In the past year, the People's Committee of Con Dao district (Ba Ria – Vung Tau) and the International Organization for Conservation of Nature in Vietnam (WWF-Vietnam) held a signing ceremony of the commitment "Con Dao – A plastic reduction destination". The campaign was implemented with funding from the project “Reducing ocean plastic waste in Vietnam” by WWF-Vietnam in collaboration with the Directorate of Marine and Islands (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment).

Let's review some typical activities in Con Dao district in environmental protection and sanitation:

1. The movement "Green - clean - beautiful Saturday" was launched in Con Dao district in 2022. 5 launches were carried out for environmental sanitation with the participation of more than 1012 turns of people, they collected more than 2.5 tons of waste, cleared more than 17,850 square meters of canals/roads, planted and cared for 545 square meters of ornamental plants, flowers of all kinds. Establishments and businesses in the district were encouraged to regularly clean and sanitize their places to make them clean, tidy, and minimize the use of plastic bags on Saturdays.

2. The awareness campaigns were implemented to change the attitude of tourists, attract Con Dao people and businesses to become active ambassadors in promoting respectful attitudes and responsible behaviors of tourists towards the environment and Con Dao homeland such as projecting 03 videos on the current status of plastic waste, sea turtles and ways to reduce plastithe c on led screen. "Plastic Reduction Week" was launched and this event called on enterprises and business establishments to practice the week of reducing the use of disposable plastic, besides, the handbook "Reducing plastic when traveling in Con Dao" was published. There was an exhibition displaying photos and paintings related to ocean plastic waste and "Waste festival". At the same time, the project built 2 check-in models "Con Dao – a plastic reduction destination" on Ton Duc Thang street.

3. The conference was held to disseminate legal policies on environmental protection, regulations on the management of daily-life solid waste and waste classification at the source of Con Dao district with the participation of nearly 100 delegates from agencies, units, businesses and residents in the district.

Accommodation establishments in the district actively responded to Con Dao program – a plastic reduction destination

4. The Forest Protection Department regularly directed ranger stations, especially mobile ranger stations to organize marine patrols with propaganda with leaflets and words in order to raise awareness of environmental protection for people, especially fishermen inside and outside the province.

5. The model of "school without plastic waste" was piloted at 3 preschools. These activities such as organizing a pilot model, organizing an exhibition of recycled products from plastic waste, launching a recycling week and a waste day to encourage people to exchange plastic waste for gifts, etc. have contributed to raising the awareness of students, parents as well as the community about minimizing plastic bags and plastic waste.

6. The model "Say no to plastic bags at Con Dao Hang Duong cemetery” helps contribute to reducing over 80% of plastic waste and arising plastic bags, and simultaneously contributes to propagating and raising the awareness of environmental protection of local people and tourists when visiting Hang Duong cemetery.

7. Currently, the district has initially conducted waste sorting at the source, disposable plastic products are collected with domestic waste. The People's Committee of Con Dao district is cooperating with WWF – Vietnam to implement the project "Reducing plastic waste in the ocean of Vietnam" and the potential for cooperation on biodiversity conservation in Con Dao.

8. Solid waste collection, transportation and treatment activities arising from daily life and production activities in the district are conducted regularly, collecting 98% of waste to the gathering place for treatment. The preservation of environmental and landscape sanitation has been paid attention to all levels of committees, agencies and unions through enhancing the improvement of parks, urban greenery tectonics and creating green - clean - beautiful landscapes in the public area.

This is one of the practical efforts of the People's Committee of Con Dao district and WWF-Vietnam with the expectation of contributing to reducing the amount of plastic waste lost to the environment, while reducing the backlog of plastic waste in Con Dao Marine Protected Area. The chain of activities to reduce plastic waste in tourism in Con Dao are with the message "Coming without plastic and leaving with love is a stepping stone so that each individual and tourist can contribute a part of his/her responsibility in building a beautiful, clean and clear image of Con Dao with less plastic."

Source: hngan - Translated by: My Phương