She made the statement while answering reporters’ queries regarding collaboration in maritime plastic waste combat within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Vietnam’s viewpoints on this matter.

Hang said Vietnam has considered marine debris a global pressing issue that seriously threatens the marine eco-system.

The country has encouraged the participation of the entire society in the fight against plastic waste, aiming to be free of single-use plastic products by 2025, according to the spokeswoman.

Hang said ASEAN leaders adopted the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in ASEAN and the ASEAN Framework of Action on Marine Debris during the 34th ASEAN Summit in Thailand on June 22.

Under the documents, the ASEAN member countries committed to implementing specific measures to effectively respond to marine debris, including plastic waste.

They also agreed to enhance regional and international cooperation as well as collaboration between the State and the private sector, build capacity and call for support of partners.

Besides, they will step up education and communication work to encourage the participation of the public in the combat, and promote national and regional action programmes to prevent, mitigate and manage marine debris, Hang said.

Regarding the settlement of imported scraps, the spokesperson said the scraps must satisfy the Law on Environmental Protection and be included in the list of scraps allowed to be imported into Vietnam as production materials as stipulated in the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 73/2014/QD-TTg dated December 19, 2014 and other relevant documents.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has also issued legal documents that set higher quality of scraps, Hang said.

Any organisations and individuals who import waste under the name of scraps will be fined in line with the law, she said, further explaining that their imported scraps will be forced to return to where it comes from or destroyed and they will face administrative punishments and not be allowed to use the certificate of eligibility in environmental protection in import of scraps as production materials.-VNA

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