Appointment of Vietnam Ecolabel criteria for Eco-friendly Plastic Packaging

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) has issued Decision No. 3257/QD-BTNMT dated November 7, 2023, issuing the Vietnam Ecolabel criteria for eco-friendly plastic packaging to encourage sustainable production and consumption. A Chau Environment (MTAC) invites the Client to refer to some things to note.

Plastic waste only partially decomposes. According to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), around 300 million tons of plastic waste is released into the environment every year. Of the plastic waste discharged, up to 78% was buried, 11% was incinerated, and only 9% of it was recycled. In order to minimize the harmful effects of plastic waste on the environment, biodegradable packaging materials have been seen in recent years as the right choice for environmental protection and sustainable development.

Criteria Vietnam Ecolabel for Eco-Friendly Plastic Packaging

The general criteria of the Vietnam Ecolabel for eco-friendly plastic packaging require that products manufactured at manufacturing facilities comply with the provisions of environmental protection legislation and other relevant legislation. Remarkably, 03 criteria:

1. Criteria for raw materials, materials, fuels

Raw materials, materials, fuels: raw materials, packaging materials derived from bio-plastics (for biodegradable plastic packaging) or PE plastics, recycled PP plastics cleaned (for recyclable plastics packaging), and additives that do not contain the ingredients, substances in the import, use prohibition list of Vietnam. Do not use ink, dyes, dye, and other additives in accordance with environmental safety and health regulations of packaging production.

2. Technical characteristics criteria, allowable limits of pollution parameters in the product

In terms of technical characteristics, allowable limits of pollution parameters in the product: quality assurance in harmony with national or equivalent international standards (if any). For biodegradable plastic packaging, the biological degradation rate of the packaging is at least 90% over 2 years in the natural environment, compost, or solid waste landfill. For recycled plastic packaging, there is a minimum of 20% raw material for the production of packaging from recyclable plastic, with a thickness of 50 μm or more and a minimum size per dimension of 50 cm or more...

3. Recovery, Recycling, Handling, Disposal Criteria

With regard to recovery, recycling, handling, and disposal: recycle, recovery of used packaging; information on the address of the recovery facility; solutions by the provisions of the law.

Criteria Vietnam Ecolabel Criteria for Eco-Friendly Plastic Packaging (Photo: A Chau Environment)

Source: Compiled by A Chau Environment