Finland's waste management system is highly effective, with 99% of waste being recycled.

The European Union leads in packaging recycling, with Belgium having a 91% participation rate, and over 30 countries produce packaging from recycled materials.

South Korea has a highly efficient waste management system, with Seoul being the most effective, and Taiwan's waste management has improved significantly due to the early introduction of a waste levy policy.

Japan is recognized for its effective waste disposal due to its strict laws and half-century of promoting garbage sorting.

Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore have implemented waste levies and comprehensive environmental policies, and Singapore has a professional waste recycling system with a 51.7% recycling rate in 2020.

Waste levies are a proven economic measure to promote waste separation and recycling worldwide, and the government can set a basic household use allowance to protect the public and target overused households with user pays.

San Francisco now requires recycling of food waste, making it a composting leader, and Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea have implemented successful food waste recycling programs as livestock feed.

Switzerland ranked 9th in global recycling in 2017 and has taxed garbage bags since 2012 to subsidize waste disposal, and South Korea's 1995 garbage charging system has reduced waste disposal by 40% and achieved a recycling rate of over 60%.

China has banned the import of 'foreign garbage' as part of its 'no waste city' plan, aiming to reduce waste and ensure harmless disposal by 2025.

Curbside pickup of recyclable materials is a common practice in developed countries, and phasing out single-use plastic bags can help reduce waste and promote sustainability.

Saudi Arabia's National Waste Management Center has adopted a 7-principle strategy to improve waste management, regulating various waste management activities, including collection, transportation, and disposal.

Finland's waste management system is highly effective, with 99% of waste being recycled.

Title:

Content: Ukraine will deepen cooperation with Finland in the direction of household waste management.
According to the press service of the Ministry of Regional Development, this was announced by the Minister of Communities and Territories Alexey Chernyshov during a meeting with the Ambassador of the Republic of Finland to Ukraine Päivi Laine.
It is noted that in Finland, only 1% of waste ends up in landfills, the vast majority is recycled.
This is the result of the interaction of the central and local authorities, as well as the awareness of citizens
Ukraine is also planning to adopt this experience.
“Finland is a country that demonstrates high standards of environmental waste management.
Almost all the citizens of this country sort the garbage.
As a result, 99% of household waste is recycled.
This experience will be useful for Ukraine.
So, a similar process is already underway in hromadas - in 1725 settlements of our state, a separate collection of household waste has been introduced.
But it is necessary to scale this direction and introduce useful practices of international partners in the country, "Chernyshov said.
Read alsoIn the Odessa region on the Danube, the dam is destroyed - under it meter voids In the press service reminded that thanks to the implementation of separate collection of garbage in 2020, about 6.3% of household waste was recycled and disposed of in Ukraine.
In turn, Laine noted that Finland is ready to share experience and help Ukrainian communities to implement waste processing projects.
“We also have companies that recycle waste into energy.
In such a comprehensive way, we improve the ecology of our country, ” she added.
Waste recycling in Ukraine
As UNIAN reported, in July 2020, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted in the first reading the draft law No. 2207-1-d “On waste management ”.
The document establishes the procedure for the collection, removal and treatment of waste, ensures the introduction of their separate collection and recycling, provides for the requirements for the quality of the provision of waste management services and the charging of fees for such a service.

The European Union leads in packaging recycling, with Belgium having a 91% participation rate, and over 30 countries produce packaging from recycled materials.

Title:

Content: ROP, or How will Kyrgyzstan recycle its waste?
In Bishkek, a seminar was held on the topic of extended producer responsibility (EPR) for the disposal of goods and packaging, organized by the WasteNet.KG. project.
The seminar was attended by producers of products, government authorities, waste processing enterprises, non-governmental and international organizations and experts.
Director of CSR Central Asia Agency Asel Arstanbekova noted that the issues of environmental safety, social responsibility of producers are very acute.
“In many countries, the topic of social expanded responsibility is already active and, having studied their experience, we would like to determine what is applicable for Kyrgyzstan, ” she said.
WasteNet.KG expert Natalia Baidakova presented the concept of the concept of extended producer responsibility (EPR), its implementation mechanisms, and the ultimate goal of which is to reduce and gradually reduce to zero the disposal of waste that can be used in recycling and recycling.
How is the situation with the ROP in Kyrgyzstan?
The issue of waste accumulation in Kyrgyzstan is reflected in many strategic documents, such as the National Development Strategy of Kyrgyzstan until 2040, the Green Economy Concept, and the Green Economy Development Program.
More than 40 laws include waste issues.
The main ones are the law on environmental protection, on industrial waste, which was adopted back in 2001.
Naturally, this document needs to be amended and supplemented.
In addition, a classification of hazardous waste based on international standards has been developed and adopted.
The legislation specifies that separate collection of waste should be carried out, for use as secondary resources it is prohibited to use hazardous waste as secondary raw materials.
But at the same time, many norms are absent, for example, there is no definition of what secondary waste is, there are no norms regulating the collection and processing of secondary raw materials, there are no norms for stimulating the processing of secondary materials, and so on.
The legislation undoubtedly requires changes, another thing is what these changes will be.
On March 19, 2021, a decree of the President of Kyrgyzstan on measures to ensure environmental and climate security was adopted.
A number of points were aimed at improving the efficiency of waste management, implementing separate collection of garbage, including stimulating the creation of recycling enterprises.
In 2019, a number of laws were also amended, for example, the law of consumption production, the procedure for handling hazardous mercury-containing waste.
What now?
In Kyrgyzstan, favorable conditions have been created for the organization of an effective management system and the introduction of expanded producer responsibility.
Thus, in December 2021, the Action Plan of the Cabinet of Ministers on the implementation of the National Development Program of the Kyrgyz Republic until 2026 was approved, which provides for the implementation of a number of measures to improve the waste management system.
The measures are aimed at introducing amendments and additions to laws, regulatory legal acts, including in terms of introducing the principles of the concept of extended responsibility of manufacturers of ROP for the disposal of goods and packaging.
Experience of other countries and international companies
Aleksandara Akirman, Caucasus and Central Asia Public Relations Manager at The Coca-Cola Foundation, noted that almost all global manufacturers of goods and packaging have committed to transfer from 8 to 10% of secondary raw materials to new packaging.
“In the next five to ten years, the companies intend to use more environmentally friendly materials, develop new types of packaging, provide for collection and processing.
At the same time, companies are trying to work with government authorities in their respective countries to ensure that such systems develop.
Now in Kyrgyzstan there is a linear economy of packaging, in which most packages go to landfill, are dumped in the form of garbage.
Almost 100% of the primary material is used.
While in a circular economy, plastic packaging is used endlessly.
The new packaging needs to be recycled.
Such a circular economy is possible.
In more than 30 countries around the world, we produce packaging from recycled materials, ” she said.
The OECD Environment Directorate, economist and environmentalist Frisief Lubinger in his speech noted that at present the ROP system is actively developing and is beginning to be used more intensively around the world.
"The transition to PPE is particularly active in North America, Europe and a number of transition economies, but it should be noted that in transition economies, additional resources are needed to make the system fully operational," he added.
Next, Givi Kalandadze, an expert from Georgia, the chairman of the operator of the ROP, said that the country has a special law on waste management, which has a special section under number 9 dedicated to the ROP.
“Also, the law has an important section dedicated to responsible persons who monitor the ROP.
Such a manager should be in each organization and be responsible for coordination, for cooperation with stakeholders in waste management. "
Experts from Kazakhstan and Russia also spoke about the system of implementation of the ROP in their countries, about successes and failures.
In addition, during the event, it was noted that the first place in the ROP system for packaging is occupied by the countries of the European Union, in which Belgium is the leader, where 91% of the population sorts garbage.
Next are the countries of the Middle East, followed by the countries of Africa, then Latin America, followed by Canada, then the countries of Southeast Asia and close the list of the countries of the former USSR.
Author: Munara Borombaeva.
Photo: Vlad Ushakov
Source: Kuramastory
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South Korea has a highly efficient waste management system, with Seoul being the most effective, and Taiwan's waste management has improved significantly due to the early introduction of a waste levy policy.

