Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi has launched a program to encourage local residents to limit the use of nylon bags to protect the environment, state media reported. The program, which will last till the end of this year, aims to encourage locals to switch to eco-friendly bags from plastic bags in their daily lives. As part of the program, pupils and students at six primary schools and universities in Hanoi will learn about the benefits of eco-friendly bags. Around 10,000 eco-friendly bags will be provided free to the students. The municipal Department of Natural Resources and the Environment is assigned to publicize the program using the media to raise the public awareness of plastic bags’ impact on the environment. People have also been warned not to use nylon bags for food as such bags contain toxic chemical substances such as lead, which is proved to damage brain and cause lung cancer and birth defects. According to experts, a nylon bag takes between 500-1,000 years to decompose. (Tin Tuc – News July 15 p5)
