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Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Manila city council eyes plastic utensils ban

To honest, this is one of the best ordinances that I appreciate; just imagine how much savings would businesses have from this ordinance, and how much reduction in wastage, and garbage problems they would contribute to the City. I hope the Manila council would have this ordinance approved.

That is why, I also hope, the other cities around the country would follow suit.

Here the excerpts from the news (PDI):

Plastic foam packages and plastic utensils may soon be banned in Manila restaurants should an ordinance prohibiting their use among dine-in customers be passed by the city council. Councilor Rafael "Che" Borromeo of the 5th district said he proposed the ordinance to compel the city's fast-food chains to phase out non-biodegradable materials.

"I already wrote to them six years ago when I was still head of the city government's Department of Public Services (DPS) to use washable utensils instead of disposable ones. Some listened but some did not. With this ordinance, they would be required to follow it," he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net).

Borromeo said the ordinance, which is still on first reading, should cut the city’s non-biodegradable waste, which currently accounts for between 45 and 50 percent of total garbage. The capital city, he added, produced around 1,250 tons of garbage daily during his term at the DPS from 2000-2007.

Restaurants that fail to comply will be charged P500 per day from the day of the violation until the fines are settled. A third-time violation may result in the cancellation of the business license and operating permit of an establishment.

Borromeo said restaurants will spend less in the long run if they decide to go environment-friendly in their daily operations.