Attending the seminar were the Consul General of the Netherlands in Ho Chi Minh City, representatives of the departments and agencies of Can Tho city, experts from Kim Delta Vietnam Company, Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences HZ and HAN, Can Tho University, the Institute for Circular Economy Development and experts from Clear Rivers organization.

At the workshop, Assoc. Dr. Nguyen Hong Quan gave an overview of the circular economy through the application of the Interceptor 003 System. Accordingly, a circular economy aims to turn the waste outputs of one industry into the resource inputs of another or create the internal circulation in the enterprise itself (closed-loop). The circular economy contributes to increasing business value, reducing resource exploitation and waste treatment costs, and minimizing environmental pollution.

Mr. Steven Starmans - Expert of Kim Delta Vietnam said that as a member of the project “the Interceptor™ 003”, Kim Delta Vietnam Company is working with the Netherlands Embassy to conduct research and offer sustainable river waste treatment methods. The project is expected to reduce the amount of waste in the oceans and contribute to the implementation of a circular economy, reducing the negative impacts on the local economy in the fields of aquaculture and tourism. The Interceptor 003 - automatic garbage collection was launched into the Can Tho River in 2021 as part of a global partnership and is still being deployed. Therefore, scientific experts discussed and contributed ideas on sustainable solutions to recycle solid waste and organic waste through the Interceptor 003 System; operating expenses; additional methods to reduce the amount of waste in the oceans; ideas to create recycled or transformed waste products that can be used in public spaces; methods for the government, businesses, organizations, and people to join hands to reduce plastic waste, etc.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Daniël Stork, the Consul General of the Netherlands in Ho Chi Minh City, thanked the municipal departments, agencies, organizations, and experts in Can Tho for supporting the implementation of this workshop. Mr. Daniël Stork believes that the implementation of the Interceptor 003 System on the Can Tho River and the application of advanced technology have supported Can Tho City in particular and Vietnam in general in solving the problem of plastic pollution in rivers and oceans- a hot issue. He also affirmed that Vietnam is an essential partner of the Netherlands. Therefore, the Netherlands also wants to share knowledge and technology, especially in the application of a circular economy in Vietnam. The Netherlands has experience in effectively supporting businesses, and research institutes... to ensure implementation in accordance with the meaning of the circular economy when decisions are made that are inclusive and have a combination of economic - social - environmental factors.

Mr. Daniël Stork, the Consul General of the Netherlands in Ho Chi Minh City, said that this workshop plays an important role because it is the first consultation session from representatives of different units in the waste management value chain. Regarding the research results, Consul General Daniël Stork wishes to receive as many comments and appropriate solutions as possible; thereby, helping to raise people’s awareness about using plastic and applying sustainable solutions to reduce the amount of plastic waste and achieve an efficient circular economy.