Collecting waste in Ha Long Bay. - VNA/VNS Photo

QUẢNG NINH – Hạ Long city in the northern coastal province of Quảng Ninh will kick off a campaign on March 26 to thoroughly clean up and collect waste in Hạ Long Bay, deputy head of the bay management board Phạm Đình Huỳnh has announced.

Lasting until April 20, the campaign is expected to become a regular operation.

According to the plan, the city will mobilise various forces, including the police, the military, youth volunteers, and local residents to carry out waste collection activities along the coastline and throughout the bay.

In the long term, Hạ Long will focus on monitoring environmental degradation and waste generation. Specifically, the city will conduct comprehensive inspections of businesses and vessels operating in the bay, particularly those engaged in fishing activities. It will work against unauthorised aquaculture and strictly deal with illegal fishing and seafood harvesting practices that pollute the environment and harm marine life.

Since the beginning of this year, the management board has conducted 19 rounds of environmental protection monitoring. These efforts have led to noticeable improvements in coastal areas with increased sanitation efforts and waste collection by municipal authorities. However, other locations remain littered with waste, including plastic bags and foam buoys.

Sources of waste entering the bay include rivers, streams, forests, coastal areas, aquaculture and fishing activities, posing challenges to waste management efforts. - VNS