Turning waste into worth: a journey of empowering the ‘green warriors’

Turning waste into worth: a journey of empowering the ‘green warriors’

The Plastic Reborn initiative has collected 40,000 tonnes of plastic waste and empowered thousands of informal workers over the past five years through a growing circular economy model in Vietnam.

On October 15, Unilever Vietnam, in collaboration with VietCycle, a pioneering business in establishing a modern circular waste ecosystem in Vietnam, hosted the event "Honouring the Green Warriors – From Invisible to Infinite" at the Mipec Palace Convention Centre in Hanoi.

A glimpse of the event

The ceremony was attended by representatives from diverse government agencies such as the Department of Environment under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Vietnam Women’s Union, a representative from UNDP Vietnam, and over 500 informal waste collectors, the very individuals recognised and celebrated as the "green warriors".

After five years, the project has collected and recycled more than 40,000 tonnes of plastic waste, contributing to diminishing approximately 160 million tonnes of carbon emissions.

The initiative has also supported livelihoods, improved quality of life, and enhanced policy access for around 3,000 informal waste collectors.

In major urban centres such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and several other localities, the project has also played a key role in promoting waste separation at source, contributing to a shift in public behaviour and raising awareness regarding plastic waste.

Beyond waste collection, The Plastic Reborn initiative has implemented a wide range of sustainable support programmes for informal workers, including the provision of protective equipment, social insurance, essential goods, personal hygiene products, and regular home care services.

These forms of support are not only material in nature but also symbolise the society’s growing recognition of the value created by waste collectors, a job that had remained invisible for far too long.

Speaking at the event, Hoang Duc Vuong, chairman of VietCycle, stated, “The five-year journey with the project has been full of challenges, but also profoundly meaningful. We take pride not only in the volume of plastic waste that has been collected, but more importantly in the way the project has significantly improved the material and emotional wellbeing of over 3,000 waste collectors. It also marks an essential step in VietCycle’s journey to build the XanhNet ecosystem towards a more professional, sustainable, and efficient model.”

He noted that the year 2025 is not just a closing chapter, but also the beginning of a new phase, one that aims to expand and amplify the project’s positive impacts, from the invisible to the infinite.

Representing Unilever Vietnam, Le Thi Hong Nhi, head of communications, corporate affairs, and sustainability, shared, “This is not just another recycling initiative. The Plastic Reborn is a journey of regeneration, where each recycled plastic bottle is a step towards a cleaner, more sustainable Vietnam. At the heart of that journey are the women, the resilient and steadfast individuals. Without them, there would be no true circular economy.”

Representatives posing for a photo with participating green warriors

Speaking on behalf of regulatory authorities, Ho Kien Trung, deputy director general of the Department of Environment, highly commended the project's effectiveness and remarked, “The project is not only measured by the tens of thousands of tonnes of plastic waste collected and recycled annually, but also by the significant transformation in public awareness. We are witnessing a shift in which plastic waste is no longer invisible, but is being regenerated into a valuable economic and social resource, in every sense of the word.”

According to him, the collection networks established through the project in major locations such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Can Tho, and beyond have laid the foundation for a circular economy in waste management.

To ensure the long-term sustainability of this model, Trung recommended continued development of a closed-loop system for plastic waste management, from sorting, collection, and pre-processing to recycling and production of new materials.

He also emphasised the crucial role of women workers as community advocates, helping to spread the practice of waste sorting, raise awareness, and turn waste into valuable resources. “We sincerely hope that these women, the green warriors, will continue beautifying life in the time to come,” he added.

From the perspective of social organisations, Nguyen Thi Minh Huong, vice president of Vietnam Women’s Union, said, “We greatly appreciate the efforts of Unilever and VietCycle in supporting women engaged in plastic waste collection, from providing occupational accident insurance for more than 600 workers to organising training courses that enhance both knowledge and skills. These efforts form the foundation for the official recognition of these women as an integral part of our environmental protection system.”

After five years of implementation, the Plastic Reborn initiative has become a model of excellence in transforming waste into resources and elevating those once considered invisible into key agents in building a green, civil, and sustainable economy.

The journey continues. What began as a single initiative has now grown into a widespread movement. With the continued collaboration of all stakeholders, a future of infinite possibilities for recycled waste, and for the green warriors, is becoming ever more attainable.

VIR