Hello everyone!
Our previous post covered the environmental impacts of tourism’s pollution presented through a documentary on Bali and the Balinese people. With how concerning and detrimental tourism land pollution can be on the environment and the locals, we have to wonder, is there a way to combat such pollution from tourist waste while still enjoying the arrivals of tourists and reception of the tourist dollar?
If you are wondering the extent of tourist trash, it is estimated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) that trash produced by tourists accounts for 4.8 million tons (14%) of all solid waste produced annually. Furthermore, with simply the sheer number of tourists entering tourist destinations, especially cities, these places and their waste management systems do not have sufficient capacity to handle the enormous additions of tourist waste. Hence, waste management at tourist destinations is a huge concern and strain to the people and governing bodies or agencies. Too often, this leads to improper waste disposal and could further result in groundwater or soil contamination, or pollution of ocean waters.
Strategies and solutions from tourist cities and destinations
Some cities, especially those with limited land space, could consider an underground waste disposal system like in Norway’s second largest city, Bergen. The medieval UNESCO World Heritage city is developing an underground system named The Bossnett, which uses vacuum pipes constructed under the city centre to transport waste to the outskirts. It is then where the trash is processed to be recycled or to use as an energy resource through heating.
In a more hinterland area, Thailand’s Khao Yai National Park will send trash generated by tourists back to the litterbugs. Park visitors will have to register their addresses so that park rangers will be able to track them and return their trash to them. In a bid to maintain the oldest national park in the country and protect the wildlife that may consume the trash that is harmful to them, park authorities have come up with, what we would say, a passive aggressive solution. Though it may seem petty, the underlying message is that tourists have the moral responsibility to look after themselves and properly dispose of their own trash instead of littering. This shows the importance of education and cultivating a culture of sustainability and responsibility amongst tourists so that they are mindful of their environmental impacts in a foreign land.
On a more regional level, the European Commission has funded a project, UrBAN-WASTE to deal with waste management issues in popular tourist cities. It is a framework for sustainable waste management, collection and treatment, with the aim of reduction and recycling. Through this, local governments and organizations will be able to work together to formulate and execute more sustainable solutions to the tourist pollution through their waste generation.
Overall, if we are going to continue to explore the world and spectacular sceneries through tourism, we have to find ways to ensure its sustainability and that the pollution it produces is minimized. Thus, it is important for well-developed waste management systems at tourist destinations, each individual tourist needs to have the moral responsibility to reduce litter and trash generation and pollution, which would surely curb the problem at the root.
References
Jirayu, E 2020, ‘Khao Yai National Park Officials Mail Rubbish Back To Tourists Who Litter’, The Smart Local, online image, 16 September 2020, viewed on 15 October 2020, https://thesmartlocal.com/thailand/khao-yai-mail-rubbish/
McDowell, J 2016, ‘Managing Waste in Tourist Cities’, 22 August 2016, viewed on 15 October 2020, https://resource.co/article/managing-waste-tourist-cities-11319
‘Thai national park sends rubbish back to tourists’, BBC, 18 September 2020, viewed on 15 October 2020, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54200833