On October 1st the HCMC People’s Council and HCMC Television co-held the October ‘Citizens Ask – Government Answers’ session on plastic waste and environment protection.
The Environment Festival 2023 in District 10 with the theme ‘Say No to Single-use Plastics and Non-degradable Plastic Bags’ (Photo: SGGP)
The program received a large number of inquiries regarding plastic waste collection and treatment, plastic bag use, and policies to encourage businesses to grow green in the future.
As to environmental protection fee collection, Deputy Director of the HCMC Tax Department Giang Van Hien said that there is a tax exemption for eco-friendly packaging whole non-degradable plastic bags are subject to a tax rate of VND50,000 per kilo (US$2.1).
At present, HCMC does not produce many plastic bags, but it consumes a huge quantity of these items from various sources.
Deputy Director Nguyen Thi Thanh My of the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment informed that there have already been regulations and criteria on limiting the release of plastic waste in malls, supermarkets, markets, and public buildings.
Head Nguyen Thi Thanh Van of the Urban Committee (under the HCMC People’s Council) suggested that related units should urgently advise the HCMC People’s Committee to introduce a specific plan to reduce single-use plastics, non-degradable packaging. Meanwhile, suitable policies to promote eco-friendly plastic and plastic waste recycling should be released.
The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee – HCMC Branch should further propagandize information on these matters to raise the awareness of the public on environment protection.
The program welcomed the participation of Chairwoman of the HCMC People’s Council Nguyen Thi Le.
Chairwoman of the HCMC People’s Council Nguyen Thi Le and delegates at the program (Photo: SGGP)
By Ngo Binh – Translated by Thanh Tam
