The amount of plastic waste generated daily in Hanoi is more than one thousand tons/day, but only 2% of plastic is recycled, the rest of plastic waste is discharged into the environment... In order to promote collection and recycling activities, increase the recycling rate of plastic waste, and develop a circular economy in Vietnam, on June 22, 2022, in Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province, the Center for Education and Development (CED) in collaboration with the Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry - Da Nang Branch (VCCI Da Nang) and PepsiCo Vietnam Company organized a workshop on "Increasing collection and recycling of plastic waste to promote a circular economy in Vietnam". POLLUTORS MUST PAY The workshop is one of the activities of the Project "Raising awareness of plastic waste management", which will be implemented from January 2020 to December 2022. One of the objectives of the Project is to raise awareness among small and medium enterprises in Vietnam in managing and treating plastic waste to seek innovative solutions, towards sustainable production and business through the application of a circular economy model. According to Mr. Nguyen Thi, Chief Expert of the Legal Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, to promote a circular economy, "Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)" is one of the tools considered a new approach towards the goal of increasing reuse, recycling, and waste reduction by promoting changes in product and packaging design. At the same time, it also aims to find financial solutions to address waste management issues to help the Government achieve environmental goals without increasing taxes or environmental fees. In the 2020 Environmental Law, the responsibility of manufacturers and importers to recycle and treat waste is specifically stipulated in Articles 54 and 55. Manufacturers and importers can choose one of four forms: Carry out recycling themselves; Hire units with recycling functions; Join together to establish a representative organization to carry out the responsibility of manufacturers to organize recycling activities; and Contribute funds to the Vietnam Environmental Protection Fund to organize recycling. "EPR is one of the important stages of the circular economic model, but it has an impact on all stages of the circular economic model from product design, product manufacturing, product life cycle extension, product reuse and recycling," Mr. Nguyen Thi shared. Adding more information, Mr. Nguyen Tien Quang, Director of VCCI, Da Nang branch, emphasized that EPR is an environmental policy based on the principle of "Polluters pay". EPR encourages manufacturers to consider environmental issues right from the idea stage to product design, production, consumption, and internalization of waste management costs into product costs. STRICT POLICIES AND LAWS NEEDED IN WASTE CLASSIFICATION AND COLLECTION At the workshop, businesses shared experiences and good practices on circular economy, sustainable development, ensuring the closed, circular flow of resources between input materials and waste generated in production activities. Mr. Jirawat Poomsrikaew - Director of Indochina, PepsiCo, said that PepsiCo is supporting the construction of a positive value chain. The company plans to introduce more sustainable product packaging throughout the value chain, and reduce the use of virgin plastic in each product to 50% of all beverage and soft drink products by 2030. Collecting, recycling or converting these materials into other forms with longer life cycles will minimize the existence of these materials in the living environment, reducing the negative impact of these materials on the environment. "Proper collection and recycling will promote a circular economic model, an economic model that ensures sustainable development and optimizes the advantages as well as the impact and mutual support of factors in the economy," Mr. Jirawat Poomsrikaew emphasized.