Title:

Content: Waste management in Hong Kong starts early and matures late. How can we catch up with Taiwan, Shanghai, Korea and the tail lights of the starry cars?
Author: 01 Weekly Report
Published: Updated:
Hong Kong's environmental protection policy has not made great progress. For many years, it seems that it has remained at the stage of "blue waste paper, yellow aluminum cans, coffee plastic bottles", and there is no plastic reduction policy.
Last year, the mainland stopped the import of waste paper, and Hong Kong recyclers also stopped collecting waste paper.
When the Government is faced with Members' questions on plastic reduction and countless initiatives by environmental groups, it is always in a state of "discussion" with the retail and restaurant industries, "under consideration", lest it harm the economic interests of the industry, and would rather harm the environmental benefits than see any actual action taken.
On July 1, 2019, the Shanghai Municipal Domestic Waste Management Ordinance was officially implemented.
At Haihong Bridge Station on the railway line, volunteers are promoting a little knowledge of garbage classification. (Visual China)
On the other hand, after years of vigorous promotion, waste management is well organized and highly efficient: South Korea ’ s waste management system is at the forefront of Asia, with Seoul being the most effective.
The local municipal authorities have the responsibility to collect, recycle and dispose of domestic and commercial solid waste. Waste management in Taiwan once lagged behind Hong Kong, but due to the early introduction of the waste levy policy by the Taiwan government, and then formulated a complex and effective waste management system, the situation in Singapore is gradually reversed. Shanghai launched the “Shanghai Municipal Domestic Waste Management Ordinance ” in 2019. The complicated measures have caused complaints from the public. Over time, the results can be said to be immediate after the people have familiarized themselves with the regulations.
Looking at the situation in these four Asian regions, it is not difficult to imagine why there is no systematic waste management in Hong Kong today, when we look back at Hong Kong's garbage collection practices, which rely entirely on the people's consciousness to separate and unsupervised waste.
For more details, please read the 285th issue of Hong Kong 01 (4 October 2021), “What should Hong Kong look for in Taiwan, Shanghai, Korea and Star? ”.
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Japan is recognized for its effective waste disposal due to its strict laws and half-century of promoting garbage sorting.

Title:

Content: Bauhinia Party ｜ Refresh Waste Charges
Author: 01 Forum
Published: Updated:
Like most Hong Kong people, I did not have any concept or awareness of garbage collection, until I heard that it was officially implemented on April 1 this year, and I began to pay attention to it.
In fact, the legislation on waste charging has been passed by the Legislative Council as early as August 2021, and the specific provisions of waste charging are actually very simple and clear, that is, based on the "polluter pays" principle, all waste, whether from individuals, families or groups, or according to the pre-purchased designated garbage bags, or according to the weight of the waste, the "entry fee".
As for the government's intention to implement waste charging, it is also very clear and simple, that is, to force the public to reduce waste and recycle through charging, and promote the sustainable development of ecology.
Author ： Zhou Xiaojao
Although the rules are simple and clear, it is not so easy to really land.
In order to pay less, people will try to pack more garbage into garbage bags. How should those crowded garbage bags be tracked and handled? In order to pay less, people will dispose of their garbage in public places such as streets, parks, markets, shopping malls, etc., how should such behavior be identified and enforced? As for the different groups that produce large amounts of waste, as well as the property, cleaning, refuse collection and other organizations that assist in the disposal of waste, a series of countermeasures are also required.
It is in view of the complexity of implementation that the Government has set aside a preparation period of up to 18 months for the formal implementation of the Ordinance.
However, the general public, like the author, did not really start to pay attention to the new policy, which will affect every household, until the first two or three months of its implementation, and there was a lot of uncertainty and doubt. Ming. "
But the question is, is the disruption caused by garbage charges really just a problem of insufficient publicity?
How to deal with garbage is an old problem faced by cities, especially large cities.
Specifically, there are three core issues surrounding the garbage problem: First, how to control the amount of garbage generated? Second, how to encourage the classification of garbage management? Third, how to deal with different types of garbage? The first issue mainly relates to the source of garbage: how to avoid excessive packaging?
How to promote the environmental protection of packaging materials? The second issue relates to the recycling of waste: how to guide the public to separate and collect different types of waste according to the difficulty of recycling? The third issue relates to the fate of waste: simple stacking, centralized landfill or recycling, incineration and power generation?
In response to the above garbage issue, Hong Kong has not made a satisfactory response for a long time, let alone effective action.
The lunch boxes purchased on the street are still foam or plastic that cannot be decomposed. Shopping bags provided by shopping malls are also plastic products, and the goods purchased from the mainland are wrapped in plastic layer after layer.
There was a time when Hong Kong encouraged the classification of kitchen waste and the production of agricultural fertilizer from kitchen waste. Unfortunately, this good practice failed to persist, and the public has not formed a self-awareness of garbage classification.
A large amount of waste has been sent to the countryside to landfill without any sorting. The existing three major landfills are already overwhelmed, and facilities such as waste power generation have taken more than 10 years to start.
Solving the waste problem itself is a systematic project, involving all aspects, coupled with the interests of thousands of households and changes in living habits, so each country in the disposal of the waste issue mostly adopt a gradual, tailored, durable strategy.
Japan is recognized as the best country in terms of waste disposal. The key to its success is the gradual development of a sense of garbage sorting through half a century of sustained efforts and strict laws and regulations.
Mainland China also tries to start with garbage sorting, although there is a strong enforcement force, but the government still dare not play a game of chess across the country, but choose some cities to pilot first, and then gradually push to the whole country.
In contrast, Hong Kong, which has been lagging behind on garbage disposal, naively uses “polluter pays ” as the ultimate“ killer ’ s mace ” in an attempt to “get it done. ”
This mentality is understandable, but can a simple, one-size-fits-all waste charge really solve the waste problem facing Hong Kong?
Can you encourage eco-friendly packaging?
Can you promote garbage separation?
More importantly, can the current waste charging design really reduce the amount of waste generated?
I am afraid the answers to these questions are not as optimistic as the Government thinks.
If Hong Kong ’ s waste challenge is not effectively addressed, then what is the point of this policy, which costs the time and money of all citizens and stakeholders?
For example, in order to make up for the long-term inaction on reclamation, the SAR Government hastily launched the HK $trillion-dollar Lantau Island Construction Project in the absence of full consultation with the community, making it difficult for the project to ride under the current internal and external environment. The awkward situation.
The author is not sure whether garbage collection will also face similar experiences, but if the publicity and communication in the next few months can not convince the community that the relevant garbage collection policy can effectively solve the garbage problem faced by Hong Kong, then it is necessary for the SAR Government to suspend the implementation of the relevant policy, and redesign the plan to be more gradual and targeted, focusing on effectively solving the waste generation, waste management and recycling. A series of policies, and consistent implementation.
In fact, the above doubts about the government ’ s waste charging policy have emerged since the government first introduced the relevant bill to the Legislative Council in 2018.
Although the Bills Committee set up at that time to scrutinize the relevant bills supported the direction of the Government's waste reduction policy, it also made a large number of recommendations on the effective implementation of the relevant policies. Some members even held different views on whether the relevant fees could achieve the preset targets.
The Government has also responded to the views of the Bills Committee, including improving waste reduction and recycling measures and providing assistance to those in need.
Regrettably, these reasonable measures should be perfect in the two years after the passage of the relevant regulations in the preparatory stage either in the form, or the lack of publicity, and ultimately let this in the design of the innate deficiencies, in the landing and inadequate preparation of the waste reduction policy is likely to fall into the eyes of the public "workers hurt money" and abandoned halfway.
The author, Zhou Xiaojui, is a researcher at the Bauhinia Institute for Policy Studies.
The article is only the opinion of the author and does not represent the position of Hong Kong 01.
Please email us at 01view @ hk01.com.
Please attach the author ’ s real name and contact details.
If not applicable, no notice will be given.

Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore have implemented waste levies and comprehensive environmental policies, and Singapore has a professional waste recycling system with a 51.7% recycling rate in 2020.

Title:

Content: Hong Kong ’ s slow progress in environmental governance – why not look at the Greater Bay Area and the world?
Author: Liu Mengting
Published: Updated:
In 2005, the SAR Government proposed to develop a recycling economy, that is, to reduce the environmental burden by repairing, recycling and extending the service life of materials, to find a way out for recycling recyclable materials, and to promote the development of related industries and promote economic diversification.
However, more than a decade later, Hong Kong ’ s circular economy has not made much progress.
In this regard, some scholars suggest leveraging the advantages of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
At the same time, Hong Kong ’ s waste management policy is not yet climate, and we must match the experience of “top students ” such as Korea, Taiwan and Singapore.
Circular Economy Enemies the Greater Bay Area
Professor Patrick Poon, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, has been developing a patented technology for converting waste glass into environmentally friendly bricks since the 1990s, with a view to improving the recycling efficiency of waste glass.
Green brick is a kind of concrete brick, can effectively use construction waste and waste glass, the third generation of green brick has been put into the market as paving brick.
For more than 20 years, the technology has been optimized by scholars to the fifth generation, but it is still “technology without market ”.
In an interview with "Hong Kong 01" recently, Poon mentioned the two main reasons why the development of the local green brick industry is hindered, which is also the dilemma faced by Hong Kong's circular economy.
Pan Chih-sheng says that the research on green bricks has been successful, but the price is not competitive. (photo by O'Cara)
One of the main reasons is that local manufacturing has caused the high enterprise products to lose market advantage. Poon analysis, because the whole production process of environmentally friendly bricks produced in Hong Kong is completed in Hong Kong, and the land price and labor in Hong Kong are very high, and the price has also risen with the water. It is necessary to open up the market to achieve maximum trade liberalization, so the possibility of contractors choosing Hong Kong materials for profit considerations is very low.
On the other hand, the Hong Kong government has not introduced relevant policies to require the actual use of environmentally friendly materials, in the absence of just the premise, the market share of environmentally friendly bricks is unstable, and the current use of the third generation of environmentally friendly bricks is about 20% more expensive than natural sand bricks, so the project side may not consider the use of environmentally friendly bricks.
Another major obstacle is that the government did not help. Pan Zhisheng pointed out that environmental protection bricks are made of recycled materials, although the quality and performance of the bricks are not lost to natural sand and stone, but the quality difference is greater.
However, according to the existing government regulations, the two are regarded as the same, that is, the quality of environmentally friendly materials is too high, but it may still be regarded as unqualified due to the degree of quality difference. This single regulation is a constraint for the application of environmentally friendly bricks. If the outlook does not improve, it will be more difficult to attract investors.
Under such a vicious cycle, the government has no intention to invest or give support, and the environmental protection brick industry chain has become a dead end.
The recycling rate of local waste in Hong Kong is low, and exports are facing many restrictions.
In an interview with Hong Kong 01, Wong Woon-chung, director of the Johan Centre for Applied Forestry Research in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), Hong Kong Baptist University, pointed out that the land resources in Hong Kong are tight, such as the opening of a recycling plant for recycled materials will double the cost.
Mr Wong stressed that the circular economy requires complementary advantages from different regions. There is no way out if the development vision is limited to Hong Kong. (photo by Mr Cheng Tze-feng)
Waste management in Hong Kong is inefficient and should be seen around the world
South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan implemented waste levies in 1995, 1996 and 2000 respectively. Since then, they have gradually developed comprehensive and mature environmental policies with local characteristics.
Hong Kong's waste management system has been fragmented for many years, and it is time to look at the world and learn from advanced experience and thinking.
Hong Kong ’ s waste management policy has not been good for many years, and the climate should be on par with other regions. (Photo by Tsai Cheng-pong)
Korea has introduced waste utilization measures in a multi-pronged manner to achieve long-term management, so the Korean waste management system is at the forefront of Asia.
For example, the city of Seoul, which has achieved the most remarkable results, introduced a series of supporting measures in a few years to change the entire waste treatment model, public perception of waste and living habits after the implementation of the garbage levy system in 1995.
In contrast, the Hong Kong Government is always "discussing" with the industry and "considering" the initiatives of environmental protection groups.
Taiwan is also a leader in waste management in Asia.
The Taiwan government sent a special cleaning team to collect household waste from residents using two types of recycling trucks – yellow garbage trucks are used to collect general waste from residents using official garbage bags, and white garbage trucks are used to collect raw and cooked food waste, plastic and other recyclable resources.
As early as 1997, the Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency launched the "Resource Recovery 4-in-1 Program", which fully mobilized the role of the government, manufacturers, consumers and licensed recycling enterprises in waste management, not only to skillfully distribute the financial costs, but also to reflect the principle of impartiality.
Singapore has a small population, similar to Hong Kong, but the waste recycling work is more professional and centralized.
In Singapore, three waste management enterprises are licensed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to provide waste collection and recycling services to residents in different parts of the country. The waste is meticulously classified into paper, plastic, glass and metal, and the garden waste is collected separately.
In the recycling process, incineration plants reduce the volume of waste by 90%, and then use 3% of non-incineration and non-recyclable waste to landfill to reduce the environmental burden.
According to statistics, Singapore ’ s solid waste recycling rate reached 51.7% in 2020, a model that Hong Kong can learn from.
As for the administrative efficiency of the Mainland, it is also worth reflecting on the Hong Kong government. In July 2019, Shanghai implemented what has been described as the “world ’ s most stringent ” waste separation measure.
First of all, its domestic waste is strictly divided into four categories, namely recyclables, hazardous waste, wet waste and dry waste; secondly, if individuals or units do not dispose of garbage in accordance with the classification, they will be punished with severe high fines.
Under the mandatory implementation of the government, Shanghai residents have achieved good environmental protection results after experiencing "pain".
The Garbage Levy Ordinance has already been introduced, but the Government must not be complacent about it, but must think about how to tie in with the Ordinance in the next step, and adopt a systematic and comprehensive thinking to achieve long-term waste management.
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Waste levies are a proven economic measure to promote waste separation and recycling worldwide, and the government can set a basic household use allowance to protect the public and target overused households with user pays.

