Quy Nhon, 12 June 2025 – The People’s Committee of Binh Dinh Province, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Norwegian Embassy in Viet Nam jointly organized the closing workshop of the project “Scaling-up Integrated and Inclusive Waste Management Models through Empowering the Informal Sector and Fostering the Circular Economy.” Funded by the Government of Norway and technically supported by UNDP, the project has been implemented since 2021. It has delivered tangible results in improving household solid waste management systems and raising public awareness.

One of the project’s most notable achievements is the household waste separation at source, piloted in Ngo May and Nguyen Van Cu wards, engaging nearly 13,000 households. Even after the end of direct project support, 60 per cent of households have continued the practice, with over 90% expressing their willingness to maintain it, demonstrating the initiative’s lasting impact on behavior and awareness. Another innovative model, “Fishing Boats Bring Plastic Waste Back to Shore,” attracted more than 150 boat trips within six months, collecting over 3 tons of plastic waste from the sea. Meanwhile, the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Long My, with a processing capacity of two tons of plastic per day, has recovered over 120 tons of plastic, including more than 58 tons of PET sold to recycling companies. Notably, nearly 200 informal waste collectors have been organized into clubs and received training, safety equipment, and support to access markets, affirming their indispensable role in the household waste value chain.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Nguyễn Tự Công Hoàng, Vice Chairman of the Quy Nhon City People’s Committee, emphasized that the project holds special significance from an environmental perspective and demonstrates the city’s commitment to sustainable development and circular economy. He stated: “These results clearly show that when local governments take the initiative, citizens participate, and international organizations and businesses collaborate, environmental challenges that once seemed intractable can be transformed into opportunities for sustainable development.” While acknowledging the project’s achievements, he pointed out remaining challenges, such as the uneven uptake of waste separation and the lack of stable support mechanisms for informal waste workers. He called on all stakeholders to work together to improve policy frameworks and expand the implementation of successful models.

The project has helped position Quy Nhon as a “living laboratory” for integrated and inclusive household waste management models. In his opening remarks, Mr. Patrick Haverman, UNDP Viet Nam Deputy Resident Representative, stressed: “We are not here to close a project but to prepare for what comes next. We celebrate not just results, but an approach that puts inclusion and innovation at the heart of Viet Nam’s transition toward a circular economy.” He noted that models piloted under the project, waste separation at source, plastic recycling, and fishing boats collecting marine litter, have all proven effective and scalable at the national level.

Representing the donor, Mr. Erlend Skutlaberg, First Secretary at the Norwegian Embassy in Viet Nam, said: “This project in Quy Nhon and other cities is a powerful example of how sustainable waste management can contribute to that global mission. From the establishment of a high-capacity Material Recovery Facility, to the innovative ‘Fishing Boats Bring Plastic Waste Back to Shore’ initiative, to the empowerment of informal waste workers, these are not just project outputs, they are building blocks for a circular economy and a cleaner, more resilient future.”

Beyond models and infrastructure, the project has also contributed significantly to institutional development. Practical outcomes have informed the development and revision of provincial regulations on waste separation at source and provided valuable input for national policy frameworks, including the National Action Plan on Circular Economy and the National Action Plan on Ocean Plastic Waste Management. UNDP and its partners are now actively advancing the following steps: scaling up the models to larger urban areas, piloting new solutions such as co-processing and deposit-return systems, and promoting eco-design and markets for secondary materials.

For media inquiries, please contact:   
Phan Huong Giang   
UNDP Media and Communications Analyst, Climate Change, Energy and Environment 
United Nations Development Programme
Email: phan.huong.giang@undp.org  Mob: 0948466688

Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh
Information and Communications Advisor
Norwegian Embassy in Hanoi
Email: Thi.kim.thanh.nguyen@mfa.no   Mobile: 0904637298