Located in Long Phung Commune along a debris prone shoreline, Duc Lam Pagoda has transformed discarded plastic into a distinctive structure. Monk Thich Hanh Nhan launched the initiative in early 2020, encouraging residents to clean the beach and collect used bottles for reuse.
It took nearly six months to gather sufficient materials. The bottles were cleaned, filled with sand as a substitute for bricks, and sorted by size and cap colour. They were then arranged in rows with bases facing outward and coloured caps inward, forming a striking visual pattern.
The hexagonal structure, completed in about a month, incorporates plastic bottles across its foundations, pillars and walls. Its roof, made from coconut leaves, helps regulate temperature while remaining suitable for the coastal climate.
Truong Ngoc Sanh, 51, said he and other residents took part in the construction. He noted that collecting bottles required time and effort, but the community remained committed due to the project’s environmental significance.
“We saw that cleaning the beach and collecting plastic bottles for construction was meaningful, so people joined hands with the abbot to build this structure,” he said.
According to the abbot, dozens of locals contributed to beach clean ups and transported materials to the pagoda, making the project a shared community initiative.
Thich Hanh Nhan said the hall serves not only as a place of worship but also as a message on sustainability. “This shows that waste, if used properly, can become something useful,” he said, adding that the project aims to encourage more environmentally responsible behaviour among residents and visitors.
