Regulate plastic bags – retailers

Retailers will support regulation but they will oppose a total ban on the use and sale of nonbiodegradable packaging materials such as plastic bags.

Melanie Chua Ng, Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) Cebu Chapter president, said this was the organization’s stand on the proposed Cebu City ordinance sponsored by Councilors Edgardo Labella and Nida Cabrera.

Ng said the PRA Cebu will cooperate in the regulation of plastic bags once an ordinance is passed.

“We don’t think it’s time for a total ban. We still need to educate the people—both business groups and consumer groups—who are used to plastic bags. We will help in that aspect of educating the public,” said Ng early this week.

Ng said the PRA-Cebu Chapter already sent a letter expressing the organization’s position on the two proposed ordinances during last May 9’s public hearing.

Retailers suggested how to go about reducing the use of nonbiodegradable packaging materials among three groups—direct sellers, business establishments and food dispensing establishments, which include hotels, restaurants and catering services.

They said that within two years from the effectivity of the ordinance, direct sellers of plastic and Styrofoam materials should reduce the volume of sale of their packaging materials by 50 percent and then provide alternatives for recyclable and reusable bags.

They also suggested that business establishments be required to reduce the sale and use of plastic packaging materials and shift to eco-friendly materials.
For food-dispensing establishments, within a year they should be required to cut back on the use of plastic and Styrofoam by at least 50 percent.
The group said this was enough time to make the shift and conduct an information drive for customers.

Ng said that the PRA Cebu’s campaign “Every Bag Counts” aimed to educate consumers and retailers about the benefit of using reusable shopping bags instead of plastic.

Every Bag Counts was launched in October of 2010 with “green bags” made from recycled plastic bottles, which PRA members displayed in their establishments and sold for P295 each.

As of June 6, Ng said the organization sold at least 1,000 “green bags” and were set to roll out the second phase of their project.

“The second phase will be very important because we will be more bullish with information drives,” she said.

“We will launch new bag options with different designs and colors as requested by many of those who have already bought a green bag,” Ng said.