Encouraging Reuse at the Hàng Dương Cemetery, Côn Đảo’s tourism hotspot
Each day, the solemn grounds of Viet Nam’s Hàng Dương memorial cemetery are abuzz with people paying their respects to fallen war heroes. However, one thing sets this famous tourist destination in Viet Nam apart: single-use plastic items are separated from ceremonial offerings and sorted before entering the memorial site. Initiated by the Con Dao National Monuments Conservation Center (henceforth, the Center), this is part of concerted efforts to preserve the memorial’s sacred and unspoiled ambiance.
Con Dao is renowned for its rich and untouched nature as well as its numerous famous historical sites that preserve the heroic memories of the nation. The Hàng Dương Cemetery, for decades, has become a pilgrimage site for those who wish to express gratitude to the war heroes who sacrificed for their country.
Single-use Plastic Waste Generated from Offering Rituals
However, with a recent surge in the number of visitors, this has significantly raised the volume of single-use plastic waste (SUPW) generated from ritual prayer activities. Common items include candles wrapped in nylon, nylon bags for carrying offerings, small (50 ml) wine bottles, and especially insidious – foam bricks used as a base for floral arrangements in ceremonial trays. The growing amount of waste, coupled with naturally strong winds, has made it easy for these lightweight single-use plastic waste to disperse, affecting the landscape and the daily lives of the surrounding communities, and creating challenges for waste management efforts in Con Dao.
Viet Nam’s First Historical Site to Ban Single-Use Plastics
In August 2022, the Center announced and implemented a regulation banning the use of plastic bags and single-use plastic items—becoming the first entity in the country to enforce such measures at historical sites. The Center constructed an offering arrangement space where visitors are guided to remove and sort single-use plastic items before entering the cemetery. In addition to this, the Center has provided environmentally-friendly alternatives such as carts, trays, baskets, and eco-friendly bags for visitors to organize their ritual items conveniently.
In just over a year of implementation, the Center recorded an impressive reduction of over 85% in single-use plastic products and approximately 40% decrease in foam flower holders. Reduction in the use of these SUPs minimizes the risk of plastic leaking into the environment – a far better option than the continued use of SUPs, which incurs costs of having to collect and manage the associated waste.
In addition to the regulations and dedicated space for arrangement, the Center implements other comprehensive activities to manage waste systematically. The unit has established appropriate infrastructure, assigned staff to conduct waste sorting at the source, reused fresh flowers in the ceremonial square grave areas, and coordinated with other local units to enhance waste collection and treatment.
Efforts are made to ensure clear and proper communication on plastic pollution for visitors: installing rule boards, using multimedia communication, and becoming a touchpoint for changing the awareness and behaviors of up to 2,500 visitors daily.
Driving Awareness of Plastic Pollution and Pioneering Actions
The endeavour to transform the behaviour of visitors in practicing a long-standing ritual is far from easy. Fortunately, the prohibition of bringing single-use plastic items into the historical site has garnered support from the majority of visitors who come to participate in the ritual and express their solidarity. However, some still lack understanding, necessitating a delicate balance between stern reminders of the rules and gentle explanations. The challenge is compounded by the fact that this restriction affects various stakeholders, such as businesses trading ceremonial offerings in the district.
“We must persistently persuade and explain to these establishments to adapt and contribute to sustainable development collectively,” said Mr. Nguyễn Xuân Thuỷ, Deputy Head of the Center’s Monument Management Department.
Since its initial success in previous years, the Center has been taking action to reduce plastic waste generation and improve surrounding air quality through the initiative “Say No to Single-Use Plastics and Votive Paper Burning.”
The Center has developed a detailed communication plan for 2024 with technical support from WWF-Vietnam to enhance tourists’ and local awareness of the negative impact of traditional offerings practice in Con Dao’s areas. This plan calls for a collective multistakeholder effort to gradually eliminate single-use plastic and votive paper offerings.
Innovative Contest to Promote Green Offering Basket
To seek creative design solutions for offerings that adhere to the criteria of no single-use plastic and no votive paper offerings, the “Green Offering Basket” contest was organized by the Center in April 2024.
After the contest, the “Green Offering Basket” product was widely introduced to suppliers and individuals who are providing offering services in the district, as well as tourists and locals, laying the foundation for the Center to roll out the “Green Offering Basket Saturday” from July 2024.
The initiative proved popular among visitors and other stakeholders. Mr. Vo Huu Dat, a visitor from Ca Mau expressed his interest in protecting Con Dao, “I wholeheartedly agree with the decision to eliminate single-use plastics and incense burning at historical sites. It’s a great way to cut down on pollution and protect the beautiful island of Con Dao.”
After 13 weeks of implementing “Green Offering Basket Saturday,” Hang Duong Cemetery welcomed nearly 30,000 (29,708) visitors with over 11,500 offerings and flower bouquets. Of these, 98.5% of offering baskets met the criteria of “Green Offering Basket”, only 172 unqualified baskets that used materials such as votive paper, floral foam, and single-use plastics were counted on the launch day and were instructed to be rearranged by the support team to meet the criteria of the Green Offering Basket.
“I’m grateful for the warm welcome and informative tour at Hang Duong Cemetery. The management board’s commitment to sustainability, by encouraging the use of biodegradable materials and banning harmful plastics, is truly inspiring. As a tourist and a representative of Dang Quang Travel, we are happy to support these efforts and contribute to preserving Con Dao’s natural beauty,” shared a tour operator representative from Ninh Binh.
With strong support from tourists and the local community, the Center is expanding the “Green Offering Basket” campaign. Starting from October 1st, 2024, the campaign will be implemented during the first week of each month and on every Saturday until the end of the year. The ultimate goal is to make the “Green Offering Basket” a year-round initiative starting from January 1st, 2025.
“As a local shop owner, I’m excited to be part of the “Green Offering Basket” campaign. Today, along with visitors from Saigon, we took the initiative to leave our offerings for promotional purposes. I believe that by working together, we can create a cleaner and greener Con Dao. I strongly support this program to reduce plastic waste and improve air quality. I encourage everyone to join hands with the local government to make this program successful,” shared Mr. Nguyen Van Thang, a local resident from Con Dao.
Remarkable Banning Impact on Reducing Waste and Improving Air Quality
Hang Duong Cemetery, which receives an average of 1,500-2,500 visitors daily, has dramatically reduced waste since the implementation of the “Green Offering Basket” campaign. Up to the end of October 2024, the initiative has successfully eliminated nearly 18,000 styrofoam pieces (equivalent to 3.6 tonnes) and reduced organic waste by more than 50%.
Furthermore, the ban on votive paper burning has improved the Air Quality Index (AQI) around the cemetery from the “Unhealthy” and “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” levels to the “Moderate” level. This improvement makes the cemetery a more pleasant and sustainable place to visit.
[Learn more about the Green Offering Basket initiative and its impact on air quality improvement here]
