Plastic exporters interested in converting to recycling technology

	Vietnam’s plastics industry to reduce dependence on imported raw materials
	Opportunities to develop a smart and sustainable packaging industry
	Import turnover of raw materials for textiles, footwear, and plastics reaches tens of billions of dollars

Secretary General of Vietnam Plastics Association Huynh Thi My

How do you evaluate the transformation activities of Vietnamese plastic enterprises in recycling in recent times?

In recent times, the plastics industry has had many changes in terms of plastic waste polluting the environment, so we pay great attention to technological equipment to process plastic scrap after use released into the environment.

The transition to recycling and sustainable production technologies has become urgent to meet the requirements of green development.

At the same time, businesses are focusing on using new materials produced from waste materials from the agricultural sector.

At the 2024 International Plastics Exhibition held this year, many businesses introduced recycling products and technologies.

This will be a good opportunity for Vietnamese businesses to approach, choose and invest in their production, serving export orders in the coming time with strict standards from the world market.

We must use a certain amount of recycled plastic in finished products. This is a mandatory requirement set by European countries and Vietnamese enterprises must comply with when exporting goods to these markets.

How is the ability of Vietnamese enterprises to meet the strict requirements from foreign markets, madam?

Speaking of standards, for enterprises specializing in exporting goods, they must proactively learn about new standards of newly issued countries, although these regulations are not yet available in Vietnam.

In recent times, leading Vietnamese plastic export enterprises have proactively grasped and implemented the requirements of their partners. We must comply to be able to export sustainably.

From the above reality, not only leading enterprises, we hope that medium-sized enterprises must also proactively grasp and gradually approach to have steps to prepare in the coming time, to be able to meet the world's regulations on plastic waste, as well as recycled plastic products; meeting the packaging requirements for exported products, especially packaging for the food industry. Currently, exported recycled plastic and rubber products are being favored in many countries around the world. Therefore, Vietnamese enterprises need to focus on changing technology to meet the increasing demands of the market.

During the transition, what difficulties do plastic exporting enterprises encounter and what solutions are there to overcome them, Madam?

With the continuous innovation of countries around the world as well as domestic policies, plastic enterprises are mostly small and medium-sized enterprises, they encounter many difficulties because they do not have enough resources to follow new regulations.

Therefore, to support businesses, we often organize seminars and training conferences to update new policies for businesses.

On that basis, businesses need to take steps to prepare for this approach to comply well with the environmental policies that have been put in place.

Although affected by the global economic situation, stimulus policies and business support activities have contributed to maintaining the growth rate of the Vietnamese plastics industry. Regarding financial policies, the Government still has many issues to worry about, so plastic enterprises must be self-reliant in their production and business.

Vietnam's plastics industry is facing major challenges in terms of plastic waste and recycling needs. The transition to sustainable recycling and production technologies is urgent to meet the requirements of green development.

Currently, export markets are becoming more stringent in terms of environmental factors, requiring carbon credits and recycling technologies. This forces domestic plastics enterprises to adapt and improve, in order to avoid broken orders, in the context of increasingly fierce competition.

Can you share about the Association's activities in supporting members in sustainable development?

In the role of the association, in recent times, we have had many working sessions with agencies, ministries, branches, international organizations, especially the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

We have developed and contributed to environmental protection regulations, including a very new point, Decree 08 regulating the responsibility of manufacturers and importers (EPR). This is a powerful tool to support the development of the recycling industry.

In the coming time, Vietnam will form a strong recycling industry to update and invest in modern technologies to serve the domestic market as well as export orders.

In addition, we coordinate with ministries and branches to build product designs to ensure that products after disposal must be beneficial and serve the purpose of collection and recycling.

That is one of the important development goals to contribute to building the plastic industry into one of the industries developing a circular economy and sustainable development.

Thank you!