Sanitation workers collect plastic waste in Ha Long 

 



Deputy head of the Ha Long Bay ManagementBoard Pham Dinh Huynh said that the board has stepped up communications andencouraged tourists to limit the use of plastic bottles and nylon bags whiletouring the bay.

Service providers in the bay wereasked to use paper cups, straws and bags to serve their customers, he said,adding that right from the wharf, tourists will be recommended not to use disposableplastic products.

The move is hoped to reduce theimpacts of plastic waste on the environment in Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO-recognisedWorld Natural Heritage Site that welcomed around 5.2 million foreigners last year, up 22 percent year-on-year.

After September 1, the board willset up inspection teams to supervise the implementation of the scheme. It willissue warnings to facilities that fail to comply with the policy beforeapplying stricter measures such as ending their contracts to provide servicesin the bay.

The Ha Long Bay Management Boardhas coordinated with two businesses to collect waste in the bay with theengagement of 30 vessels of local fishermen. Tonnes of waste, mostly plasticwaste, have so far been collected for treatment.-VNA