According to the Ha Long Bay Management Board, waste control and treatment here is facing many difficulties, leading to an increasing amount of waste. Waste comes from many different sources, from tourism, daily activities of coastal residents, to waste drifting from other areas.
The problem of waste in Ha Long Bay remains a major challenge, affecting the landscape and environment of this world natural heritage.
According to Mr. Vu Kien Cuong, Head of Ha Long Bay Management Board, since the beginning of 2024, units have collected 75 tons of garbage and more than 2,000 m2Styrofoam in the bay. Garbage collection is difficult because floating garbage gets entangled in rocky islands and mangrove forests. When the tide rises, garbage flows into the bay, floating everywhere and causing unsightliness, affecting the experience of tourists.
The problem of waste in Ha Long Bay remains a major challenge, affecting the landscape and environment of this world natural heritage.
There are 4 sources of waste in Ha Long Bay:
- Consequences of the process of dismantling cages and rafts, creating rafts and foam buoys: The replacement of foam buoys with environmentally friendly materials is being carried out, but many old foam buoys still exist.
- Household waste: Plastic bags, food containers, plastic bottles from the shore are spread into the bay.
- Ocean trash: Carried into the bay by ocean currents.
- Leaves and branches from the dense forest fell on the rocky islands: The wind blew down to the sea.
In addition, the water in the bay is also polluted by domestic wastewater from old coastal residential areas without treatment systems and wastewater from some outdated fishing vessels.
Mr. Cuong said that the appearance of waste in Ha Long Bay is inevitable. However, local authorities and related units are making efforts to implement many solutions to protect the bay environment, including:
- Strengthen waste collection: Install more trash traps, trash collection buoys, organize regular trash collection in the bay and coastal areas.
- Raising public awareness: Propagating and educating about environmental protection, encouraging tourists to "travel green", and limiting the use of disposable plastic products.
- Effective waste treatment: Waste classification, investment in modern waste treatment plants, ensuring no environmental pollution.
Waste comes from many different sources, from tourism, coastal activities, to waste drifting from other areas.
In addition to the government’s efforts, the cooperation of each citizen and tourist is extremely important. Let’s take practical actions together such as: Limiting the use of disposable plastic products, collecting waste in the right place and participating in environmental protection activities.
