Gov’t acts on plastic pollution problem

Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Sat, 16 Nov 2019 16:45:52 +0000

THE Philippine government is moving to take official action on the worldwide problem of plastic pollution.

At the cabinet meeting last week, President Duterte cited the problem of plastic garbage being dumped in the world’s oceans, there to accumulate and remain unchanged for the next 450 years, posing a danger to whales and other sea life. The Philippines, according to one study, is the world’s third worst plastic polluter, after China and Indonesia, although the plastic wastes are largely from the packaging of Western medicine, soft drinks, and beauty products.

The President said he is considering a nationwide plastic ban in response to the growing international environmental movement, but he said he believes it should be enacted by Congress. He thus plans to certify as urgent a bill banning single-use plastics such as soft-drinks straws, stirrers, cups, cutlery, sachets for pills and other medicine, and wrappers for food items.

There are already two bills banning single-use plastics in the Senate filed by Senators Francis Pangilinan and Cynthia Villar. In the House, Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. has filed a bill banning single-use plastics in all tourist sites and destinations.

According to the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, Filipinos use nearly 57 million shopping bags daily, or about 20.6 billion a year, and 16.5 billion smaller and thinner plastic containers and 60 billion sachets annually. These are thrown away right after use, adding to the growing mountains
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