IT’S refreshing to know that some of the councilors in Bacolod City have revisited the plastic ordinance since most business establishments have disregarded it.
Councilors Em Ang and Cindy Rojas are pushing for the amendment of the plastic bag regulation, which includes the imposition of the environmental fee on all plastics that are dispensed in the markets or business establishments.
The amended measure will also form a monitoring team to penalize the violators.
The ordinance aims to minimize the use of plastic and promote the use of reusable bags.
The ordinance stressed that no business establishment, fast food outlets, market vendors, food kiosks, sari-sari stores, and ambulant vendors, shall utilize, sell or provide plastic bags and/or sando bags as packaging material to customers.
We have to remember that the use of plastic is hazardous to the environment – it causes flooding problems and pollution. Plastic wastes will also lead to the oceans which can harm marine ecology and animal life.
As citizens, we can start reducing plastic waste in our everyday life.
We should avoid using plastic straws in coffee shops and restaurants.
Let’s bring a reusable bag when we do our grocery shopping. A plastic bag can take 1,000 years to deteriorate.
Let’s chose products that come in cardboard, rather than plastics, as it is easier to recycle.
Together, let’s do our part in saving the environment. Make it a clean and sustainable one.