Ban single-use plastics in City Hall, says TRO

Starting Aug. 1, the Cebu City Government will no longer allow single-use plastics in City Hall.

In a memorandum he signed yesterday, Mayor Tomas Osmeña banned single-use plastics every day in City Hall, an order that also covers food vendors.

“The Cebu City Government, mindful of its role to protect the environment and promote sustainable development, hereby declares as a policy that it will gradually minimize the use of plastics in all city government offices and endeavors to be plastic-free in the coming years,” reads a portion of the memorandum.

Single-use plastics, particularly plastic bags, straws, cups, plates, spoons and forks, polystyrene (or Styrofoam) containers, and similar items are no longer allowed in City Hall.

Food vendors were advised to place take-out food in containers made of paper, plant-based wrappers, or reusable plastic containers to be provided by the buyers themselves.

In his news conference yesterday, Osmeña said the ban on plastics in City Hall is a good move to lessen non-biodegradable waste.

The mayor said he has been wanting to implement it through the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office. In the rest of the city, plastic bags and similar products are banned on two days each week.

Last June 5, World Environment Day, the United Nations warned that overdependence on single-use plastic products has severe effects on the environment. It estimated that up to five trillion disposable plastic bags are used worldwide every year.