Title:

Content: What is the path to garbage collection?
Change the "universal levy" to "universal participation"
Author: Zhang Xinyu
Published: Updated:
Zhang Xinyu Column ｜ Liu Cheong, Zhang Xinyu
Promoting waste separation and recycling through economic incentives such as waste levies is a proven economic measure of waste management worldwide.
However, this measure has been brewing in Hong Kong for nearly 20 years, and after several twists and turns, even if it is close to the statutory implementation date, the voice of doubt in the community about the implementation of the policy is still heard and even intensified, making it difficult to see the light of the actual implementation of the policy.
In the face of many concerns, it is impossible for a responsible governance team to turn a blind eye to the strong concerns of the public, but on the other hand, promoting waste separation and recycling is crucial to the future sustainable development of Hong Kong.
Therefore, at this difficult time, this article hopes to put forward specific proposals, so that the government can face the dilemma, through a gradual and orderly mode of promotion, supplemented by flexible incentive and restraint mechanism, with wisdom and responsibility to promote this key move.
Taking into account the actual situation in Hong Kong (including the coverage of recycling facilities and the stage of economic recovery), the Government can first establish a reasonable basic household use "allowance": that is, each household can receive a certain number of designated garbage bags provided by the Government at no cost each month.
This approach is similar to setting a "starting point" in refuse collection charges, while protecting the vast majority of the public from additional daily expenses, and focusing the main target of "user pays" on a small number of overused households.
At present, there is a monthly distribution of garbage bags in public housing estates and a considerable number of private housing estates. Therefore, the government's unified provision of designated garbage bags for basic self-use can, to a certain extent, reverse the perception that a considerable part of the public regards the policy as a "national levy".
At the same time, the government can give the public a sense of choice and participation, so that families can choose whether to receive the basic self-use garbage bags provided by the government free of charge.
For those environmental pioneers who have voluntarily given up collecting basic self-use garbage bags, they are given an incentive to participate in the Green Reward Scheme with five times the number of points in that month, so as to enhance the enthusiasm of these people to participate in waste reduction and promote waste conversion through a positive incentive model.
This approach also reflects the concept of gradual progress: as long as household users can insist on increasing the recycling rate every month, when the remaining designated plastic bags are sufficient to cope with the basic amount of waste in the next month, they can receive a high amount of "Green Award" points in lieu of the new designated garbage bags.
As a matter of fact, a policy tool similar to "reward for supplement" has been widely used in the Mainland, which is of great benefit to mobilizing community participation and fostering a sense of environmental protection among citizens.
This arrangement can not only reverse the existing psychological conflicts among some members of the public, but also strive for more social understanding and support for the landing of policies, and solve the biggest political problems at present.
With the future of the overall policy operation into the right track, when all the citizens have become accustomed to the use of designated garbage bags, and the community recycling supporting facilities are more complete, more public began to develop the habit of garbage classification, the government can consider gradually adjusting the number of free basic self-use garbage bags, further increase the economic incentives, so that more people participate in garbage classification, forming a positive cycle.
Of course, in the whole process, the government needs to keep strengthening publicity and education, raise the awareness of waste management in the whole society, guide the public to form a green lifestyle, and consciously resist excessive packaging and disposable goods.
With this multi-pronged effort, Hong Kong has the opportunity to truly achieve the policy objectives of process separation, waste conversion and end-use harmless solid waste management.
Hong Kong's policy of promoting waste recovery and recycling has gone through too much confusion and repetition.
However, we must emphasize once again that the promotion of the separation cycle by economic incentives is not a political issue, but a governance issue. It should not be reduced to a "no tax" argument, but should be regarded as a "top priority" to promote the reform of social solid waste management model.
At this critical juncture, the SAR Government should demonstrate its vigor and commitment, adopt an open and pragmatic attitude of “serving the people ’ s wishes, meeting the people ’ s needs, and fulfilling the people ’ s wishes ”, vigorously optimize the improvement plan, lobby for the greatest social consensus, and avoid a benign policy aimed at promoting the recycling of solid waste, becoming a“ national levy ” in the eyes of the public.
We believe that through the establishment of a reasonable basic self-use threshold, coupled with a proactive recycling incentive mechanism, the Government can ensure that the cost of living of the public will not increase significantly, and can maintain the incentive to encourage the public to participate in waste reduction and recycling.
It is hoped that through a gradual implementation path and a flexible incentive mechanism, the Government will reunite the consensus and form a joint force in the whole society, so that the optimized waste levy will truly become a "key move" in the reform of Hong Kong's solid waste management system, and will work with all parties to create a better tomorrow for Hong Kong's environmental governance.
Dr. Lau Cheong is the General Convenor of New Directions Hong Kong. Mr. Cheung is a Member of the Legislative Council (New Territories North), a Chartered Engineer in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, and a member of New Directions Hong Kong.
This article only represents the author's personal views and does not represent the position of Hong Kong 01.

San Francisco now requires recycling of food waste, making it a composting leader, and Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea have implemented successful food waste recycling programs as livestock feed.

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Book Lays Bare The West's Wasteful Food Ways

San Francisco's new law mandating that everyone recycle food waste puts the city on the cutting edge of composting.

But in Asia, the practice is commonplace in some countries.

They're a rare bright spot in author Tristram Stuart's new book, Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal.

"In Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, the government in a matter of years has put a lot of energy behind recycling food waste as livestock feed," Stuart tells NPR's Renee Montagne. "It's environmentally friendly, it provides cheap livestock feed for the farmers in those parts of the world, and it avoids sending the food waste to landfill."

