Five best recycling practices from around the world
	Giving plastic another use
	Thailand bans single-use plastic bags at major stores

To help protect the native environment and address plastic waste issues, WWF-Viet Nam began the Phu Quoc - Toward a plastic waste-free island project.

On the occasion of World Environment Day June 5 and World Oceans Day June 8, WWF Vietnam is organizing a series of events "Phu Quoc - Toward a plastic waste-free island" together with the local communities and organizations to look back on the one-year journey of the 'Day for Phu Quoc Environment' and half a year after Phu Quoc pledged to become a Plastic Smart City, as well as to continue to share knowledge and actions to reduce single-use plastic and move towards a plastic waste-free island.

Since April, WWF Vietnam has launched a contest to find the best ideas to solve the problem of plastic waste in Vietnamese localities of Da Nang, Rach Gia and Phu Yen, plus Phu Quoc, Vietnam's biggest island in the southern province of Kien Giang.

The contest is open to all individuals and organizations nationwide until June 15.

Contestants are required to develop their ideas on promoting the implementation of the 3-R (reduce, reuse and recycle) solutions in Da Nang, Rach Gia and Phu Yen, and on how to turn plastic waste into environmentally-friendly products in the Phu Quoc Island.

Top 12 most potential proposals will be revealed on June 25, and they will have two weeks to perfect their ideas under the help of the country’s leading experts in the field of startup and business management.

Besides evaluating the solutions, the judges will accompany finalists to complete their proposals before pitching at the final round.

Panda Labs - WWF's Innovation Program also joins the contest as a technical supporting team. With the aim to deliver a high impact towards the community to create and develop environmental innovations, Panda Labs will provide valuable skills and knowledge to the participants.

In August, they will deliver oral presentations in front of the judging board about their ideas on Vietnam's 'pearl island'.

The contest will give entrants the opportunity to present their best ideas to win cash prizes totaling VND 400 million. In addition, the 4 prize-winning creative ideas will have a chance to receive free mentorship and training courses from experts for one year.

That single use plastic waste are partially swept out to oceans by currents and wind and end up in the trash along seaside of coastal places and islands. As a result, residential areas where children are living are swamped with plastic waste. Photo: WWF-Viet Nam / Duong Quoc Binh

Apart from contests and film screening, WWF Vietnam on June 7 will conduct a workshop on plastic waste, to introduce a practical guide to waste-free lifestyle for households and social enterprises, where they will share green lifestyle practices and soap making from waste oil.

WWF Vietnam hopes to facilitate a group of businesses committed to reducing single-use plastic products, in which members can advise one another and inspire interested businesses to join.

A beach cleanup will be held on June 6 to mark the ‘Day for Phu Quoc Environment’ which implemented since 2019.

Since last year, local authorities in the island district of Phu Quoc have chosen the first Saturday of each month as the ‘Day for Phu Quoc Environment’.

As a result, the district will regularly organize community activities aimed at cleaning up the local environment by collecting waste on the first Saturday of each month.

Phu Quoc represents a paradise for tourists with an array of beautiful beaches, majestic mountains, and primeval forests whilst strong investment has been poured into developing infrastructure throughout the island district.

Despite these positives, the development of tourism infrastructure on the island has created pressure in terms of the environment, especially as a large quantity of waste and wastewater has been discharged into the local habitat, causing vast amounts of pollution to damage the area.

To help protect the native environment and address plastic waste issues, WWF Vietnam began the Phu Quoc - Toward a plastic waste-free island project in 2019. Sponsored by USAID and implemented by WWF Vietnam, this project is working with many different stakeholders such as the local government, schools, local communities and businesses who are expected to cooperate with each other within a public-private partnership platform to reduce single-use plastic, and move towards a plastic waste-free island./.

Five destinations in Vietnam should be in your post-COVID-19 travel bucket list Five destinations that continuously gain lauds from international media thanks to their enthralling scenes, stunning beach and crystal sands namely Phu Quoc, Danang, Phu Yen, ...

US Cable News lists Vietnam's Phu Quoc among best destinations in Asia Phu Quoc, the tropical island offshore of Kien Giang's Mekong Delta province, dubbed as "Pearl Island", has been named among the 17 best places in ...

Vietnamese grass is greener in battle against plastic straws A Vietnamese entrepreneur is promoting an environmentally friendly way to sip drinks by using grass stems to make reusable, biodegradable straws.

Hai Phong's schools going plastic-free The Center for Poor Workers of Hai Phong City Labor Union on December 14 cooperated with the Management Board of Supporting Program for Development of ...