PRO Vietnam Launches Mixed Paper Carton Collection and Recycling Program at Schools in Ba Ria – Vung Tau

On August 21, 2024, the Packaging Recycling Organization Vietnam (PRO Vietnam) in collaboration with the Department of Education and Training of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province (BRVT) launched the “Environmental Hero – Mixed Paper Carton Collection and Recycling” program at schools in the province. The event attracted representatives from nearly 300 kindergartens and primary schools, along with many businesses and media organizations.

The “Environmental Hero – Mixed Paper Carton Collection and Recycling” program at schools is planned to be implemented throughout the 2024-2025 school year. The program aims to establish a long-term collection chain for milk carton packaging in BRVT province, while also raising awareness and enhancing the role of schools, teachers, and students in waste sorting and recycling, and environmental protection. With the idea of combining extracurricular activities that are both fun and educational, aimed at raising awareness about waste sorting at the source and recycling packaging waste, PRO Vietnam will conduct a series of extracurricular activities for students at 14 kindergartens and primary schools in 7 districts of the province, from September 9 to September 17, 2024. The program promises to have a positive impact on spreading and forming positive habits in the collection, sorting, and recycling of beverage cartons among students.

Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc Chau, Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, delivered strong messages at the event calling for collective action against plastic waste. She urged educational institutions to strengthen the dissemination and education of the harmful effects of plastic waste and plastic bags on the environment and human health, and to develop effective solutions to reduce consumption, increase reuse, and recycle plastic waste in educational institutions across the province. Alongside educating for awareness change, the representative of the BRVT Department of Education and Training also emphasized the need to encourage and mobilize teachers and students to actively use products with reusable, easily degradable, and environmentally friendly packaging.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Gia Huy Chuong, General Director of PRO Vietnam, shared: “Vietnam is among the countries with the largest amount of waste, which is higher than the global average. However, only about 10% of this is processed and recycled, with the remainder mostly being landfilled, incinerated, or discharged into the environment. This presents significant challenges in environmental management and waste pollution in Vietnam. In 2024, PRO Vietnam aims to collect and recycle about 70,000 tons of various packaging; to strengthen communication to change consumption awareness; and to support workers in the collection sector.”

This issue requires the joint efforts of government agencies, businesses, the community, and especially schools—where the future generations of the country are educated and trained—to raise awareness of the important role of waste collection and recycling in environmental protection, conserving natural resources, and promoting a circular economy at the local level.

Mr. Chuong emphasized: “The mixed paper carton collection and recycling program at schools that we are launching today is part of PRO Vietnam’s efforts to fulfill its mission for a greener, cleaner, and more beautiful Vietnam. We believe that by being guided to participate in the collection and recycling of milk cartons—a small, familiar item in daily life—each student will understand the significant role of this activity in preserving and protecting their living environment. Through this program, PRO Vietnam also hopes to instill in each student, at every age, a sense of voluntary and proud responsibility to become an ‘environmental hero’ wherever they live, thereby spreading this awareness to those around them to create a community actively engaged in environmental protection.”

As part of the launch ceremony, PRO Vietnam also presented an exhibition on the circular economy model to provide teachers and students with an opportunity to learn about the circular economy and to better understand PRO Vietnam’s and its members’ contributions to promoting a sustainable packaging value chain, contributing to a Greener, Cleaner, and More Beautiful Vietnam for future generations.