Stuart makes the case that much of the developed world is thoughtless when it comes to the production and purchase of food. From fields of imperfect produce to the lettuce you left in the fridge a little too long, vast quantities of food are tossed daily.

There is a more responsible approach, Stuart points out.

"In the United States, under 3 percent of municipal food waste — so that's the food scraps that goes into people's garbage cans — actually gets recycled," he says. "If you go to a place like South Korea, the exact reverse is the case. It's about 3 percent that doesn't get recycled. The rest is recycled through composting and — very largely and very sensibly — through feeding that food waste to livestock."

Stuart says the U.S. has the resources to recycle its food waste as effectively as South Korea does.

"We have the solutions, we know how to do it," he says. "We just need to do it more effectively and across the board."

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Renee Montagne, one of the best-known names in public radio, is a special correspondent and host for NPR News.

Switzerland ranked 9th in global recycling in 2017 and has taxed garbage bags since 2012 to subsidize waste disposal, and South Korea's 1995 garbage charging system has reduced waste disposal by 40% and achieved a recycling rate of over 60%.

Title:

Content: 【 Printing 】
Swiss garbage smugglers evade high charges in France
Related LINKS http: / / www.CRNT.com 2024-04-23 10: 11: 12
Beijing, April 23 (Xinhua) -- According to a report by the British environmental consultancy Eunomia, the global recycling rate ranking in 2017, Hong Kong ranked 24th, and Switzerland ranked 9th.
Since 2012, the Swiss government has introduced a tax on garbage bags to subsidize waste disposal costs, but the high fees have led some Swiss to leave their waste in neighboring France.
To this end, the French government cracked down on "smuggling" garbage, blocking nearly 10 tons of garbage from Switzerland, and fined 150 euros each.
South Korea has implemented garbage charging since 1995, and the overall waste disposal volume has been greatly reduced by 40%, and the recycling rate has reached more than 60%.
Compared to “one size fits all ” measures, the Korean government implemented the waste reduction plan in a step-by-step manner.
Waste charging is carried out in the form of bag charging, and then gradually expanded to restrict the use of disposable products, recycling of kitchen waste, etc., to deal with waste in a multi-pronged manner.
The environmental equation “3R ” has a priority: reduce waste, reuse, and recycle. Lisa Ramsden, a member of Greenpeace America, pointed out that large food and daily necessities companies have been promoting recycling for many years, but the results have not been good, so the“ naked buy ” consumption model of Reuse and Refill, that is, self-purchased containers. Buy the required items to really reduce waste at the source.
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China has banned the import of 'foreign garbage' as part of its 'no waste city' plan, aiming to reduce waste and ensure harmless disposal by 2025.

Title:

Content: People 's Daily Online > > Economy and Technology
Eighteen departments to promote the "14th Five-Year" period of "no waste city" construction requires a total ban on the import of "foreign garbage"
December 17, 2021 15: 45 | Source: People's Daily Online
Small number
BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- According to the official website of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, 18 departments, including the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, have jointly issued the "Work Plan for the Construction of Absence Cities" in the 14th Five-Year Plan period (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan").
This includes a total ban on the import of “foreign garbage ”.
The "Program" requires that by 2025, the "non-waste city" solid waste generation intensity will decrease rapidly, the level of comprehensive utilization will be significantly improved, the harmless disposal capacity will be effectively guaranteed, the synergistic effect of pollution reduction and carbon reduction will be fully realized, and the solid waste management information "one network" will be basically realized.
The "Plan" proposes to strengthen the construction of systems, technologies, markets and regulatory systems, and comprehensively improve the protection capabilities.
Among them, it is proposed to establish and improve a solid waste environmental management and supervision system.
Improve the management of solid waste environmental information, open up multi-sectoral solid waste related data, and form an efficient regulatory pattern and service model.
Improve the environmental protection credit evaluation system, and promote the integration of key production units and utilization and disposal units of industrial solid waste into environmental protection credit evaluation management.
Comprehensive implementation of environmental pollution liability insurance in hazardous waste business units.
Implement the "double random, one open" environmental supervision model, and establish and improve a mechanism for the detection of environmental pollution problems.
A total ban on the import of "foreign garbage".
Accelerate the issuance of emission permits for industrial solid waste and hazardous waste treatment units in the region, and urge and guide enterprises to fully implement the emission permits and management requirements for solid waste.
The plan also calls for promoting the formation of a green and low-carbon lifestyle, and promoting the reduction and resourcing of solid waste from living sources.
With conservation-oriented organs, green procurement, green hotels, green schools, green shopping malls, green express outlets (distribution centers), "no waste" scenic spots, etc., we vigorously advocate the concept of "no waste" and promote the formation of simple and moderate, green, low-carbon, civilized and healthy lifestyles and consumption patterns.
Resolutely stop food and beverage waste, promote "CD-ROM action", and guide consumers to rational consumption.
We will actively develop the sharing economy and promote the trading and circulation of second-hand commodities.
We will further promote the classification of domestic waste, and establish and improve a system for classification delivery, classification collection, classification transportation and classification treatment.
(Editor: Shen Jiaping, Gao Lei)
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Curbside pickup of recyclable materials is a common practice in developed countries, and phasing out single-use plastic bags can help reduce waste and promote sustainability.

Title:

Content: Curbside recycling

THE EDITOR: As we look forward with great expectation to 2024, this is a good time to contemplate strategies which would redound to the greater protection of our natural environment.

First there should be curbside pickup of recyclable materials. It has become common place in developed countries for people to sort their trash into what can be recycled and what can't be. The recyclables are then placed curbside in a colour-coded bin for pickup separate and apart from the other trash.

TT should be no different. The aim is for recycling to be more than just a campaign, but rather part of our modus operandi and way of national life.

Also, single-use plastic bags should be phased out. The use of reuseable bags should be encouraged and incentivised. Finally, there needs to be greater enforcement of the littering laws and the increase of penalties where applicable.

COLIN DENOON

South Oropouche

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Saudi Arabia's National Waste Management Center has adopted a 7-principle strategy to improve waste management, regulating various waste management activities, including collection, transportation, and disposal.

