Plastic waste: Threat for vacation paradises and environmental care now asked!

Plastic waste: Threat for vacation paradises and environmental care now asked!

The largest plastic strudel in the Pacific has now reached an area that is comparable to Central Europe. It is estimated that only about 15 percent of the garbage drives on the surface, while most of them drop or are absorbed by marine animals. Plastic waste is omnipresent in popular holiday destinations, such as the Maldives, where the garbage mountain of Thilafushi is located. Missing waste management systems additionally tighten the problem and threaten the economic basis of tourism -dependent regions.

financial effects on tourism

The effects of plastic pollution are not only ecologically, but also economically serious. As the wwf are up to 95 percent of the garbage in the Mediterranean. The main causes are the top destinations in Italy, Spain, France, Turkey and Egypt, where annual plastic waste entries of over half a million tons are recorded. The financial damage to the tourism industry is around 268 million euros per year, which underlines the urgency of measures to reduce plastic waste.

consumers are increasingly showing sensitivity to the problem and demanding determined action. The tourism industry must take responsibility and implement specific measures to reduce plastic waste. This includes examining your own practices, avoiding disposable utensils and communication of the measures to the guests. Initiative to reduce waste in hotels, such as monitoring of plastic consumption, the use of reusable containers and regular training for employees are essential steps.

global challenges and solutions

Professor Alistair McIlgorm from the Australian National Center for Ocean Resources and Security at the University of Wollongong has examined the effects of plastic waste on tourism in Tanzania and Zanzibar. His research shows that marine plastic pollution is an pressing problem for many tourist -dependent countries. According to a World Bank study in which Mcilgorm was involved, the economic effects of plastic pollution on fishing, aquaculture, tourism and health were valued.

In 2019, a measurable influence of $ 28 million was found, two thirds of which were not made to the tourism industry. The sustainable development of these regions, including the preservation of healthy oceans, is part of the goals of the United Nations. Additional measures such as beach cleaning and long -term improvements in waste management are necessary to cope with the challenges of plastic pollution.

The Tansania government already issued a law in 2019 that prohibits the sale of disposable plastic bags. Nevertheless, in many places there is no adequate infrastructure to dispose of plastic waste, which further tightens the situation. The international community has to work together on solutions to contain plastic pollution and to preserve the tourist attractiveness of endangered regions.