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Nationwide, more than 550 tonnes of pesticide packaging have not yet been treated, contributing to environmental pollution. Improving the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mechanism is expected to help address long-standing bottlenecks in the collection, transport and treatment of pesticide packaging, which remains a major issue in agricultural production.
On April 14, 2026, in Dak Lak, the Environmental Department and the Plant Protection and Pesticide Protection Directorate (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), in collaboration with the Dak Lak Province Department of Agriculture and Environment and the Nong nghiep va Moi truong newspaper, organized a live and online forum titled “Dissemination of EPR regulations and the support mechanism for processing pesticide packaging and fertilizer packaging activities at localities.”
The forum took place as the Government issued Decree 110/2026/NĐ-CP, continuing to refine Vietnam’s legal framework for the EPR mechanism.
In opening remarks, Tran Van Cao, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Nong nghiep va Moi truong, said EPR is an advanced policy tool requiring enterprises to take responsibility for the entire product lifecycle, including the post-use phase. He noted that EPR is not a tax, but a mechanism to allocate responsibility among businesses to support a circular economy and reduce environmental impact.
Luong Ngoc Quang, Deputy Head of the Food Safety and Environment Office (Plant Protection and Pesticide Protection), said that from 2022 to 2025, Vietnam collected nearly 2,500 tonnes of used pesticide packaging. However, only about 1,400 tonnes were processed in accordance with regulations. He added that more than 500 tonnes were disposed of by residents themselves, while more than 550 tonnes remain unprocessed.
Pesticide packaging is classified as hazardous waste due to residual chemicals, requiring strict handling from collection to disposal. By contrast, fertilizer packaging is largely general solid waste that can be recycled or reused.
Despite efforts over the years—including more than 11,700 training sessions with over 600,000 participants and more than 450,000 pesticide packaging containment tanks built nationwide—littering of packaging on fields and in canals remains widespread. This creates risks to soil and water ecosystems.
Decree 110/2026/NĐ-CP will take effect on May 25, 2026. Participants described it as a meaningful step in clarifying producer/importer responsibility for recycling and waste treatment, while establishing a transparent and efficient mechanism for managing and using financial contributions.
Nguyen Thanh Yen, Deputy Head of Policy - Legal Affairs, Department of Environment (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), said the new regulation helps the EPR framework operate coherently from mobilization to resource allocation. For pesticide packaging, the decree specifies the contribution mechanism and the use of the Vietnam Environmental Protection Fund, earmarking funds to support localities.
Speakers emphasized that, in practice, the packaging waste problem is not only a collection issue. It requires coordinated solutions involving the State, businesses, and citizens to improve the effectiveness of EPR implementation.
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