Illustrative photo (Source: chiangraitimes.com) Hanoi(VNA) - Thai Tourism and Sport Minister Weerasak Kowsurat on November 27 pledgedto cut tourism-related waste by 50 percent by 2020.
The ministerhighlighted the responsibility of authorised agencies to clean up theenvironment and raise awareness amongst Thais as well as seek cooperation fromtourists to safeguard waters and land.
He stressed that single-useplastic bags, fabric bags, portable water bottles, foam boxes and single-usedrinking straws will all be wiped out.
The minister saidone of the main campaigns this year in promoting eco-tourism is to ask privatesectors for cooperation in eliminating the use of non-degradable products attourism hot spots.
Thai Ministry ofNatural Resources and Environment has also banned the use of single-use foamand plastic containers in all 154 national parks country-wide.
Meanwhile, ThaiMinister of Natural Resources and Environment Surasak Kanchanarat said thatwaste had created a negative impact in Thailand's forest ecosystems.
He added that theministry launched a "Green National Park" campaign in 2015 and laidout policies amongst stakeholders in all national parks.
There is an immensedrop in the use of plastic bags since the campaign was launched, he noted,underscoring that there are much to do more to tell international friends thatThailand is very serious in tackling plastic waste.
The environmentministry said in a statement that in the past 10 years, plastic wastes hadaccounted for about 12 percent of the total wastes, an equivalent of 2 milliontonnes a year. These plastic wastes were also difficult to decompose andrecycle, therefore the best resolution is to eliminate all single-use plasticbags and foams, said the minister.
According to thePollution Control Department's information, of the 10.78 million tonnes ofgarbage generated in 23 coastal provinces in 2016, about 1.3 million tonneswere plastic trash and 74 percent of them were properly disposed of, while theremaining were washed into seas.-VNA
VNA
