Hoi An city in the central province of Quang Nam, a World Cultural Heritage site, has exerted efforts to reduce the use of single-use plastic products and encourage locals to sort waste to protect the environment.
A view of Hoi An city (Photo: VNA)
According to Secretary of the city Party Committee Tran Anh, local public agencies have been ordered to stop the use of single-use plastic water bottles, straws and cups in meetings, conferences and events, and replace these products with those made of more environmentally-friendly materials.
At the same time, the city has guided locals to classify waste and treat degradable waste, said Anh.Hoi An is facing urgent problems in waste management due to the rapid urbanization and the development of tourism.In 2018, the city had to handle 100 tonnes of waste everyday, 20 percent of which was plastic.The People’s Committee of Hoi An has coordinated with the provincial Tourism Association to build a joint action plan of tourism and service sectors, calling for the business community and tourists to minimize the use of plastic bags and single-use plastic products.Alongside, the city has encouraged and supported the production of environmentally-friendly products, while strengthening environment education among students.At the end of 2019, the city aims to have 100 percent of local offices, agencies and schools use no single-use plastic products. By the end of 2020, all local households and businesses are hoped to implement waste sorting. At the end of 2021, all local shops, markets and supermarkets are expected to end the use of single-use plastic products.The city targets a drop of 13-15 percent of plastic waste each year, so that it can complete the goal of becoming a zero plastic waste city in 2025.
