Plastic Cycle: Improving income and working conditions of informal waste workers in Vietnam
Over 90% of plastic waste in Vietnam are collected by informal waste pickers. Despite their crucial role, they often operate without any significant support. Read about the project aimed at improving their income and working conditions.
Project milestones
Supporting and Celebrating Vietnam’s Informal Waste Pickers
In Vietnam, more than 90% of plastic waste is collected by its informal sector, with an estimated 10,000 to 16,000 informal waste collectors working daily in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. This workforce plays a vital role in Vietnam’s waste management, often providing the sole means of recyclable waste collection for municipalities.
The Alliance worked with VietCycle, a for-profit scrap collection and recycling company whose mission is to help develop a strong recycling industry in Vietnam, with the aim of improving the working conditions and income of informal waste collectors.
Through the Plastic Cycle project, over 1,000 waste collectors received practical and valuable social welfare support for the first time, in the form of health insurance and monthly rent subsidies. They also received personal protective equipment. Funding from the Alliance has also helped improve the efficiency of VietCycle’s operations with the purchase of two trucks and four balers.
The first phase of the project was completed in April 2023, ahead of schedule, thanks to the strong engagement and grassroots work with the informal sector. That lead to the approval of phase II — an expansion into Ho Chi Minh province.
The project concluded in January 2024 with a closing ceremony, during which the waste collectors shared their experiences and the positive impact of the project on their lives. “Every month, I feel secure because I have protective equipment and insurance to take care of my health,” said Ms Tran Thi Hoa who works in Hanoi.
Others spoke about the effect the project had on how they viewed their work. “I never thought my work would receive so much attention and support from so many people,” said Ms Le Thi Luong who also works in Hanoi, “Before, when I went to work, many people said rude things. But the project helped me understand that I am doing something meaningful for the environment.”
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