BANGKOK, 21 November 2018: Plastic bags and single-use water bottles were on the ban list earlier this year, now wet wipes joins the list.
Beginning January 2019, EXO Travel has announced it is banning the distribution of wet wipes or wet tissue during tours.
Wet wipes have been identified as a threat to the environment. They can pass through water treatment filters and congeal into a mass that is harmful to the marine environment,
The travel company said it understood wet cool wipes offer guests a refreshing touch after sightseeing, “but we believe that the long-term negative impact on our destinations and our planet outweighs the short-term benefits.”
Wet wipes are not only wrapped in plastic packaging, they also contain plastic fibres, which degrade into microplastics and pollute the environment.
Flushable wipes are marketed in various ways, such as “septic-safe,” “breaks down like toilet paper,” and “safe for sewer and septic.” The problem is the claims are overstated and there is considerable evidence that they take much longer to break down when compared to traditional toilet paper, and as a result cause major blockages in a city’s sewer system.
EXO Travel has reached out to its partners and suppliers to support this step in changing its practices towards more sustainable travel.
Together with its partners, the company is looking to work towards maintaining the region’s natural attributes and to drive more sustainable business to the region so that future generations can enjoy them.
This initiative is the DMC’s latest step in reducing single-use plastic waste.
