Legarda bill seeks to ban use of microbeads
Sen. Loren Legarda is drafting a bill that seeks to ban the use of microbeads in the country that are not only harmful to health but also contribute to degradation of the environment.
In her speech before the 4th Asia-Pacific Coral Reef Symposium in Cebu earlier this month, Legarda said reports on the worsening marine litter prompted her to work on important measures to promote a circular economy, in which resources are used for as long as possible and the use of non-renewable resources is minimized, as well as to ban the use of microplastics.
She said the US has already passed a Microbead-Free Waters Act; Canada has banned products with plastic microbeads in their market, and the United Kingdom has officially banned the use of plastic microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products.
“It is now time for the Philippines to implement the same law. Banning microplastics and single-use plastics will help reduce wastage and may lead us to veer away from a throwaway culture, because the waste that we produce, unless minimized and managed properly, will find its way into our oceans and will affect both marine and human life,” she said.
“But laws alone are not enough; it is most important that these laws are implemented efficiently and effectively,” said Legarda, who chairs the Senate committee on climate change.
Microplastics are small plastic pieces that can easily pass through water filtration systems and end up in the ocean, posing threat to aquatic life and human health.
The most used type of microplastics are microbeads that are usually found in cosmetic and hygiene products, such as cleansers, toothpaste and shampoo.
Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is urging the public to stop using or limit single-use plastics that end up polluting waterways and oceans.
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu made the appeal to reduce plastic consumption as part of the commemoration of Environment Month.
“It is high time we refrain from using disposable plastic products that are used for minutes, but persist in the environment forever,” Cimatu said.
To reduce plastic waste, especially plastic bags and pet bottles, Cimatu urged the use of reusable alternatives such as eco-friendly tumblers and eco-bags.
DENR Undersecretary for policy, planning and international affairs Jonas Leones warned of the effects of plastic in devastating marine biodiversity.
The Philippines placed third in the list of countries with the most ocean plastic pollution, according to a 2015 study conducted by the University of Georgia and reported by Ocean Conservancy and McKinsey Center for Business and Environment.