Greening efforts urgent to counter 'white pollution' of e-commerce
The shipment packaging required for every order placed online, even for smaller products, is causing pollution concerns. — VNA/VNS Photo |
Experts from the Vietnam E-commerce Association (VECOM) estimate that in 2023, the industry used up 332,000 tonnes of packaging, of which 171,000 tonnes were made of plastic.
Notably, 90 per cent of fashion, accessories and fast food traders use plastic bags and containers for shipments.
Head of the policy department at the Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency (VECOM) Nguyễn Hữu Tuấn said that the sector is seeing an annual growth rate of over 25 per cent, which is expected to increase nearly five fold by 2030.
Notably, the amount of waste generated from e-commerce and online shopping is estimated to be at least five times as much as that from traditional trading.
“We tend to think that e-commerce means sitting at home, making calls and surfing the Internet and that should produce less waste than traditional shopping methods.
“However, this is a misconception, as an order of the smallest value possible already requires a shipping package made from cartons, plastic and sticky tape. Meanwhile, in traditional commerce, we can use fewer plastic bags and rarely need tape and carton boxes,” Tuấn told Tin tức (News) newspaper.
Most online sellers want to ensure that their goods reach customers in the best condition, he added, therefore they often wrap the products in multiple layers of sheets or line the shipping box with plastic air pillows.
Experts forecast that without better measures to address this packaging problem, the amount of plastic waste from e-commerce could reach 800,000 tonnes a year.
A worker sorts out shipments at a logistics distribution centre. — VNA/VNS Photo |
Statistics from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment show that only about 10 per cent of plastic waste is recycled.
Meanwhile, the e-commerce boom is mainly concentrated in coastal cities or areas along major rivers leading to the sea, such as HCM City, Hà Nội, Hải Phòng, Đà Nẵng, Huế, Cần Thơ and Nha Trang.
As most plastic waste from e-commerce is not collected, recycled or treated in an environment-friendly manner, there is a high probability that it ends up in the ocean.
Greening efforts
Facing this 'white pollution', several delivery and packaging companies have taken measures for a greener e-commerce industry.
Since October last year, delivery service provider J&T Express has introduced three million eco-bags at distribution centres to replace conventional plastic bags.
J&T Express Brand Director Phan Bình said: “In addition to these measures, we also put out initiatives that encourage consumers, shop owners and shippers to join in protecting the environment, such as measures to save energy while driving, or proper packaging methods to avoid excessive material use.
“We also collected 1.5 tonnes of plastic waste to recycle into sets of colourful tables and chairs, which are then donated to schools.”
Schoolchildren in Bắc Ninh Province play at the recycled tables and chairs gifted by J&T Express. — Photo courtesy of Liên Bão Primary School |
Meanwhile, Lazada Logistics Vietnam leverages an automatic packaging size determination system to reduce waste, in addition to using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified packaging, recycling carton pieces as cushioning materials and using electric vehicles (EVs) for delivery.
Vietnam Post, considered the first postal service provider in the country to use EVs for shipping, has also reported reducing its CO2 emissions by 8.8 times from its efforts for more environment-friendly transport.
VECOM advisory council member Nguyễn Thanh Hưng said that many large corporations such as Lazada, Grab, Vietnam Post and J&T Express have been taking concrete actions in their green efforts, but reducing waste remains a major challenge for smaller businesses.
Moreover, e-commerce development strategies and related regulations are not focusing on environmental impacts, he added.
According to the Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency (iDEA), sustainable e-commerce development requires the engagement of six groups in reducing plastic waste.
They are State management agencies, consumers, e-commerce, logistics and order fulfilment companies, business associations, sectors and professional social organisations, press and media agencies and others.
Priority should be given to policies that support waste reduction and environmental protection in e-commerce, as well as a guideline to identify green and sustainable businesses and models, encouraging environment-friendly delivery methods and recognising green initiatives in this sector.
The World Wide Fund for Nature also recommends an official inventory of plastic packaging, materials and tools in e-commerce starting this year, as all evaluations require reliable and comprehensive data.
