Ha Long Bay introducing tour boat plastic ban

Tuesday, 30 Jul, 2019 0

A pilot project will roll out in Ha Long Bay to help rid the UNESCO heritage site of plastic pollution.

The bay’s popularity has led to mountains of coastal and offshore garbage and now the cruise industry is banning the use of some plastic products on sightseeing boats, starting August 1.

The management board of Ha Long Bay said 15 tourist boat opeartors, kayaks and high-speed boats will remove plastic water bottles and replace them with refillable dispensers.

They will supply drinking glasses made of environmentally friendly materials, while wet paper towels will be replaced with reusable cloth towels.

"This pilot project will make a start with local tour service providers which offer daily tour services and are the main source of waste pollution, "said Pham Dinh Huynh, deputy head of the management board.

"More tour providers and other industrial sectors will need to make big changes as well."

Huynh said operators are being encouraged to fit waste treatment systems on their boats.

Officials say about 70% of garbage collected from Coc Cheo and Ang Du beaches was Styrofoam, plastic bags, bottles, and food packaging.

below social share icons

TravelMole Editorial Team

Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.

Holiday Extras is the UK market leader in airport parking, airport hotels, worldwide airport lounges, destination car hire, airport transfers...

Intrepid Travel is a world leader in sustainable experience-rich travel that has been taking travellers to discover the world’s most amazing places...

Family-owned Olympic Holidays has been arranging holidays to Greece, the Greek islands and Cyprus for more than half century. The company is unrivalled...

The superpower in bed banks for 30 years We are an award-winning and trusted accommodation wholesaler since 1991. We are...

This is Jersey. An island shaped by the sea where some of the most astonishing tides in the world circle...

Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s leading hotel operator. Its 93 properties span all major Thai destinations plus the Maldives,...

In 2024, The Red Sea will be ready to welcome 300,000 guests in line with the completion of 16 hotels...

Home to America’s Best Beaches, a vibrant arts community and amazing outdoor experiences, St. Pete/Clearwater is a sunny destination that...

The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau (DMCVB) is the only organization that promotes metro Detroit regionally, nationally and...

Wonderful Indonesia Indonesia is a country blessed with countless wonders. What makes this country unique is its diverse culture and...

Princess Hotels & Resorts is a hotel chain specialising in holiday and urban hotels located in first class tourist destinations,...

Discover Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach, also known as the Charlotte Harbor Gulf Island Coast. This natural wonderland is nestled in the...

Virtuoso is the leading global network of agencies specializing in luxury and experiential travel, with more than 20,000 advisors. We...

We work with reliable data providers with global coverage, that guarantee data representativeness as well as compliance with International Personal...

The Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, works to enhance visitors’ experiences by providing information, resources and trip planning tools...