Vietnam Bans the Import of Plastic Scraps by 2025

Vietnam has come up with the plan of a gradual stop in the import of plastic scraps. It has determined to pause the import of plastic scrap by the beginning of 2025.

Vietnam to Clear the Consignments:

On the decision of banning plastic scrap imports, the Vietnam government works through the backlog of scrap plastic container that got stuck in the country’s port. There are nearly 21600 containers at ports. In order to clear those consignments, the government has instructed to provide ‘Environment Safety Certificates’ to the eligible containers, so that the importers can make use of these scraps to manufacture new products.

Vietnam, the Importer of US Plastic Scraps:

After the application of strict policies by China, the import of plastic scraps exceeded the permitted import volumes. The decision of banning plastic scrap will now trouble the US recycling market.

Informal Processing of Plastic Scrap:

Most of the US plastics were sent to the countries with poor waste management system. In Vietnam, more than half of the imported plastics were subjected to informal processing that involves the usage of a large amount of water and produces a lot of smoke. The toxic fumes which is liberated creates hazards to human life and the environment.

Is the ban a burden to local business?

Some of the local business within Vietnam are finding difficult with the proposed plastic restrictions. As the plastic scrap buyers prefer cheap plastic import instead of investing in their domestic countries. This ban will make the local industries to look for domestic markets. The import ban is expected to benefit the domestic plastic scrap sellers. If the demand within the domestic industries increases, it will tend to boost the plastic scrap price.

Turkey to become the Top Importer of Plastic scrap:

According to International Plastic scrap trade released by Greenpeace, Turkey has become one of the destinations for plastic scrap export. Following the ban of plastic scraps in South East Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam the plastic waste is now being dumped in Turkey. Among these, Turkey stands as the 8th largest importer of plastic waste. It imports around 436,000 tons of plastic waste. According to the Greenpeace Mediterranean Project Coordinator Deniz Bayram, Turkey is incompetent to handle its own waste. Therefore some policies have to be formulated before Turkey subjects to a crisis.

Scrap ban will divert the Exporter:

The ban on plastic scraps import by Vietnam will affect countries like The US more badly. The exporter will have to approach other countries to make their business. The long term solution for the affected countries will be that they can put these products back to their re-manufacturing to make their own product which may improve the domestic recycling capacity.