Conservationists support ban on single-use plastics

CEBU, Philippines —  At least four environmental groups have supported the proposed measures banning and regulating single-use plastics in Cebu City.

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, however, is pushing for more consultations and thorough discussions on the matter.

OCEANA Philippines, Kaabag sa Sugbo, 5 pcs daily habit, and Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. commended the proposed ordinances authored by Councilors Eduardo Rama, Jr. , Raymond Alvin Garcia and Eugenio Gabuya, Jr.

But CCCI President Virgilio Espeleta said there is a need to discuss the proposal with the stakeholders. He said a more thorough discussion is necessary to come up with a more acceptable result to the affected businesses and the environment.

“Before going into total phasing out of single-use plastics, it is important to find the best alternative products to offer to consumers. Although paper bags are deemed to be the famous replacement of plastics, it may not be the most-cost beneficial option,” read a portion of the position paper signed by Espeleta.

CCCI believes that phasing out of single-use plastics will affect several business industries. Before submitting the position paper, CCCI’s External Affairs and Relations Division conducted its own research.

In their research, the CCCI found out that there are seven cities and towns in the country that imposed plastic ban with exceptions and conditions while 11 countries in the world implemented plastic ban with exceptions.

“The plastic industry directly and indirectly employs 650,000 people with an investment running up to billions of pesos. In the Philippines, about 300 local manufacturers and processors of carrier bags employ 175,000 workers, thus, a total ban will affect a large part of the plastic industry’s workforce,” CCCI research states.

The two proposed ordinances of Gabuya and that of Garcia and Rama differs in the implementation of plastic ban.

Gabuya proposes to regulate the use of single-use plastics immediately after its publication. Rama and Garcia’s version proposes to completely ban single-use plastics three years after the approval of the ordinance.

Lawyer Gloria Ramos of OCEANA said the group recommends that the proposed ordinances will be harmonized with the existing ordinance of the city on solid waste management.

“Plastic pollution is a modern-day scourge. It has alarming global health and environmental impacts and has caused the death of innumerable marine creatures such as turtles, whales, and dolphins,” she said, adding that there will be more plastics than the fish in our oceans by 2050.

CCEF believes that the increasing production and use of plastics have detrimental effects to both the marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Catherine Ruiz of Kaabag sa Sugbo, for her part, said the group supports the regulation and or phasing out of single-use plastics in the city.

Ruiz said the two ordinances should be consolidated, saying that regulation is an important component in the phasing out and eventual ban on single-use plastics in the city.

Tony Galon of 5 Pieces Daily Habit said the earth is not dying but it is being killed by the people, saying the country is the third plastic ocean polluter in the world next to China and Indonesia. Galon said the plastics will decompose after 1,000 years or beyond. — FPL (FREEMAN)