See also
Vietnam likely to face continued turbulent weather systems in 2025
14:26 | 19/12/2024 Environment
Nature-based projects help Mekong Delta fight climate change
16:31 | 18/12/2024 Environment
11 rare monkeys released back into wild in Nghe An
09:27 | 18/12/2024 Environment
Master Plan on Sustainable Exploitation and Use of Coastal Resources announced
11:26 | 16/12/2024 Environment
French agency ready to support Ninh Thuan in climate adaptation project
11:38 | 14/12/2024 Environment
Bac Ninh closely monitors environmental protection at local craft villages
08:59 | 11/12/2024 Environment
See more news
Steel, thermal power enterprises participate in training course on ETS and carbon market
15:01 | 10/12/2024 Environment
Seeking capital for green transformation remains tough
16:52 | 05/12/2024 Environment
Drainage infrastructure development behind pace of urbanisation
11:07 | 04/12/2024 Environment
Việt Nam rattled by 458 earthquakes in 11 months
14:47 | 03/12/2024 Environment
Hà Nội determined to revive its polluted rivers
10:31 | 03/12/2024 Environment
Vietnam seeks stronger cooperation in hydrometeorological forecasting with Japan
10:23 | 03/12/2024 Environment
Releasing buoys to protect coral reefs in Cát Bà National Park
15:05 | 02/12/2024 Environment
Việt Nam Records recognises Hòn Trứng as most fertile seabird habitat
16:40 | 30/11/2024 Environment
Strengthening cooperation on environment and climate adaptation
10:01 | 28/11/2024 Environment
Deforestation, forest land encroachment increase in Đắk Lắk Province
14:57 | 27/11/2024 Environment
Viet Nam back as ASEAN’s growth star: HSBC
16:02 | 21/12/2024 Economy
Gov't targets to gradually make English second language at schools by 2030
15:45 | 21/12/2024 Policy
Additional Vietnamese fruits given green-light to enter US and Australia
15:32 | 21/12/2024 Trade
Ha Giang Province promotes sales of local products through e-commerce
15:24 | 21/12/2024 Trade
PM's Certificate of Merit presented to Japanese prefecture's governor
14:22 | 21/12/2024 Cooperation
Multimedia
Total FDI registered in Vietnam hits 31.4 billion USD in January-November
09:02 | 17/12/2024 Infographic
First 11 months of 2024: Import-export turnover increases 15.4%
10:55 | 16/12/2024 Infographic
11-month agro-forestry-fishery exports exceed yearly target
19:55 | 15/12/2024 Infographic
Hanoi achieves or exceeds 23/24 socio-economic targets for 2024
08:57 | 13/12/2024 Infographic
Quang Trach – Pho Noi 500kV circuit-3 power transmission line: Miracle in infrastructure development
09:05 | 12/12/2024 Infographic
Gov't targets to gradually make English second language at schools by 2030
15:45 | 21/12/2024 Policy
Nine newly-adopted laws made public
16:42 | 20/12/2024 Policy
Resolution on construction of North-South high-speed railway issued
11:42 | 19/12/2024 Policy
PM requests no one be left behind in apparatus restructuring
09:16 | 18/12/2024 Policy
Ministry proposes incentives for renewable energy projects
16:17 | 20/12/2024 Energy
The Era of Advancement for Vietnam Industrial Park
17:15 | 19/12/2024 Industry
Vietnamese coffee sector working to meet EU Deforestation Regulation
16:38 | 18/12/2024 Industry
Construction industry expands at the highest rate since 2020: ministry
09:38 | 18/12/2024 Industry
Nghe An Southeast Economic Zone aims to attract 1 billion USD in FDI in 2025
12:33 | 21/12/2024 Investment
Boeing aims to expand investment and cooperation in Vietnam’s defense sector
17:00 | 19/12/2024 Investment
Can Tho attracts non-state investment
10:21 | 17/12/2024 Investment
FDI remains vital contributor to boost economic growth
09:06 | 13/12/2024 Investment
Year-end surge in property bond issuance amid financial challenges
09:39 | 20/12/2024 Finance-Banking
Vietcombank named most valuable brand in Vietnam
16:43 | 18/12/2024 Finance-Banking
Many banks increase deposit interest rates in year-end period
16:56 | 16/12/2024 Finance-Banking
Deputy PM urges extra efforts to remove Vietnam from money laundering grey list
15:16 | 13/12/2024 Finance-Banking
Vietnam likely to face continued turbulent weather systems in 2025
14:26 | 19/12/2024 Environment
Nature-based projects help Mekong Delta fight climate change
16:31 | 18/12/2024 Environment
11 rare monkeys released back into wild in Nghe An
09:27 | 18/12/2024 Environment
Master Plan on Sustainable Exploitation and Use of Coastal Resources announced
11:26 | 16/12/2024 Environment
Vietnam can partner with UK in developing nuclear power: Expert
12:43 | 21/12/2024 Science - Technology
Vinaphone launches fastest 5G service in Vietnam
12:38 | 21/12/2024 Science - Technology
Vietnam cooperates with Google to launch “Official Government Apps" feature
17:13 | 20/12/2024 Science - Technology
Two VNA newspapers rated "excellent" in digital transformation maturity
14:29 | 17/12/2024 Science - Technology
How will green transformation roadmap for Ho Chi Minh City public transport be applied?
12:19 | 21/12/2024 Society
Vietnam aims high with global education integration scheme until 2030
16:36 | 20/12/2024 Society
HCMC - Trung Luong - My Thuan Expressway to be expanded
15:46 | 18/12/2024 Society
Metro line 1 begins commercial operations this weekend
10:45 | 18/12/2024 Society
Viettel's hi-tech products meets standards for supply to Malaysia
13:19 | 21/12/2024 Vietnamese Brands
Hanoi promotes key industrial products
12:57 | 15/12/2024 Vietnamese Brands
Building a strong brand for Ha Giang’s thick-skinned orange
14:31 | 12/12/2024 Vietnamese Brands
2024 Vietnam Business Day opens shop in Japan
14:49 | 04/12/2024 Vietnamese Brands
Enduring tradition of Ha Nhi ethnic minority group's costumes
13:14 | 21/12/2024 Culture
Legendary band Boney M to thrill Vietnamese audiences this Christmas
14:49 | 17/12/2024 Culture
Ten prominent cultural, sports, tourism events in 2024 announced
14:39 | 17/12/2024 Culture
Argentine culture moves closer to Vietnam with Tango dance
15:15 | 16/12/2024 Culture
Two VNese destinations among cheapest places to live for digital nomads
13:10 | 21/12/2024 Tourism
Vietnam among top 3 destinations appealing to Australians
14:34 | 17/12/2024 Tourism
Ha Long Bay celebrates 30 years as a world heritage site
15:16 | 16/12/2024 Tourism
“Biet dong Sai Gon - Legendary Tunnels" tour launched
15:10 | 16/12/2024 Tourism