From 1 ° July 2020 Cortina d'Ampezzo, one of the most envied mountain resorts in Italy and abroad, much loved by tourists, will abandon the use of plastic. The official news was released by the municipal administration with a order official. The declared objective of the administration is precisely to minimize theimpact of plastic in absolute and primary respect for the environment, finally giving way to a model truly and wholly sustainable, that it is an example and an impetus for the Italian mountain communities (and not only).
"The use of single-use plastic - explains the commissioner Paola Coletti - it is part of our daily life and it is complex to reverse such a widespread and deep-rooted habit. But it is our duty to contribute to reducing the use of plastic at all levels. Recycling is not enough, it is necessary to reduce its production. And push producers to use materials that are not only biodegradable, but compostable, so that the impact of our daily actions does not leave negative traces on the future. Cortina is therefore one of the mountain resorts that go back "to their origins" even in the shelters where, only a few years ago, it was normal practice to use glasses and glass jugs without resorting to plastic. "
In a few days, therefore, the catering and administration of food and beverages, and all those tourist organizations that in carrying out their business offer refreshments and consumer goods, whether they are entities, individuals, recreational associations, organizers of parties, events and festivals, always and in all conditions (on areas and places open to the public in the municipal area of Cortina d'Ampezzo) they will have to supply exclusively crockery, straws and containers in biodegradable and compostable material.
The material indicated must strictly comply with the standards indicated by the UNI EN 13432 and UNI EN 14995 standards. Only for sixty days from the date of publication of the provision, the use of lying non-biodegradable material in its warehouses to allow effective disposal.
Extreme rigor, then. But never as appreciable as in this case. After all, the Queen of the Dolomites has already joined the Plastic Free Challenge awareness campaign. Promoted by the Ministry of the Environment, it saw the participation of numerous public bodies throughout the country. The national objective is to concretely promote the elimination of plastic within the offices of the Italian territorial administrations.
With the extension of the ban to operators and touristic realities, the administration marks a new step forward on the path towards the complete implementation of the Cortina model. A model declared to safeguard the quality of life of citizens and tourists, the preservation of healthy context for everyone and, last but not least, the socio-economic resilience possible only through a balanced interaction between quality of life and competitiveness. A step forward therefore for the celebrated town of Belluno, but also a step forward for Italy. For a greener tomorrow. More breathable. More conscious.
Featured photo by Jace & Afsoon on Unsplash