Title:

Content: Archive / Saudi News
7 pillars within the strategy to improve waste management
Thank you for reading the news about 7 pillars within the strategy of upgrading waste management and now we start with the details
Nasser Mushaei, Director General of the Systems and Licenses Department at the National Waste Management Center (Mawan), said that the strategic capabilities adopted to improve waste management are based on seven main principles, including the executive regulations and guidelines, to regulate waste collection, transportation, sorting, storage, import, export, treatment and safe disposal activities. Develop the comprehensive strategic plan, and commit the entities to develop their operational plans, and identify financial instruments.
Road Map
The second pillar is the comprehensive strategic plan to develop a road map for the implementation of waste management and investment in all cities and villages of the Kingdom, based on the current situation, he said, noting that the plan works to develop integrated solutions for waste management through business models and identify investment opportunities for the private sector, strategic smart control system and operational control system.
Manufacturing and Importing
He added: The third pillar is the product responsibility system that extends through the manufacture and import of products and the financial return for the management of product waste, and benefit from the financial return of the implementation of sustainability. The fourth pillar is the “National Platform ”, which includes fines and violations for producers and service providers, financial compensation for waste producers and service providers, licenses and permits for service providers and complaints. To facilitate decision making and platforms for the relevant bodies that allow the entities to link with the system and the waste transfer document to monitor the waste from the source to the treatment and disposal plants, the waste management plan for mass waste producers, and the contracting of waste producers and service providers.
Licenses and Permits
He pointed out that the fifth pillar is licenses and permits, which include general, technical and administrative requirements, requirements, manuals and procedures; to regulate the issuance of licenses, permits and approvals for all waste management activities and facilities for various types of waste, noting that the sixth pillar is import and export, with the aim of developing a comprehensive study on the environmental, economic and social feasibility of importing and exporting various types of waste.
DATABASE
He explained that the seventh pillar is industrial Takaful, and that the center launched the industrial Takaful project in cooperation with the Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NDLP) to create investment opportunities in industrial waste management based on an accurate and comprehensive database, pointing out that industrial Takaful is the process by which waste or by-products of one industry turn into raw materials for another industry.
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Overtourism refers to the phenomenon of a destination receiving more tourists than it can handle, resulting in negative impacts on the local community, environment, and economy.

The primary drivers of overtourism include increased accessibility, social media, and low-cost travel options.

The consequences of overtourism include strain on local infrastructure, housing shortages, and degradation of natural resources.

In Europe, popular destinations such as Barcelona and Venice have implemented measures to manage overtourism, including tourist taxes and limits on visitor numbers.

In Asia, countries such as Thailand and Indonesia have introduced sustainable tourism initiatives, including eco-tourism and community-based tourism.

In the Americas, destinations such as Costa Rica and Peru have implemented measures to protect sensitive ecosystems and cultural heritage sites.

Responsible tourism practices, such as reducing waste and respecting local customs, can help mitigate the impacts of overtourism.

Overtourism refers to the phenomenon of a destination receiving more tourists than it can handle, resulting in negative impacts on the local community, environment, and economy.

Title:

Content: Venice: Venice’s famed Rialto Bridge was jammed with tourists on Monday, the same day Unesco recommended the watery city be put on its endangered list citing overtourism and other concerns.

Taking selfies, licking gelato and wheeling suitcases, the hordes of visitors seemed happily oblivious to the possible downgrade Unesco said was due to the risk of “irreversible” damage.

New York tourist Ashley Park, 28, said she knew it would be crowded in Venice, but it wasn’t ruining her vacation.

“Obviously if we lived here with all these tourists it wouldn’t be fun,” she acknowledged.

Among the crowds on the historic bridge was city worker Diego Nechifrovo, 23, wearing an #EnjoyRespectVenezia T-shirt, who was busy keeping an eye out for misbehaving tourists.

“Sometimes I see someone throwing away his cigarette or walking around without a T-shirt,” he said, noticing a bag of potato chips discarded on the doorstep of a jewellery shop.

The worst? One time a family “sat down right in front of the Doge’s Palace and started to set up a picnic.”

A few weeks ago, a distracted tourist fell into the water, Nechifrovo said.

“He was trying to get a good photo”.

Please don’t come

Not far away, a seller of watercolours had a sign on his stand pointing to St. Mark’s Square.

“That’s all they want to know,” said the native Venetian, Claudio, who declined to give his last name. “They come to Venice because it’s Venice. That’s all.”

The days of educated tourists visiting and enjoying the city’s many churches and museums were over, he said.

“Those who come now don’t even know what a museum is. It’s not cultural tourism,” he said.

“They need to go to the beach, or the mountains, but not here!” he lamented. “Please don’t come anymore!”

The list of Venice’s challenges are many, from environmental damage to its lagoon to its fleeing residents - with only about 50,000 left - leaving what many critics charge is now a city without a soul.

Two years ago, Venice narrowly avoided being placed on the same Unesco list - which is intended to spur governments into action to preserve places deemed of “universal value to humanity” - after the city imposed a ban on massive cruise ships travelling past the centre.

Environmental groups warned the ships, carrying thousands of day-trippers and sailing exceptionally close to shore, caused large waves eroding Venice’s foundations and harming the lagoon’s fragile ecosystem.

But the rerouting of the ships to the more distant industrial port of Marghera did not address the issue of overtourism itself.

Some 3.2 million tourists stayed overnight in Venice’s historic centre last year, according to official data, a number that does not include the thousands of daily visitors who do not spend the night.

“It’s pretty beautiful - it’s a draw!” justified US tourist Mike McWilliams, 53, who had just arrived in the city for a two-day visit with his family.

Managing the masterpiece

Unesco, the UN’s cultural wing, put Venice on its heritage list in 1987 as an “extraordinary architectural masterpiece”, but it has warned of the need for “more sustainable tourism management”.

On Monday, it said progress had been insufficient while citing “a lack of overall joint strategic vision” by authorities.

Critics say measures put in place to check tourism are ineffective and have come too late.

A long-discussed plan to introduce a paid booking scheme for day-trippers has been repeatedly postponed, now until 2024, over concerns it will seriously dent tourist revenue and compromise freedom of movement.

Back at St. Mark’s Square, city worker Lorenzo Seano, 21, was struggling to keep tourists from sitting on the steps of the surrounding arcades.

The problem of too many tourists invading cities went well beyond Venice, Seano said, but no one in government had tried to tackle the problem “on a structural level”.

“After all, there’s a ton of money coming in,” he said.

The primary drivers of overtourism include increased accessibility, social media, and low-cost travel options.

Title:

