Vietnam, Unilever Launch Innovation Challenge for Plastic Circularity

HANOI – Vietnam's Environment Agency and Unilever Vietnam on Tuesday launched the Plastic Circular Innovation Solutions 2026 competition, the inaugural initiative under a new five-year cooperation programme aimed at advancing the circular economy for plastics.

The launch marks the first project under a 2026–30 partnership between the agency, which is part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and the consumer goods multinational to promote innovation, recycling, and sustainable plastic management.

Over the past five years, joint programmes between the two organisations have facilitated the collection and recycling of over 60,000 tonnes of plastic waste into new packaging and other products. These efforts have also supported waste sorting initiatives and the implementation of extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies. Unilever Vietnam stated that 70 per cent of its packaging is now recyclable, with recycled plastic accounting for an average of 50 per cent of the material used in its packaging.

Environment Agency Director General Tăng Thế Cường said the transition to a circular economy has become a global trend as nations pursue greener growth and more efficient resource use. He added that the competition is expected to identify innovative solutions that can help reduce plastic pollution and support Việt Nam’s sustainable development goals.

At the event, the two parties signed a memorandum of understanding for the 2026–30 period, expanding their cooperation to move plastic circular economy solutions from commitment to practical implementation. The competition will seek innovations across the entire plastic value chain, including packaging design, alternative materials, recycling technologies, waste collection models, and circular business models.

Unlike traditional contests focused on ideas, this programme will emphasize implementation, connecting promising projects with experts, businesses, regulators, and investors to test and scale their solutions. Organisers said the goal is to accelerate Việt Nam’s green and digital transition through greater use of technology, data, and automation in waste management.

Nguyễn Thị Bích Vân, country managing director of Unilever Vietnam, said plastic should be viewed as a resource rather than waste and that stronger public-private cooperation was needed to bring innovative solutions to market.

The competition builds on the success of its 2024 edition, which attracted more than 350 projects and engaged over 500 individuals and organisations. Several winning ideas have since moved into pilot implementation, including a technology-enabled waste sorting station developed by startup GRAC in partnership with local authorities in Ho Chi Minh City.

Applications are expected to open in mid-July, with winners to be announced in the first quarter of 2027.