Hanwha Launches Campaign to Help Clean Vietnam's Mekong River

• Hanwha donates solar-powered boats to remove waste from the Mekong River
• Hanwha Chairman Seung Youn Kim reaffirms Hanwha's commitment to local Vietnamese communities

SEOUL, South Korea and VINH LONG, Vietnam, June 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- To commemorate World Environment Day on June 5, Hanwha launched the "Clean Up Mekong" campaign in Vinh Long Province, Vietnam, in collaboration with the Vietnam Environment Administration and the Global Green Growth Institute of Vietnam. The launch ceremony was attended by various dignitaries, including 20 representatives from 15 different government organizations.

The Mekong runs through five countries before going through Vietnam and discharging into the sea. The "Clean Up Mekong" campaign will combat pollution by removing floating waste before it enters the ocean.

This campaign is the latest in Hanwha's efforts to combat climate change and energy poverty, and to encourage responsible consumption in accordance to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. The Hanwha Solar Forest campaign, which combats desertification and air pollution through reforestation with trees grown in solar-powered nurseries, was cited as a world-first practice at the United Nations Conventions to Combat Desertification COP Summit in 2011.

In December of 2018, Hanwha Chairman Seung Youn Kim reiterated Hanwha's commitment to Vietnam, saying: "As a member of the local community, Hanwha won't be concerned with only contributing to the Vietnamese economy, but we will help address environmental issues as well."

Hanwha donated solar-powered boats to the "Clean Up Mekong" campaign. Powered by five high-performance Q.PEAK solar modules from Hanwha Q CELLS, it doesn't emit any pollutants. A conveyor belt system installed on board scoops waste off the Mekong River's surface quickly and efficiently.

Ahead of the clean-up campaign's launch ceremony, Hanwha implemented a successful social media-based campaign to raise public awareness on the environmental issues caused by water pollution. Vietnamese citizens were encouraged to upload messages of encouragement and support on Facebook – with each posted message, a solar hero character became larger.

"As the world's top solar energy provider, Hanwha contributes to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals through sustainable environment initiatives that utilize clean energy," said Sun-Mok Choi, President and Head of the Hanwha Communications Committee. "In Vietnam, which is an important strategic market for Hanwha, we will set up an infrastructure that will change the way sustainable environment initiatives are undertaken in a fundamental and environmentally friendly manner."