Con Dao fights against the flood of plastic: strengthening environmental awareness in tourism!

Con Dao fights against the flood of plastic: strengthening environmental awareness in tourism!

Con Dao, a stunning group of islands in Vietnam, attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists annually who want to experience the region's natural beauty and historic sites. However, this tourist popularity also results in serious environmental problems. According to a report by vietnam.vn The high increase in visitors is leading to an alarming increase in plastic waste, which has become a greater burden on the environment in recent years.

Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, to which Con Dao belongs, has therefore taken drastic measures to discourage the population and tourists from using single-use plastic. The daily amount of waste on the island is 20 to 25 tons, while the on-site waste treatment plant can only manually handle 4 to 5 tons per day. Untreated waste has accumulated to over 100,000 tons and will remain an environmental problem for years.

Plastic waste and its consequences

A large proportion of waste on Con Dao comes from the tourism sector, particularly plastic bottles and packaging, which are often left on beaches and tourist attractions after high season. The transport costs of disposing of the waste to the mainland are proving problematic, and the technologies used to process waste generate additional toxic emissions. These challenges make it nearly impossible to effectively reduce environmental impact.

Raising public awareness is seen as a fundamental solution. The Ministry of Science and Technology has asked for support from telecommunications companies to reach both residents and tourists via SMS messages and educate them about the need to reduce single-use plastic. Such information campaigns are planned from 2025.

Sustainable initiatives

Environmentally friendly measures are a crucial part of current efforts. For example, the Green Sacrificial Basket campaign promotes the use of environmentally friendly materials in offerings at spiritual sites. In addition, the “Exchange Garbage for Gifts” program was launched to collect recyclable materials and promote environmentally conscious behavior among the population. By the beginning of 2025, over 2.2 tons of recyclable waste had already been collected.

The Con Dao People's Committee has emphasized that controlling plastic items carried is feasible through cooperation between government, companies and citizens. There is also a plan to promote investment in a new waste treatment plant with a capacity of 36 tonnes per day to be built in the Ben Dam area. This facility will use modern technologies from developed countries such as the G7 and the EU.

However, the loss of natural beauty due to plastic waste is not only a challenge for Con Dao, but also a serious problem in a global context. The WWF highlights that up to 95% of waste in the Mediterranean is plastic, resulting in financial losses of €268 million annually for the tourism industry. It is evident that the global travel industry must also take responsibility to combat plastic pollution.

Consumers are becoming increasingly sensitive to these issues and are demanding decisive action against plastic waste. Important steps are therefore necessary that can also lead to a reduction in plastic consumption in the tourism infrastructure. This includes that tourist businesses must review their own practices and avoid single-use utensils. It is also essential to inform guests about such measures.

A common denominator when considering these challenges is the call for travelers to reduce their own plastic footprint. This includes bringing your own water bottle and avoiding disposable tableware in restaurants.

Con Dao exemplifies the challenges facing many tourism destinations and it is hoped that the measures taken will bear fruit to preserve the beauty of this unique region.