Plastic waste pollution has now become an urgent issue, affecting marine ecosystems and biodiversity. In Vietnam, with more than 3,260 km of coastline (exclude the shore of the islands) from north-south, there is an average of 1 km of coastline for every 100 km2 of land. Along the coast there are also 114 estuaries, an average of an estuary for every 20 km, and more than 50 bays and lagoons. This is a favorable condition for development, however, there also is a potential for waste pollution.

Currently, in Mui Ca Mau National Park, there are 08 existing residential areas, with more than 1,900 households living steadily. Because of concentrated residential areas, the amount of plastic waste and domestic waste discharged into the environment is very large. Meanwhile, in Dat Mui commune, there is only a waste dump without any waste treatment plant. So that garbage is treated differently. Conscious people have a tendency to build pits for garbage, and others just throw them into the environment and rivers. Thereby it causes water pollution, soil pollution and air pollution as well, causing loss of environmental landscape.

Within the framework of the project "Climate and mangrove protection combined with income generation for vulnerable communities", SRD coordinated with local partners to carry out training activities "Plastic waste management and water pollution limitation in the context of climate change" for members of 07 Village Self-Forestry Management Groups (VSFMGs) in Mui Ca Mau National Park in June 2022.

Through training activities, the awareness of community about the impact of plastic waste pollution, water pollution on the production as well as the life of people in Ca Mau province in general and in Mui Ca Mau National Park in particular has been raise. Especially it focused on the impact on health, environmental landscape and aquaculture of the community.

Furthermore, members of VFSMGs have identified plastic waste pollution and water pollution in their living area. Households are committed to classifying, collecting and treating the garbage, and actively participating in coordinating with the project officers and local agencies to limit plastic waste and protect water sources.