Eliminate plastic waste for cleaner travel

Say no to plastic waste

In early March, Phu Quy entered the season of welcoming visitors by organizing many special activities, including a program to welcome the first tourists to the island. Mr. Nguyen Van Luc was one of the first tourists on the plastic waste-free boat to Phu Quy Island. Mr. Luc shared: Phu Quy Island is so beautiful and amazing that it urged me to set foot here to admire and explore the beautiful landscapes of this land that nature has bestowed. In order to contribute my small part to the island's general environmental protection program, I fully support and regularly promote to my family, relatives, friends and tourists the determination to carry out the program "not bringing plastic waste to the island".

Ms. Luu Thi Tien, representative of Superdong Phu Quy High-speed Ferry Joint Stock Company, affirmed: Although we are tasked with transporting passengers to the island, we will join hands with local authorities to prevent and reduce the use of plastic products, collect, recycle, and reuse plastic products; increase the use of products made from environmentally friendly materials; raise awareness, behavior, and habits of using disposable plastic products and hard-to-decompose nylon bags; use, exploit rationally, preserve and regenerate resources, and protect the environment in business activities serving passengers on the ferry.

Tourists are given biodegradable plastic bags.

Since the beginning of 2016, Phu Quy tourism has developed strongly, especially since the power source was generated 24/24 hours a day, opening a new era for Phu Quy. However, along with the development is the problem of environmental pollution, and the problem of plastic waste pollution, especially ocean plastic pollution, is a truly alarming problem, which has, is and will cause great damage to the ecological environment in Binh Thuan in particular and the whole country in general.

At the launching ceremony, Mr. Le Quang Vinh, Secretary of the District Party Committee - Chairman of the People's Committee of Phu Quy island district called on the entire island district to commit, accompany, and join hands in fighting plastic waste to reduce plastic waste, towards Phu Quy district having no plastic waste, with specific and practical actions and deeds. Join hands to build effective solutions to reduce consumption, increase reuse and recycling of plastic waste to the community and people. Build typical models such as: Hotels, restaurants, cafes, agencies, units, schools without plastic waste...

District Party Secretary Le Quang Vinh spoke at the launching ceremony on March 2.

Tourists please preserve

“I just returned from a trip to Phu Quy, which was also an opportunity for me to see the local government launch a campaign to say no to plastic waste. I think this is necessary, don’t let Phu Quy be like other tourist destinations I’ve been to. However, I think that not only propaganda and mobilization, but tourists also need to be aware of keeping the environment clean where they go, that is civilized behavior when traveling,” said Ms. Nguyen Bich Thanh.

Encourage tourists not to throw trash into the sea or bring plastic waste to the island. Arrange trash bins at necessary locations on the ship, classify waste and collect, transport and treat waste according to regulations. In addition, at Phan Thiet ports, people will be assigned to control tourists not to bring plastic bags and disposable plastic items and materials that are at risk of polluting the environment to the island. They are responsible for requiring tourists to collect plastic bags and disposable plastic items in trash bins or storage devices located at the wharf.

Mr. Le Quang Vinh affirmed: From now on, 100% of passenger ships on the Phan Thiet - Phu Quy route will not use plastic bottles, plastic products, or single-use nylon bags; 100% of canoes taking passengers to Hon Tranh Island and other small islands will not use plastic products. Hopefully, during their visits to Phu Quy Island, tourists will not throw trash into the sea or bring plastic waste to the island. Passenger transport businesses on the Phan Thiet - Phu Quy route will switch to using environmentally friendly bags and packaging, and reusable products. To make Phu Quy a destination that says no to plastic waste.

Saying no to plastic waste, moving towards green tourism development, green growth is an opportunity and also a challenge and difficulty. This is an important goal in the sustainable development of the island district. With the right policy of the Party and the State, the efforts of authorities at all levels, the commitment of business owners, canoe service businesses, the joint actions of each citizen, the support from superiors, with practical, specific actions, with the smallest deeds, but with the greatest responsibility to the community and society, the movement against plastic waste in Phu Quy district will be successful and spread to many localities.

At the ceremony, representatives of high-speed boat companies on the Phan Thiet - Phu Quy route and canoe owners on the island signed a commitment to join hands to build Phu Quy without plastic waste. The district People's Committee also praised the captain and tourists on the first boat trip to the island without bringing plastic waste. They gave away biodegradable plastic bags and encouraged tourists not to bring plastic products to Phu Quy island.