that provide single-use plastic bags to customers will be fined from 2026, said an official of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment (ISPONRE) at a seminar summarising the PLASTIC ALLIANCE pilot project on April 20.
Floodwater levels in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta are high and will continue to rise this month, especially in upstream areas, according to the hydraulic works management and construction department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
Conservation efforts to restore habitat and boost the population of red-crowned cranes in Tram Chim National Park are finally showing progress, with the cranes and many other rare wild birds coming back to the park.
Torrential rains from the night of July 31 to early August 1 triggered flash floods and landslides across several communes in Dien Bien province, leaving at least two people dead and eight others missing.
Transitioning to a circular economy not only offers a sustainable development path for Ho Chi Minh City but also serves as a pivotal step toward establishing a fully green economy.
An exhibition featuring 100 green, recycled, and circular economy models and products from 50 businesses and educational establishments took place in Ho Chi Minh City on July 31, as part of the local green transition forum and recycle day 2025.
Regional solidarity and cooperation are the key factor for the effective implementation of wildlife protection regulations. Only through sustainable cooperation, innovative approaches, and collective action can biodiversity be safeguarded for the present and future generations, an Vietnamese official has said.
Hanoi has approved a comprehensive plan to restore the environmental quality and develop four major urban rivers – the To Lich, Kim Nguu, Lu, and Set reverine environments.
The Javan pangolin is listed in Vietnam’s Red Book as critically endangered and is protected under Group IB – a category reserved for forest species facing an extremely high risk of extinction and requiring strict conservation measures.
As a key member of the core group of 18 countries, initiated by Vanuatu, Vietnam engaged in advocating for the UN General Assembly’s Resolution N.77/276, requesting for the ICJ’s advisory opinion. Following the resolution's adoption, Vietnam fully participated in all procedural steps for the first time, from submitting written proposals to presenting directly at the court’s hearings.
The wild elephant population in Da Nang includes a full developed herb of mature males, females, and calves. To date, the herd has grown to nine individuals.
Conservation efforts here have become a model, helping to save millions of turtle hatchlings and promoting Con Dao as a member of the Indian Ocean-Southeast Asia Turtle Site Network.
As part of its drive to fulfil its net zero emissions commitment by 2050, Vietnam is fast-tracking the development of a legal corridor to launch a pilot carbon market by the end of 2025, according to the Department of Climate Change.
Under the plan, from 2025 to 2026, the city will complete mechanisms and policies to support businesses in switching to green vehicles, expand the electric and green-energy bus network, and build charging stations. The targeted proportion of green buses is set at 10% in 2025 and 20–23% in 2026.
Storm Comay, the fourth in the East Sea this year, was at around 16.7 degrees North and 118.3 degrees East, in the east of the East Sea's northern waters as of 4am on July 24.
The disaster risk warning level for flash floods, landslides, and ground subsidence due to heavy rains and flows is rated at level 1, except in Nghe An, where it is raised to level 2.
Illustrative image (Photo: moitruongvadothi.vn) 
Supermarkets begin using environmentally-friendly bags (Photo: VNA) 
