CEBU, Philippines - As national business groups recently expressed opposition on the plastic ban which will be implemented by local government units in the next two months, local industry players who shared similar outlook on the issue cited the disadvantages and further recommendations before such will be implemented in Cebu.
Prudencio Gesta, president of Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), said that the plastic industry has provided convenience to consumers.
He noted that in reality, the implementation on banning the use of plastic would be difficult for lawmakers since a large number of people have been dependent on such industry.
He added that using paper bags as an alternative would result to an escalating number of trees to cut which may bring further harm along the process.
Gesta recommended to scale down the use of plastic and to provide the maximum corresponding penalty to those who indiscriminately throw plastic anywhere.
“We give plastic companies sufficient time to scale down their operations and at the same time, the government and the public must work together to properly use plastic at all times. It needs total discipline from everyone to minimize at least the negative aspects of using plastic products,” he told The Freeman.
For his part, Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Philip Tan said that the sense of discipline would be the key answer to address environmental problems.
“Why blame plastic if the cause of flooding is of our making? Discipline among us is the solution; unfortunately we find other expensive ways to cover up our own failures,” he added.
In earlier reports, 14 business groups in the country have voiced out opposition to the local ordinance of using paper as an alternative to plastics.
These groups are the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Philippine Industry, Philippine Exporters Confederation, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Employers Confederation of the Philippines, Pollution Control Association of the Philippines, Samahan ng Pilipinas sa Industriang Kemiko, Association of Petrochemical Manufacturers of the Philippines, Packaging Institute of the Philippines, Polystyrene Packaging Council of the Philippines, Philippine Plastics Industry Association, Metro Plastics Recycling Industries, Philippine Association of Supermarkets and Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association.
These organizations considered the use of paper bags as not environment-friendly due to increase on trash volume, higher utilization of power and water and more trees to cut.
Plastic ban has already been implemented in Quezon City, Muntinlupa, Marikina, Pasay City, Las Piñas, Pasig and Manila.
Rather than banning the use of plastic bags and promote paper bags, they recommended the strict implementation of the Waste Segregation Law as a better option. (FREEMAN)