Recycling made mandatory for some industries

"These products are the first ones in Vietnam to be subject to the extended producer responsibility regulations contained in the Law on Environmental Protection passed in 2020," Phan Tuan Hung, director general of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s department of legal affairs, said.

The mandatory recycling requirements will apply to producers and importers with annual revenues of VND30 billion (US$1.2 million) or annual imports of VND20 billion.

The minimum recycling rates are 5% of the products sold or imported for tires and inner tubes, 8-12% for batteries and 10-22% for paper-based and board packaging.

The law also lists the recycling methods to be used.

Tires can be retreaded or shredded for use as raw materials for new tires.

Batteries can be used to make recycled plastic or plastic-based products like chemicals, heavy fuel oil and synthesis gases for other industries.

Motor oil can be distilled and reused or made into other oils.

Paper and board packaging can be recycled into tissue paper, cardboard boxes and other products.

Mandatory recycling is set to apply to other products as well, including electrical-electronics from 2025 and motor vehicles from 2027.