Stronger regulation of plastic bags urged

Citing concerns over the proliferation of plastic trash all over the world, Sen. Loren Legarda has called for stronger regulation on the use of plastic bags in the country.

Based on a 2016 report called the New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the Future of Plastics by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Legarda noted that the world produced 20 times more plastic in 2014 (311 million tons) than it did in 1964 (15 million tons).

At this rate, Legarda noted that oceans are expected to contain more plastic than fish (by weight) by the year 2050.

“Plastic bags are ubiquitous components of the world’s consumer culture. These non- biodegradable plastic bags symbolize the throwaway culture that we have developed. We cannot go business as usual as it pollutes our oceans and water, and even the air when burned,” Legarda said.

The plastic industry has stressed that pastic bags are recycled for industrial use. In areas where plastic bags have been banned, stores use double-layer paper bags, posing a threat to trees.

According to Legarda, the Philippines, together with China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, is considered among the top contributors of plastic trash dumped into the sea.

The five countries alone are spewing out as much as 60 percent of the plastic waste that enters the world’s seas.

Legarda has filed Senate Bill 430 or the proposed Plastic Bags Regulation Act, which aims to strictly regulate the production, importation, sale and use of plastic bags.

“This proposed measure discourages the use of plastic bags and encourages the use of native reusable bags made of organic or recycled materials, and reusable containers made of glass or nontoxic and non- hazardous materials,” she said.

Under the bill, a pointofsale store will be prohibited from providing the consumer with plastic bags for the purpose of carrying or transporting items or products purchased.

Legarda said that this will put the use of single-use plastic bags to a minimum.

Only plastic bags that are used to contain fresh fish, meat and poultry products, and primary plastic packaging used to pre-pack food items and in the manufacturing of finished products for sale in the general market are excluded from the prohibitions under the bill.