TO MINIMIZE the increase of plastic waste in Cebu City, Councilor Nestor Archival has proposed to include all Fridays in the “No Plastic Day.”

The lawmaker from the city’s north district has sponsored legislation which seeks to amend Section 15 of City Ordinance (CO) 2343, which regulates the use of plastic shopping bags every Saturday and Wednesday.

By declaring every Friday as “No Plastic Day,” Archival said the city’s contribution to ocean pollution could be minimized; with less plastic waste, the city’s drainage would be unclogged, preventing potentially fatal floods.

Seventy percent of the drainage is reportedly clogged with plastic wastes.

Major cities in Metro Manila like Makati, Muntinlupa and Pasig have implemented ordinances that totally ban the use of plastic in several establishments.

CO 2343 originally mandates the no usage of plastic every Saturday. It was later amended to include all Wednesdays of the month.

Archival said the City should slowly expand the days covered by the ordinance before implementing a total plastic ban.

He also urged the public to stop using plastic.

“Refusing (to use plastic) should come first, before reuse and recycle,” he said. (JJL)