Content: Point of view
Lin Chi-yin
Lin Chi-yin: "Traveling Everywhere" and "Over-Travel"
Earlier, the Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Hsia Baolong, advocated the concept of “travel everywhere ” to fully explore Hong Kong ’ s tourism resources.
To speed up the implementation of the concept, the authorities are planning to set up a "special class" to bring together people inside and outside the Government for in-depth discussions.
In recent days, officials and legislators have expressed their views on the development of "red tourism", exploring new spots in the community, beautifying the streets, and presenting some scenes in the movies.
Simply put, it may be the story behind the attraction, or the accumulated word of mouth on social media, and every tree and grass anywhere can become a tourist attraction.
Of course, the author hopes that the "class" can launch various new ideas; and since the task of the class is to implement the concept of "travel everywhere", then how to implement the concept is the best for Hong Kong, the industry, the community and the public, the class can not ignore.
The University of Hong Kong campus has been forced by tourists, and the school has implemented reservation measures this month.
HKU itself has a complete management structure, and the university can still implement crowd control according to the situation. However, if some scenic spots that go deep into the community or even close to residential buildings are really "red hot", it may not be easy to implement crowd control.
“Everywhere travel ” is a concept, the key to implementation lies in the ability of the authorities to foresee problems. If you rely only on“ see and see ”, it is very likely that good things will turn into bad things.
“Aggressive ” Travel
In 2018, the word “overtourism ” was chosen as the Oxford English Dictionary ’ s word of the year, referring to the negative effects of overloading the area, declining quality of life and environmental damage caused by the influx of tourists to tourist attractions.
For example, Venice, Italy, which has long been affected by “overtourism ”, is not a“ once in a lifetime ” – the local population is only 50,000, and the number of daily tourists has exceeded the local population; during peak season, the number of daily visitors has even doubled.
I have friends who visited the place more than a decade ago, and they all agreed to say that people are crowded and will not go again.
In addition to Venice, some European cities or small islands with a tourism-led economy (such as the Canarias in Spain) also face the problem of job opportunities, high prices, and a homogenization of shops. Multinational companies invest heavily in hotels and holiday cottages, which also lead to higher rents, which locals can ’ t afford.
Even if tourism brings a lot of jobs to the region, it does not mean that the average person can earn a living wage.
People in these places understand the importance of tourism to the local economy, but they do not want the tourism industry to be unlimited, resulting in the resources of the whole place are only for the service of tourists.
"Tourism Hazards" and How to Deal with them
In Japanese society after the epidemic, a similar term, "tourism nuisance", has also appeared to describe problems such as traffic, noise, nuisance, and garbage pollution caused by too many tourists.
This phenomenon, in addition to the popularity of exchange rates, affordable air tickets, and people's desire to travel after the epidemic, social media will also have the effect of focusing on specific hot spots.
In the era of image-led, everyone can follow the picture, some places that were not originally planned as tourist attractions have begun to face sudden overcrowding.
Hong Kong people who love to visit Japan will not be unfamiliar with two “attractions ”: the Daokou near Enojima Electric Railway ’ s Kamakura University Station, and a Lawson convenience store in Kawaguchi-cho.
The former is the "holy place" of the popular manga "When Men are in the bottle". In recent years, the crossing has been congested with traffic due to frequent visits by tourists to "punch", local people can not get on the electric train, and some tourists are dangerous for taking good photos. Lawson is also a "punch" attraction, and the picture is a convenience store with a beautiful view of Mount Fuji. of tourists are constantly crossing the road and parking without permission, causing local residents to feel troubled.
Too many tourists can also lead to a decline in the quality of service, even in Japan, which values the spirit of “work people ”.
When I visited Japan last year, I saw some shops find ways to deal with “tourism hazards ” on their own, such as not allowing diners to take photos in the store, so that after the photos are uploaded to social media, it will cause more people to come and see them; limiting the number of diners to the number of people that the staff can serve, even if the seats are not full.
However, some tourists always find it difficult to understand the intentions behind these arrangements, and I have heard some tourists complain: "Obviously there is still a place, why not let us sit?"
When these conflicts can no longer be handled by businesses and residents themselves, how to strike a balance between “tourism ” and“ public nuisance ” will gradually become a policy issue.
The most extreme way to deal with it is to “eliminate ” popular attractions – coincidentally, the authorities of Kawaguchiko recently erected a 20-meter-long and 2.5-meter-high“ black curtain ” in front of Lawson to drive away tourists who came to take photos.
The reason why the authorities have to take extreme measures is that management alone can not prevent tourists from rushing out of the road, which is actually to "play the spot".
In addition, there are more and more tourist cities and hotspots charging tourists "admission fees" or "admission fees", but this method can not play a large role.
In Venice, for example, the city has been charging a 5 euro entry fee (about HK $42) to “overnight ” travelers since last month.
However, these fees simply cannot curb the huge demand for tourists, and the revenue is mainly used as a financial source to cope with "excessive travel", which can only cure the symptoms, not the root cause.
The Real Meaning of “Travel Everywhere ”
At this point, some people may point out that the above problems will only become problems if we succeed in attracting tourists to Hong Kong; what we have to focus on is how to get more people to come to Hong Kong.
However, how much tourism can bring to a city depends on the management and policies of the city, not on the remedial measures that can be taken.
Although the share of tourism industry in Hong Kong's economy is far less than that of the "tourist city" mentioned above, Hong Kong can't wait to see that other places are looking for countermeasures for the "tourism nuisance", and even start to turn to attack, redefine the tourism industry from the planning level and actively promote tourist education.
In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, for example, the government announced last month that it would ban new hotels and limit the number of cruise ships to return the city to a livable and tourism-friendly city. In Kamakura, Japan, people are no longer concentrated at certain points by decentralizing transportation (such as the launch of electric tricycle rental business) and proactively promoting multiple circumnavigation routes (such as the travel routes at 13 locations of Kamakura Shogunate).
The main disadvantage of post-event remediation is that the difficulty and cost of solving the problem are greatly increased, which will also affect the experience of tourists. More than 10 years ago, the North District of Hong Kong also experienced a pharmacy every few steps, and the situation of residents in the North District driving out water consignors on their own, which hurt the feelings of the people of the two places.
In particular, there are many policy issues that can be foreseen in advance, and we do not have to go through them personally before we know what the problem is (for example, the legal problems faced by cleaners under the garbage levy will not be known until the moment of trial).
Since there is a great deal of experience and policy measures in various places to refer to, the “Special Class ” must also strike a balance between tourism and city operations when formulating tourist routes and supporting packages, otherwise the attraction will only lead to losses. After the city of Kamakura solved the problem of overcrowding of tourists, the tourism industry representative of Kanagawa Prefecture (that is, the seat of Kamakura City) pointed out:“ Attraction is not tourism. ” The amount of time it takes to win is certainly not appropriate.
“Travel Everywhere ” is not just about adding tourist attractions, but promoting quality tourism in a more nuanced and proactive way to avoid problems.
The author is a public policy consultant.
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Title:

