EPR is considered a crucial mechanism for advancing a circular economy, ensuring businesses take greater responsibility for the environment by collecting and recycling used products or contributing financially to recycling efforts.
According to Mr. Ho Kien Trung, Deputy Director of the Department of Environment under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Vietnam’s legal framework has established clear EPR provisions in the Law Environmental Protection 2020 and related regulations. Most recently, Decree No.05/2025/ND-CP and Circular No.07/2025/TT-BTNMT have been introduced to enhance transparency in EPR implementation.
Under these regulations, manufacturers and importers can either organize recycling efforts or financial contributions to support recycling activities. The implementation timeline is structured as follows: from January 1, 2024, recycling obligations apply to products such as tires, lubricants, batteries, and certain types of packaging. From January 1, 2025, the policy extends to electrical and electronic products, and from January 1, 2027, it will include vehicles.
For waste collection and treatment, certain products—including disposable batteries, diapers, chewing gum, cigarettes, and pesticide packaging—have been subject to compliance since 2022.
Mr. Nguyen Van Phan, a representative of the EPR Office, noted that before this regulation, most used packaging was discarded directly into the environment. With EPR, businesses are now required to take responsibility for waste collection and recycling or make financial contributions. The most affected industries include food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, fertilizer, and cement packaging manufacturers.
Businesses raise concerns over EPR implementation
During discussions, Mr. Nguyen Duc Long, a representative of an aluminum packaging recycling company, expressed concerns about the reporting process on the EPR system. A representative from Coca-Cola Vietnam also inquired about EPR declaration requirements for reusable glass bottles.
In response, the EPR Office explained that companies with a recovery rate exceeding the mandatory 15 percent threshold are exempt from EPR reporting and compliance. However, if the recovery rate falls below this level, businesses must fulfill their recycling obligations. Mr. Do Xuan Thuan, a representative of the EPR Office, emphasized that only companies that register and follow proper recycling procedures will have their data accurately recorded in the system.
A cement industry representative proposed integrating co-processing technology into the EPR framework, noting that the industry already employs this method for waste treatment and energy recovery, which has been recognized in several countries.
Responding to this suggestion, Mr. Le Ngoc Giang from the EPR Office stated that current regulations have not addressed cement co-processing yet.
However, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is reviewing amendments to Decree No.08/2022/ND-CP and may consider incorporating these provisions if businesses submit comprehensive impact analysis reports.
