Traders support QC move to regulate plastic use

MANILA, Philippines – The plastic industry aired its support for Quezon City’s move to regulate – not ban – the use of plastic, which started Saturday.

“The Quezon City move is not a ban. It still allows the public to choose plastic or something else like paper. So if, for instance, you are buying a kilo of rice, you will not be forced to use paper because you can opt for a plastic bag, which is more convenient in this case,” said Crispian Lao, spokesperson for the industry.

The city government is also pushing for recycling, which is key to waste management, said Lao, adding this is the more scientific and enlightened approach as done elsewhere in the world because plastic is completely recyclable.

“The plastic ban is ill-advised and offers no benefit to the people. It is just politically appealing. It is also bad actually for the environment because it results in more paper use, which requires the cutting of trees, and the use of more water and power for production,” he said.

Lao said people have been made to believe that plastic is to blame for floods.

“Many areas in Muntinlupa and other areas are still flooded up to now despite their plastic ban. The real reason is our refusal to responsibly dispose of our trash, aside from our old sewers, lost manholes and a broken garbage collection and disposal system,” he said.

If these are the real reasons, he said the solution is not a plastic ban but the enforcement of waste segregation.

“Even if we ban plastic throughout the Philippines, we will still have floods and we will still have a lot of trash because we refuse to see the obvious solution which unfortunately means each of us must work and do our share. The ban is our escape but it will not work,” he said.

In part, the Quezon City regulation calls for thicker plastic bags. It also encourages people to exchange their old plastic bags for a new one. If none is offered for replacement, a P2 charge will be imposed.

Discounts will also be encouraged to be given to buyers who bring their own bags, whether plastic or not, Lao said.