Lucena execs weighing effects of ban on plastics

LUCENA CITY—Two years after the passage of a city ordinance that bans the sale and use of plastic bags, styrofoam and other nonbiodegradable containers here, a councilor is now pushing for its enforcement starting next month.

Councilor William Noche said he had been thinking about pushing for an ordinance banning the use of nonbiodegradable containers in the city until he discovered that an ordinance for the purpose had been passed by the city council on Oct. 29, 2009.

Little had been known about the ordinance’s existence mainly because it hasn’t been enforced.

Ordinance No. 2367, authored by Councilor Benito Brizuela, regulates the use and sale of all plastic bags, bottles, wrappers, containers and styrofoam in department stores, malls, groceries, bakeries, restaurants, eateries and other establishments in the city.

“I requested the city’s executive officials to include the implementation of the measure as one of the priorities this year,” said Noche, chairman of the city council committee on environment.

The enforcement of the ordinance, however, faces an uphill battle as the city has two giant malls and numerous branches of popular fast-food chains that use plastic bags and styrofoam.

Should the ordinance be enforced, it is also expected to meet stiff opposition from the public and market vendors.

“Prohibiting the sale of plastic is easy but the preference for it by market goers is another matter,” said one government worker who regularly passes by the market on her way home.

“Most market goers don’t bring their own containers and just rely on plastic bags,” the worker said, asking that she not be identified.

“What we’re aiming for is not a total ban. We will gradually limit the sale and use of plastics and the likes while the city government is conducting a massive information drive to get the support of the public,” Noche said.

He said that if the public would respond negatively to strict enforcement, he would propose an amendment of the law.

Noche said the local government will start the selective enforcement of the ordinance in city hall.

“I think the Lucena City government is feeling added pressure from other LGUs,” said Juliet Borlon-Aparicio, program officer of environmentalist group Tanggol Kalikasan.