As an island that welcomes approximately 3 million tourists annually, Phu Quoc faces significant pressure from waste, especially plastic waste.
Phu Quoc City generates approximately 190 tons of solid waste daily, 89% of which is collected and processed using two methods: landfilling and incineration at six centralized landfills. Research conducted between 2020 and 2023 as part of the project to reduce marine plastic waste, a collaboration between the Department of Marine and Islands (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) and the World Wide Fund for Nature Vietnam (WWF Vietnam), assessed waste as the most pressing issue among many environmental pollution risks on this island, which receives approximately 3 million tourists annually.
According to a report by the Institute of Marine and Island Research, with a population of over 146,000 people, households in Phu Quoc generate an average of about 13 tons of waste per day. With approximately 3 million tourists visiting annually, the amount of waste generated from tourism activities is estimated to be greater than the amount generated locally.
Coastal waste in Phu Quoc. Photo: WWF Vietnam
Currently, Phu Quoc has approximately 9,400 rooms with two stars or more and over 14,000 rooms with fewer than two stars, generating over 39 tons of waste and over 24 tons of waste per day respectively when operating at 100% capacity.
However, according to Phu Quoc tourism statistics over the past three years, the occupancy rate of high-end hotels typically reaches 75%, while smaller hotels and other accommodations reach 80%. Therefore, the total amount of waste generated daily from hotel operations is approximately 50 tons per day.
The report indicates that the waste at hotels with two stars or less contains a very high percentage of plastic waste (17.9%). "This is a rate comparable to that surveyed in major cities of Vietnam and higher than the national average."
Furthermore, restaurants in Phu Quoc generate approximately 4 tons of waste per day. Of this, plastic waste accounts for over 16%, higher than Con Dao and Cu Lao Cham. The rate of using plastic bags in restaurants also reaches 63%, reflecting the use of plastic bags for garbage and food, and their immediate disposal after use.
A cleanup operation at a coral reef in Phu Quoc. Photo: WWF Vietnam
Large amounts of waste are generated, while waste treatment plants are not meeting the demand, causing the Ong Lang and Dong Cay Sao landfills to become overloaded, resulting in an annual plastic waste discharge of 1,036 tons, equivalent to about 2.83 tons per day, into the environment in Phu Quoc.
Recognizing the importance of the environment and ecology to economic development, Phu Quoc is gradually seeking solutions to the city's waste problem. In 2022, the island piloted household-scale waste incinerators. In 2019, approximately 18,000 m2 of Ong Tri Canal was dredged, removing 100 tons of waste, and this continues annually to ensure the aesthetic appeal of Duong Dong urban area. Many agencies, departments, and businesses here no longer use disposable water bottles, instead providing shared water dispensers and paper cups in offices and during meetings.
Volunteers cleaning up trash in Phu Quoc. Photo: LH
Many other environmental protection activities are being implemented, such as monthly cleaning programs by government agencies; supporting competitiveness with sustainable development; raising awareness and practicing green tourism; investing in human resources; and conserving and enhancing natural and cultural resources.
"However, the reality shows that the use of plastic products, including single-use plastic products such as nylon bags and styrofoam packaging, is still very common, in both daily life activities and tourism services," the report stated, noting that communication activities have not been sufficient to change the behavior of relevant community groups and have not had much impact on reducing plastic waste or using more environmentally friendly alternatives.
At the same time, the research results also indicate that the percentage of plastic bags in Phu Quoc is high, and many pressing issues still exist, especially regarding the collection and treatment of solid waste, leading to a high risk of environmental pollution and negative impacts on economic and social development.
WWF estimates that the tourism industry in the Asia-Pacific region loses $622 million annually due to beach cleanup costs. Despite these significant expenditures, these efforts have not been very effective, with many famous beaches being closed due to litter, such as Maya Beach in Thailand and Boracay Island in the Philippines.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF Vietnam) recommends that Phu Quoc invest in more standardized waste treatment facilities, strictly control waste transfer points, and build and upgrade standard waste collection areas to minimize waste loss into the environment.
At the same time, Phu Quoc needs to increase the number of specialized vehicles and garbage collection workers, and invest in more garbage bins to ensure that all residents have access to garbage collection services, paying particular attention to areas far from the center, along rivers, and the coast.
Phu Quoc also needs to step up efforts to encourage businesses in markets and souvenir shops to replace plastic bags with paper bags, cloth bags, or other environmentally friendly materials, and implement specific and practical policies to support these activities.
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