BASF supports informal waste workers with sustainability training

Held on October 9, the workshop aimed to enhance the livelihoods of local waste collectors through improved safety practices, waste sorting techniques, and awareness of environmental sustainability. The initiative forms part of a broader effort to support informal workers in the circular economy and encourage safer, more inclusive waste management in Vietnam.

The initiative aims to improve their work efficiency, ensure personal safety, and enhance income potential, while affirming their role as true 'eco-guardians' within the community. A second workshop, benefiting another 100 informal waste workers, is scheduled for later this year.

The workshop series is part of an initiative by BASF Starting Ventures, under BASF Group – the world’s leading chemical company – that focuses on empowering informal waste workers who play a vital role in waste segregation.

By improving working conditions and promoting micro-enterprise models, the programme seeks to create sustainable livelihoods while addressing plastic waste challenges and advancing a circular economy.

Erick Contreras, managing director, BASF Vietnam, said that as a responsible corporate citizen active in the country for more than 30 years, BASF is committed to contributing to a more circular and sustainable economy in Vietnam.

"With this series of workshops, we aim to improve the lives of waste workers and underscore their crucial roles in advancing Ho Chi Minh City’s solid waste management plan through 2025, and the national commitment to reduce plastic waste by 2030," said Contreras.

Phan Hanh Tam, director of Yunus Environment Hub Vietnam, said the organisation is pleased to partner with BASF and the Binh Khanh Women’s Union, formerly part of Can Gio district, to help informal waste workers develop as microentrepreneurs.

"Through supporting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises and driving social business solutions, we are committed to providing these workers, especially women, with the skills, resources, and confidence to thrive along the waste value chain, building a brighter and more sustainable future for local communities," said Tam.

Located about 50km from Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Khanh commune serves as a vital gateway linking the city centre with the former Can Gio district. The area is facing mounting plastic waste challenges, reflecting a broader national issue: Vietnam generates an estimated 2.9–3.3 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, yet only 27–33 per cent is recycled.

Waste collection and sorting are carried out primarily by the informal sector – most of them women aged 40-60, who often work under unsafe conditions, earn only modest daily incomes, and have limited access to social protection schemes.

BASF has been active in Vietnam since opening its first representative office in 1994 and established BASF Vietnam Limited in 2009. Today, the company operates two sales offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, providing solutions for key industries such as agriculture, construction, automotive, footwear, paints and coatings, and electrical and electronics. In 2024, BASF recorded sales of approximately $311 million to customers in Vietnam and employed 110 people nationwide.

BASF, a leading supplier, manufacturer, and innovation partner in plastic additives, has partnered with Takazuri to develop smart building solutions supporting climate-resilient construction in Eastern Africa. With a focus on sustainability, these solutions incorporate Takazuri’s Climatile™ technology, which uses locally sourced and converted post-consumer materials.

BASF is currently participating in the Green Economy Forum and Exhibition (GEFE) 2024, a high-level event from the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, to foster collaboration, share cutting-edge expertise, and drive technology transfer towards building a resilient and sustainable Vietnamese economy.

BASF Vietnam celebrated 30 years in Vietnam with the inauguration of four classes and a playground in the Phuong Ninh Primary and Secondary School in Hau Giang province on May 20.