Mixed paper and some recycled plastics are to be banned by the Government of Vietnam from the beginning of 2022.
At a meeting at the Ministry of Natural Resources in the country, chaired by Deputy Minister Vo Tuan Nhan, it was decided to introduce a roadmap to gradually reduce imports of certain recyclable material by 1 January 2022.
Currently, Vietnam permits 36 commodity codes of recyclable materials, but it will remove 13 of these.
While it hasn’t yet published a comprehensive list, the meeting confirmed that waste polymers of styrene: non solid (commodity code 39152010) would be banned. Additionally, waste polymers of polyvinyl chloride: non solid (commodity code 39153010) would no longer be permitted after that date.
Mixed paper (commodity code 47079000) will also not be allowed for import from the start of 2022.
The other banned recyclable materials are metals including granulated slag from the production of iron and steel, plus gypsum is also not allowed from the same date.
It was decided to introduce a roadmap until 1 January 2022 to allow the country to import essential raw materials, until these can be replaced by domestic sources.
Deputy Minister Vo Tuan Nhan said: “The demand for importing scrap materials as raw materials in the main manufacturing industries, such as steel, paper and plastic, has been on an upward trend.
“The import and use of imported waste, if not managed and strictly controlled, will lead to the widespread import of waste into Vietnam, adversely affecting human health and the environment.”
Vietnam had previously indicated that it planned to reduce the amount of imported recycled materials.
