Ordinance banning plastic, styrofoam in public events passed

CDN FILE PHOTO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Plastic and styrofoam will soon be banned from public events in Cebu City.

The Cebu City Council has passed the proposed ordinance of Councilors Alvin Dizon prohibiting foam food containers and single-use plastics in all public events in the City of Cebu.

In the passed ordinance, single-use plastics and styrofoam are banned in all public events such as festivals; school events like intramurals and foundation days; religious processions and activities; sports and wellness events; entertainment like concerts; cause-related like medical missions; river clean-ups; trade and food fairs like weekend and night markets, exhibitions, expositions; rallies and public demonstrations, and other fund-raising and leisure events.

However, the ordinance does not apply to food trucks and street vendors, unless they are on the grounds of a public event as participants.

Event organizers are mandated to conduct a briefing on the participants before the events to ensure they do not use single-use plastics and styrofoam during the events.

Failure to abide by the ordinance will constitute penalties ranging from P1,000 for the first offense, P3,000 to the second offense, and P5,000 for a third offense.

Third offenders and beyond will be declared ineligible in organizing or participating in public events for one year.

“The passage of the ordinance is our humble contribution to the global campaign against plastic waste. The proliferation of single-use plastic is accelerating climate change and should be urgently addressed. Plastic waste is one of the major culprits of clogged drainage systems and polluted rivers, which led to flooding in the downstream areas of the city,” said Dizon.

Aside from plastic and styrofoam ban in public events, the council also passed an ordinance banning the use of plastic shopping bags on Fridays.

Read: Three days a week plastic ban pushed in Cebu City

Cebu City already bans plastic shopping bags on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

This time, an amending ordinance proposed by Councilor Nestor Archival has been passed to include Fridays, increasing the no plastic days to three times a week.

Similar to the original ordinance, a fine of P2,000 will be imposed on establishments using plastic bags for the first offense. Succeeding offenses may raise the fine to P50,000 or even cancellation of the business permits.

Archival said expanding the number of plastic ban days is also one way of training the Cebu City residents to refuse the use of plastic bags and start the more sustainable use of cloth bags, eco-bags, and the local bayong. /rcg