In Hoi An, a tourism hub in central Vietnam, local leaders are driving an initiative to mobilize residents and tourists alike to reduce plastic waste, especially single-use plastic waste, and promote a circular economy. USAID, through its Local Solutions for Plastic Pollution (LSPP) project, is supporting the effort. For the past two months, LSPP worked with the Hoi An City's Women's Union to successfully pilot a circular recycling program. The program utilizes collection bins—made out of recycled plastic—with clearly labeled compartments, helping people to correctly sort their waste at the source. Single-use plastics, such as plastic bags and straws, are segregated from other types of plastics with higher recycling value, such as aluminum cans and plastic bottles. The Women's Union then sells the sorted plastic waste to recycling centers, and the money earned supports disadvantaged women and children.
On March 10, LSPP joined Hoi An City authorities and other partners in handing over 54 plastic waste collection bins to the Hoi An City's Women's Union for their management and operation in 13 villages and wards. LSPP will continue to support the Women's Union in its efforts to establish and expand its connections with plastic recycling networks. The location of the plastic waste collection bins will be regularly updated and available to the public through an open-source mobile app being developed with the support of USAID. The app will also allow people to report on polluted sites and plastic waste illegal dumping.
USAID's support for locally-led and sustained solutions to plastic waste is helping to educate and mobilize consumers to properly sort their plastic waste "at the source,” or when disposing of it, reducing environmental pollution and growing pressure on cities to manage waste.
