Manufacturers and importers of tires, inner tubes, batteries, motor oil, and paper and board packaging are now obligated to recycle a portion of these products under new regulations recently entered into force in Vietnam. According to the Director General of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s department of legal affairs, these products are the first to fall under the extended producer responsibility regulations outlined in the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection.
The mandatory recycling requirements are applicable to producers and importers with annual revenues of VND 30 billion (USD 1.2 million) or annual imports of VND 20 billion (USD 800 million). Minimum recycling rates have been set at 5% for tires and inner tubes, 8-12% for batteries, and 10-22% for paper-based and board packaging.
Furthermore, the law specifies the recycling methods to be employed. Specifically, tires can be retreaded or shredded to serve as raw materials for new tires, batteries can be utilized in the production of recycled plastic or plastic-based products such as chemicals, heavy fuel oil, and synthesis gases for other industries. Meanwhile, motor oil can undergo distillation for reuse or be transformed into other oils, while paper and board packaging can be recycled into tissue paper, cardboard boxes, and various other products.
Moreover, mandatory recycling is slated to extend to other products in the future, including electrical-electronics from 2025 and motor vehicles from 2027.
(Source: VnExpress)
