Tourism firms play rising role in stemming ocean plastic
Tourism companies, who are benefiting enormously from the environmental values, should take further actions to stem the flow of plastic waste into the ocean, heard a workshop held in the northern port city of Hai Phong on July 25.
In Vietnam, if 10 percent of the plastic garbage is not recycled, the country could directly discharge 2.5 million tonnes of plastic litter into the environment. (Photo: VNA)
Hai Phong (VNA) – Tourism companies, who are benefiting enormouslyfrom the environmental values, should take further actions to stem the flow ofplastic waste into the ocean, heard a workshop held in the northern port cityof Hai Phong on July 25.
Reports at the event said among the 400 million tonnes of plastics produced, 8million tonnes end up in the ocean each year. In Vietnam, if 10 percent of theplastic garbage is not recycled, the country could directly discharge 2.5million tonnes of plastic litter into the environment, and experts said a hugeamount of plastic has been dumped by the tourism sector.
Participants at the workshop, jointly held by the International Union forConservation of Nature (IUCN), the Vietnam Union of Science and TechnologyAssociation (VUSTA), and the People’s Committee of Cat Hai district, sharedtheir good practices in reducing single-use plastics, helping raise awarenessof local firms of ocean plastic waste.
Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee in Cat Hai district Hoang Trung Cuongsaid the locality is building an action plan to reduce the volume of plasticgarbage, striving to say no to single-use plastic products during 2019-2020 andcut at least 50 percent of plastic waste in the district by 2020.
Under the plan, the district targets all of the state agencies limit single-useplastics, and at least 70 percent of the tourism service providers pledge touse environmentally-friendly products.
In the coming time, the district will ask restaurants, hotels and tourist boatsto reduce the consumption of hard-to-decompose plastic bags, and proactivelyrespond to the anti-plastic waste campaign.
Nguyen Thi Bich Hien, a representative from the IUCN, suggested businesses havean overall assessment on their plastic waste management; pen short-, mid- andlong-term targets on slashing plastic waste; and use naturally-originatedproducts.
Sharing Sea Pearl Hotel’s experience, General Director of the hotel NguyenQuyet Thang said his facility has blazed the trail on reducing ocean plasticsby replacing single-use products with those from the nature like bamboo strawsand cups in the past two years. Besides, he has ordered the suppliers to reduceplastic wrapping and asked his staff to classify daily waste.
However, Thang also pointed out that many customers still prefer plasticproducts due to their convenience while the market is not able to supplyseveral goods.-VNA
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In Vietnam, if 10 percent of the plastic garbage is not recycled, the country could directly discharge 2.5 million tonnes of plastic litter into the environment. (Photo: VNA) 
