Authorities in the central province of Quang Nam have asked all Vietnam travel companies and  foreign travel companies and visitors to its famous Cu Lao Cham Island to refrain from using plastic bags, Tuoi Tre newspaper reported Monday.

The decision also bans tourism boats’ owners from dumping waste into the waters around the island, which falls under the Hoi An Town administration, the newspaper said.

Once recognized as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, the island first launched its campaign to reject plastic bags more than two years ago by asking locals to replace them with degradable bags, and collecting wasted bags from local beaches.

So far, the island, which covers an area of over 15 square kilometers and is comprised of seven islets, has been hailed for its iniatives to become environmentally friendly.