MCIA will soon be PH’s first plastic-free airport
CEBU CITY—The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) will soon achieve its goal of becoming the country’s first plastic-free airport.
MCIA has shown tremendous progress in its Going Green Campaign after GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corp (GMCAC) banned the use of non-biodegradable single-use plastics and polystyrene containers in restaurants and shops inside the hub, according to a press statement from GMCAC.
The operator of Philippines’ resort airport implemented the ban on single use plastics this year by prohibiting its concessionaires from using the non-biodegradable single-use plastics and polystyrene containers in restaurants and retail stores located in Terminals 1 and 2.
Under the policy, GMCAC encourages the use of eco-friendly and reusable substitutes.
To date, 80 percent of the concessionaires are already using biodegradable alternatives such as plant starch utensils, paper cups and straws, wood stirrers, paper bags, and carton boxes for takeaway food.
“We took this step forward starting with our commercial partners as our commitment to environmental sustainability,” said GMCAC chief executive advisor Andrew Acquaah-Harrison.
Harrison recalled that in 2018, MCIA produced a monthly average of 3,500 kilogram of plastic waste from its restaurants and shops.
“This is now down by close to 30 percent or a decrease of around 12,000-kgs per year,” he added.
GMCAC also holds regular information and education campaigns for all airport concessionaires and stakeholders to raise awareness on the impacts of plastic use on the environment.
Aside from the ban on single-use plastic, GMCAC also has other initiatives as part of its commitment to environmental sustainability.
Since August 2017, GMCAC has been using 6,300 solar panels on the roof of Terminal 1 to supply electricity for the airport.
This made MCIA the first solar-powered airport in the Philippines.
On a monthly average, the solar panel system produces 196,800 Kwh and provides for 30 percent of the electricity requirements of the domestic terminal. /bmjo
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
