Reduction of Plastic Waste in Tourism Activities in Sam Son City, Viet Nam

Pollution caused by plastic waste (PW) is becoming urgent, causing negative impacts on tourism development in Viet Nam. This study aims to determine the amount of PW generated in Sam Son, especially from tourism activities. It proposes solutions to reduce PW in the tourism sector in the coastal city of Sam Son, Thanh Hoa province, Viet Nam. A survey of tourists, households, and accommodation establishments carried out the assessment of PW generation. The pilot activity was conducted by providing alternative products to selected hotels to replace single-use plastics. The results show that PW generation from tourism accounts for 42.42% of domestic solid waste. The estimated average rate of PW generation per visitor is about 0.4kg/person/day. The COVID-19 pandemic is estimated to have reduced the PW generated in this sector by about 40%. Although it may result in a 1.4-fold increase in expenses, tourism accommodation establishments and visitors have responded positively to activities replacing single-use plastic products. To reduce PW from tourism in Sam Son, several solutions are proposed, including implementing the extended producer responsibility (EPR) mechanism effectively; implementing a roadmap to eliminate single-use plastic products; building technical infrastructure for classification, collection, and treatment; developing a plan to reduce PW in Thanh Hoa province; promoting and raising awareness and understanding about PW.