VATIS UPDATE Article

Viet Nam Recycles will kick off its Household Collection campaign, which will see 12 volunteers going door-to-door around 5 wards in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, collecting recyclable electrical and electronic materials and discussing the importance of recycling with householders. Viet Nam Recycles is a take-back and recycling program run by leading manufacturers of electronic equipment to assure their responsible and safe recycling. Just lately, Microsoft Mobile Viet Nam joined the alliance.

The Viet Nam government, through Decree 16 which became effective in July this year, has drawn attention to the role of manufacturers in the safe disposal of electronic waste. Accordingly, the Decree obliges manufacturers to provide a take-back solution for their end-of-life products. The program, which will run over three months between September and November, is organized in conjunction with the various Ward People’s Committees, who will accompany volunteers and Viet Nam Recycles team members to visit their constituents.

The program further has the support of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. “The Household Collection program seeks to raise further awareness on our program because so far, we’re still not receiving much equipment at our collection points. By coming to their houses and collect the equipment right away, we make the first use of our program easy and hope people will continue using our program and bring their devices to our collection points afterwards,” said Ms. Miriam Lassernig, at Viet Nam Recycles.