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Sanya becomes first China's city to join WWF environmental initiative

WWF launched the initiative in 2019

SANYA, March 27. /TASS/. Hainan's resort city of Sanya is the first in the country to join the initiative of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) dubbed A City without Plastic. The memorandum of cooperation was signed on March 27 between the city government and the foundation’s representative office in Beijing, www.hinews.cn reported. 

The document envisages the assistance of the World Wildlife Fund to the city of Sanya in its ongoing development and achieving the goal to build "a city without waste." In particular, it envisages support of the foundation for the study of new technologies, the promotion of educational eco projects, as well as the improvement of administrative control in waste disposal management.

WWF launched the initiative in 2019. It aims to improve the environmental situation in cities by reducing and eliminating the use of disposable plastic products and promoting recycling. The initiative pays special attention to promoting the initiative among world famous big cities and major tourist centers, such as Sanya. The fund expects that by 2030 about 1,000 megacities around the world will join the initiative. It currently contains about 20 cities.

In January, the Chinese government launched a program to completely abandon polymers in a number of domestic applications by 2026, gradually replacing them with new materials. The authorities plan to create a diversified system for controlling plastic waste, tighten the regime for the entire cycle of production, transportation, sale and disposal of such goods. In accordance with this program, stores, restaurants, pharmacies and other places with lots of consumers will completely ban plastic packaging, cutlery and drinking straws in 2020 in the largest cities of China. 

Earlier, Hainan authorities decided to ban single-use non-biodegradable plastics in the province. The decision will come into force on December 1, 2020. It envisages the ban on producing, transporting, selling, storing and using single-use non-biodegradable plastic bags as well as cutlary. The order includes 30 points aimed at its implementation as well as penalty for its violation. Thus, the authorities intend to offer benefits to companies who use the single-use materials made of legally approved alternative sources. 

By 2025, the Chinese government intends to create an "international center for tourism and consumption" on the Island of Hainan. In order to do so, the "Eastern Hawaii" with their unique natural landscapes, thick rainforests and great climate will establish a developed network of hotels, which blend perfectly with white sandy beaches stretching along the coastline. The combination of an exotic subtropical nature and a modern eco-friendly infrastructure will boost tourist inflow to the island from the most distant parts of the world. 

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