Content: Global News
The world today - spraying with water guns..
Are tourist expulsions spreading in Europe?
You are now following the news of spraying with water guns.
Are tourist expulsions spreading in Europe?
From the World News section and now we leave you with the full details
SAHAD MOHAMMED - Abu Dhabi on Friday 19 July 2024 04: 25 PM - Spain's tourism unrest has reached its peak in the past few days, with some locals in Barcelona spraying tourists with water guns and canned drinks, asking them to go back to where they came from.
Angry residents, numbering about 3,000, blocked the entrances to hotels and cafes in the Barceloneta neighborhood in a symbolic attempt to express their indignation at the excessive tourist overcrowding in their city.
This is not the first time tourism has been highlighted as a problem in Spain, where the country, which attracted 85 million visitors in 2023, has seen a series of protests against excessive tourism in the country, especially in the city of Barcelona with a population of 1.6 million, which received more than 7.8 million visitors in 2023, leaving many locals unable to afford to live there due to high rental prices.
Fear of Protests in Europe
Spain ’ s overcrowding problem, and the decision to confront it by locals, has highlighted the potential for anti-tourist protests to spread to the rest of Europe ’ s heavily tourist-ridden cities, as UNESCO ’ s Sustainable Tourism Project chief Peter Debrin warned.
The protests will certainly spread if European officials fail to address the negative impact of mass tourism on the lives of the local population, DeBrin says, noting that the situation in Spain has become very volatile, as the coming of civil society and its attempt to bring about change is critical, after all elected officials must respond to what the residents of their cities want.
He cited the 2021 ban on large cruise ships in Venice, Italy, which was passed after protests by residents, as cruise ships no longer pass through the Grand Canal, but are now docked away from Venice, helping to preserve the city ’ s structural and environmental integrity.
But despite the decision to ban large cruise ships in Venice, passengers continue to flock to its narrow lanes in the thousands, with Venice expected to attract about 540,000 cruise passengers this year, an increase of 9 percent compared to 2023, according to the North Adriatic Ports Authority.
In a bid to reduce crowds, Venice has imposed a 5 euro ($5.45) tourist tax on peak days this year, a measure that has so far failed to rein in tourist numbers, Euronews reported.
Quality rather than quantity tourism
Like Venice, Barcelona residents have long struggled with the global popularity of their city: every year, fewer locals say tourism benefits the city, while more people feel it is harmful, according to a survey conducted by the Barcelona City Council in 2023.
UNESCO ’ s Sustainable Tourism Project Chief Officer Peter Debrin believes that Barcelona, which handles too many travelers, could join cities and countries that rely on a “quality over quantity ” tourism strategy – prioritizing high-spending travelers, rather than budget ones – a strategy that gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic, when safety and employment concerns pushed destinations around the world to take in fewer affordable travelers. Instead of a lot of budget travelers.
Debrin said Barcelona ’ s reliance on a “quality rather than quantity ” tourism strategy helps correct another problem plaguing the city: tourists who behave badly, noting that for Barcelona residents, it ’ s not just about visitor numbers, but also how people behave, with Spaniards complaining for years about tourists drinking too much, throwing garbage and cigarettes on the streets.
Debrin called on tourists to be more aware in their travel decisions, suggesting focusing on beautiful cities with fascinating tourist and cultural attractions, which are in need of more tourists.
Civil Society Demands
Civil society groups are calling on Barcelona officials to implement a number of policies aimed at “declining tourism growth, ” such as increased tourism taxes, restrictions on cruise ships, and restrictions on short-term rental housing, just like the steps being explored in Amsterdam to crack down on buses, boutiques, new hotels and short-term rentals. In 2023, it asks some visitors, especially young British tourists, to“ stay away ” if they are travelling to the city for drugs or partying.
The most popular Spanish cities with tourists
The General Coordinator of the Association of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Mediterranean States (ASCAME) Anwar Zebawi, said in an interview to the site "Economy dot Gulf", that some tourist destinations in Spain already suffer from the problem of overcrowding, and these destinations are Barcelona, Malaga, Madrid and Valencia, as these four cities attract tourists more than their capacity, and the problem is that the largest number of these tourists, come in specific months of the year. Sixty percent of all tourists who visit Barcelona each year do so during the months between July and September, creating severe congestion, while the other 40 percent is spread over the rest of the year.
Amplify for protests
Zibawi stressed that what everyone should realize, is that there is a kind of amplification of the recent protests in Barcelona,   the city has not witnessed "major" demonstrations against tourists, as the problem of the local population is never with tourists, and the people who have been sprayed with water, very few and may not exceed the fingers of one hand, pointing out that what happened was directed against those who rent houses as hotel houses. Real estate, largely, deprived the local population, especially young people, of the possibility of obtaining apartments at an appropriate rental price.
Causes of tourist overcrowding in Barcelona
Zibawi explains that one of the reasons that contribute to excessive tourist congestion in Barcelona,   is to allow tourists to stay in tourist houses and chaos in this area, the city contains about 10 thousand houses that have a license to do these works, while there are about 30 thousand hotels operating without a license and in a way contrary to the law, the offer of houses for rent at competitive prices, in addition to cheap flights available in Europe make the cost of travel to Barcelona tourist destinations. This has exacerbated the phenomenon of excessive tourism.
European cities where protests could spread
According to Zibawi, the European cities that can witness objections from the local population because of their suffering from excessive tourism, are Rome, Venice, some Italian islands, Crete in Greece, and some other Greek islands, while Amsterdam in the Netherlands, suffer from the problem of excessive tourism only, in some weeks of the year, especially at the end of the year. year.
Paris found a solution.
Zibawi pointed out that Paris had a major problem with the subject of overcrowding of tourists, and therefore prevented the work of hotel houses and raised the prices of hotels, where she saw that these steps contribute to making the cost of travel high, which prevents the tourist who does not have enough money to come, and this limits the phenomenon of overcrowding, pointing out that if the principle of quality tourism instead of quantity in Barcelona, this may solve the problem of overcrowding and contribute to the distribution of tourists in other areas. Spain.
Solutions that can be resorted to
For his part, Amer Daboussi, executive partner of Eagle Travel Travel, said in an interview with Eqtisad.al-Khaleej that cities suffering from tourist congestion can face this phenomenon by adopting a policy of "quality rather than quantity", where this policy focuses on imposing high standards of hospitality to attract rich or well-resourced tourists, and get rid of the large numbers of tourists from the middle category. h its reception, which reduces the negative effects on the local community.
Dabbousi believes that cities can also resort to the solutions of imposing tourism taxes on foreign visitors, raising hotel prices, restricting the work of hotel house rental applications by imposing financial fees on these apartments and using the revenues collected to improve infrastructure in tourist areas, in addition to the need for affected countries to market new tourist destinations within them, which contributes to attracting visitors to areas outside the main tourist centers.
Excessive damage from tourism
Cities facing the challenges of overcrowding, such as Bangkok in Thailand, Paris in France and New York in the United States, as well as some Greek and Spanish cities, must take measures to manage tourism sustainably and distribute tourism pressure in a way that preserves the quality of life of local residents and respects local culture. Eat and drink, making life more expensive for local residents.
We hope that we have succeeded in conveying the full details of the spraying with water guns..
Are tourist expulsions spreading in Europe?
In God ’ s care and protection.
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You may also read.

The consequences of overtourism include strain on local infrastructure, housing shortages, and degradation of natural resources.

In Europe, popular destinations such as Barcelona and Venice have implemented measures to manage overtourism, including tourist taxes and limits on visitor numbers.

In Asia, countries such as Thailand and Indonesia have introduced sustainable tourism initiatives, including eco-tourism and community-based tourism.

In the Americas, destinations such as Costa Rica and Peru have implemented measures to protect sensitive ecosystems and cultural heritage sites.

Responsible tourism practices, such as reducing waste and respecting local customs, can help mitigate the impacts of overtourism.