Honoring informal female scrap collectors in the journey of "Reviving plastic waste"

On the occasion of Vietnamese Women's Day, October 19, Unilever Vietnam and VietCycle organized the "Ceremony to honor green warriors for a civilized Vietnam with trash", and at the same time summarized the journey of "Reviving plastic waste" over the past 2 years.

Tôn vinh các lao động nữ nghề ve chai phi chính thức trong hành trình 'Hồi sinh rác thải nhựa'

Discussion within the framework of the program. (Source: VietCycle)

According to statistics from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, each year in Vietnam, only 27% of plastic waste is recycled and utilized by facilities and businesses. Notably, according to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), it is estimated that more than 30% of waste in Vietnam is collected by the informal labor force, of which women make up the majority. It can be said that female workers working as scrap collectors and waste collectors are the silent green warriors who directly contribute to environmental protection.

Over the past 2 years, the Unilever “Revive Plastic Waste” project has supported more than 2,500 scrap collectors to improve their living and working conditions, providing them with labor protection equipment and monthly home and personal care products.

The project contributes to empowering and providing opportunities for women to develop, creating positive added value for society and the community, thereby enhancing the position of women in the family and society, contributing to promoting the commitment to gender equality.

At the event, women who work as scrap collectors and plastic waste collectors had the opportunity to share about the difficulties in their work, as well as their own wishes. Many women expressed their joy and happiness when their work is gradually recognized by society.

Ms. Le Thi Luong (58 years old, a freelance collector) shared about the positive impacts that the "Revitalizing plastic waste" program has brought over the past 2 years: "When we enter the streets and alleys, people often say this and that, sometimes I feel sorry for myself. When participating in the program, we feel more confident knowing that our work is an important part of the future and society. For the first time, we learned how to classify waste and were equipped with labor protection equipment during the process of collecting plastic waste. Not only that, the women participating in the program also received monthly gifts and morale encouragement."

The “Revitalizing Plastic Waste” project has supported more than 2,500 scrap collectors to improve their living and working conditions. (Source: VietCycle)

At the event, Unilever representatives shared their experiences and called for sustainable solutions, raising people’s awareness of environmental protection and promoting green lifestyles in the community. The plastic waste recycling movement not only provides plastic raw materials for Unilever, but also aims at a larger goal: contributing to environmental protection, for a greener Vietnam.

The "Revitalizing Plastic Waste" project was launched in 2021, aiming to promote the circular economic model and improve working conditions, safety, health and living conditions for female workers. Over the past two years, the program has implemented many practical activities such as: Collecting and processing plastic waste; Education and communication; Capacity building, supporting informal scrap workers.

After 2 years of implementing the “Plastic Waste Recovery” project, more than 20,000 tons of plastic waste were classified, collected and recycled; more than 150 plastic waste collection facilities were established; and more than 2,500 freelance scrap collectors were supported and their capacity was enhanced.

The project is one of many activities of Unilever Vietnam within the framework of three strategic focuses on sustainable development: Improving the health of the planet; Improving people's health, confidence and happiness; and contributing to a fairer, more inclusive society for everyone.

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