Clean up ocean waste.

Việt Nam•15/05/2024

Binh Thuan province has a 192 km long coastline, mainly consisting of calm bays, especially in Phan Thiet. Therefore, every year, it receives a large amount of ocean waste washed ashore. During the strong southwest monsoon season, the Hon Rom - Mui Ne area is also the time when ocean waste is carried ashore by the waves. The bigger the waves, the more waste there is; the tide rises and recedes, leaving behind trash.

The large amount of ocean waste washing ashore is due to land-based waste being carried by underground pipes, rivers, and streams into the sea. In addition, people's lack of awareness when littering in rivers and on streets, with wind and rain washing the waste down drains into the sea, also contributes. Tourists , while visiting and participating in activities and eating on the beach, often litter in the sea or on the shore due to a lack of awareness. Waste from fishing activities, such as damaged or discarded nets and fishing gear, and waste from ships at sea for extended periods, also contribute to the increase in marine waste.

Locals participate in collecting ocean trash. (Illustrative image.)

The problem of trash on beaches at the beginning of the Southwest (April) and Northeast (October) monsoon seasons each year is largely due to plastic waste and damaged fishing gear. In addition, in the tourism sector, the use of plastic products in most services provided to tourists is also a major cause of increased ocean waste. In recent days, several beaches in Mui Ne and Ham Tien wards, Phan Thiet city, have been covered in countless pieces of trash including plastic bottles, seaweed, ropes, plastic cords, and clumps of oil. Local residents say that at this time of year, a large amount of ocean waste washes ashore. Besides trash, in recent days, clumps of oil and seaweed have also been washed ashore in the back beach area of Mui Ne ward, Phan Thiet city. This situation is causing much concern and requires the community's collective effort to clean up the beaches from ocean waste. Accordingly, the local authorities of Mui Ne and Ham Tien wards mobilized officials, staff from tourist areas, and residents to clean up the beaches. After several days of joint efforts, with the support of motorized transport vehicles, a large amount of waste was collected and processed, restoring the beaches to their clean and beautiful state. This meaningful activity has created a ripple effect in the collective action of protecting the marine environment and tourism. In particular, environmental protection activities are increasingly spreading among the people, not only through the awareness of disposing of waste in designated areas, but also through concrete actions such as collecting waste on the beach, in residential areas, and in tourist areas. It must be emphasized that local authorities and residents have worked very hard to deal with ocean debris washed ashore. When ocean debris washes ashore, the local authorities, along with associations and organizations, coordinate with the Provincial Tourism Association to organize cleanup campaigns. In addition, develop a plan for daily garbage collection and disposal at tourist areas, beaches, etc.

To keep the coastline clean and beautiful, the Provincial People's Committee regularly directs the Phan Thiet City People's Committee to focus on addressing the issue of waste drifting ashore from the sea, and to implement waste collection and treatment. The Provincial People's Committee also assigns the Binh Thuan Urban Environment and Services Joint Stock Company to coordinate with the Phan Thiet City People's Committee and the People's Committees of coastal wards and communes to collect waste. Furthermore, the Provincial People's Committee requests the Provincial Tourism Association to mobilize tourism service businesses to cooperate in collecting and treating accumulated waste on the beach and to solicit funding from tourism service businesses to invest in specialized equipment for waste collection, transportation, and treatment.

The development of tourism in conjunction with environmental protection is also a top priority for tourism businesses, and they have taken very practical actions to jointly protect the tourism environment and prevent ocean pollution. In addition, they collect, sort, and process waste in tourism service businesses in accordance with regulations, and encourage and guide tourists to participate in protecting the marine environment.

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