ULAN BATOR, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia has launched a national campaign to clean up the environment, the country's Environment and Tourism Ministry said Monday.

The campaign, dubbed "Mongolia without litter," aims to keep the environment clean, promote laws on environmental protection to the public and create awareness about garbage segregation, the ministry said in a statement.

The one-year environmental campaign, which kicked off last Thursday, requires relevant authorities across the country to host various activities, including increasing the number of rubbish bins.

The Environment and Tourism Ministry will hold a competition on a clean environment among relevant organizations across the country every month during the campaign and award the winner 1 million Mongolian tugriks (375 U.S. dollars).

It is estimated that more than 2 million tons of waste, including 500,000 tons of plastic waste, are generated in the country each year.

Out of the total waste, only 5 to 6 percent are recycled, according to the ministry.