Development of technical guidelines for plastics and resin pellets leakage prevention from factories and informal recycling sector in Hanoi

The assignment “Development of technical guidelines for plastics and resin pel lets leakage prevention from factories and informal recycling sector in Hanoi, Vietnam”, signed between VNCPC and the Regional Resource Center for Asia andthe Pacific (RRC.AP) located at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) – Thailand. This assignment is one component of the Project “Development and dissemination of technical guidelines for plastics and resin pellets leakage prevention from factories and informal recycling sector in the ASEAN” funded by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). The overall objective of the proposed project is to contribute to preventing plastics and resin leakage into the marine by promoting best practices and guidelines appropriate to resin-producing factories and informal recycling facilities in ASEAN countries.

Main activities of the service:

• Development of situation assessment report on the status and plastic leakages related to operations of informal recycling actors and the plastic industry;
• Development and update of context-specific draft guidelines/manual and best practices for preventing plastics (by informal recyclers) and pellet losses by factories;
• Submission of final guidelines/manual in English and in Vietnamese versions; and
• Participation in knowledge dissemination and capacity-building workshop.

Activities in 2022:

• Reviewed the literature regarding (i) policy and regulatory mechanisms; (ii) institutional framework and stakeholders involved in plastic waste management and plastic recycling; (iii) plastic value chain and material flows for plastic recycling; and (iv) current status of recycling technology and environmental – economic – social impacts of plastic recycling (formal and informal sectors);
• Conducted surveys, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with identified keystone recycling enterprises, actors, and industry actors;
• Carried out onsite field visits and assessment of process operations of selected recycling factories, junkshops, and plastic industry; and
• Developed and completed the situation assessment report on plastic leakage from informal/formal recycling groups and pellet losses from logistical handling of pellets in the plastic industry in Hanoi city.

Activities in 2023:

• Conducted literature review on (i) relevant policies and laws; (ii) institutional framework and stakeholders in plastic waste management and recycling; (iii) plastic value chain and plastic recycling material flow; and (iv) current status of recycling technology and environmental – economic- social impacts of plastic recycling activities (both in the formal and informal sectors);
• Investigated and interviewed relevant parties in the field of plastic waste management and recycling;
• Carried out field surveys of the operating procedures at plastic collection and recycling facilities in Ha Noi;
• Developed and finalized the situation assessment report on plastic waste management and leakage related to informal recycling activities in Ha Noi;
• Developed the technical guidance relevant to the local context and solutions to prevent plastics and resin pellets leakage from recycling facilities;
• Organized an in-country stakeholder consultation cum expert review workshop on preventing plastic and pellet leakages from informal and formal recycling sector on 28/03/2023 in Ha Noi, in both online and offline mode. The workshop included field visit activity at Trieu Khuc Plastic Recycling Craft Village; and
• Participated in the ASEAN Regional Workshop held on 28-29/09/2023, in Pattaya. The workshop aimed to share the project’s results and lessons learned, and discuss solutions by sharing experiences and disseminating best practices among stakeholders in preventing plastic debris leakage from factories and the informal recycling sector in ASEAN.