Co To aims to become a plastic waste free island. (Photo: VOV)

To protect the marine environment and promote sustainable tourism, local authorities and residents are taking drastic action, from raising public awareness to investing in waste treatment technology.

With tourism as a key economic driver, Co To regularly organizes beach clean-ups involving local agencies, armed forces, schools, and tourists. Since July 2020, an incinerator system has helped process 65–70% of local waste. The rest is landfilled.

Le Bao Duc, Director of the Co To District urban environment company, said: “Our current waste treatment facility is meeting demand and can continue operating at this scale for another five years. We are expanding public awareness campaigns, strictly enforcing environmental regulations, upgrading technologies, and increasing the capacity of our waste treatment facilities.”

Co To is developing the “Zero Plastic Waste” initiative and will invest in new waste and wastewater treatment technologies, starting with 2.6 million USD for a centralized treatment plant in Co To Town.