Reviewing plastic ordinance

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The Dumaguete City government and the business sector agreed to define certain provisions in the law regarding “biodegradable” plastic and its composition.

Both parties will review the recently enacted Ordinance 231 regulating the use of plastic shopping bags for both dry goods and wet goods after inconsistencies in its implementations were observed.

The provision that need to be reviewed is Section 12 (b) of Ordinance 231, that states, “should future technology exist whereby certain plastic packaging materials or shopping bags can actually biodegrade as certified by the proper government agency, as well as verified as such by a reputable international verification authority…”

Regulating the use of plastic will at least decongest our canals, creeks, rivers and other waterways causing harm to the environment and the surrounding communities.

We tried segregating compostable, recyclable and reusable waste materials for some time, and still plastic and other similar wastes remain in the water stream.

We must help encourage utilization of alternative packaging materials to prevent potential serious ecological imbalance in the future.

We hope that, reviewing this ordinance will make the implementation and guidelines clear to all stakeholders.*