Bontoc town bans use of plastic bags

By Andrew Doga-ong

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- Starting June, business establishments in this capital-town are prohibited from selling and using plastic bags as packaging materials on goods in efforts to reduce biodegradable waste in the municipality.

The ban on the sale and use of plastic bags is pursuant to Municipal Ordinance No. 212 S. 2013 otherwise known as “An Ordinance Prohibiting the Use of Plastic Bags on Dry Goods and Regulating It s Utilization on Wet Goods and Prohibiting the Use of Styrofoam in the Municipality of Bontoc, Mountain Povince and Prescribing Penalties thereof.”

Mayor Franklin Odsey, in his notice furnished all business establishments and also posted in conspicuous places in the central business district, said the municipal government has already complied with requirements of the law, hence, the implementation of said ordinance.

Highlights of the ordinance include: prohibiting business establishments and individuals in using plastic bags as packaging materials on dry goods; prohibits business establishments and individuals from selling or providing plastic bags to customers for their packaging materials for dry goods; for business establishments dealing on wet goods to use plastic bags only as primary packaging materials, and banning the  use of styrofoam and other similar materials as containers for food, produce and other products.

The ordinance urged Bontoc residents to “bring your own bag” such as sako bags, baskets or bayong or alternative packaging materials to put whatever they will buy in the markets.

The ordinance provides discarded plastic bags and other similar plastic waste will not be collected by the municipal garbage collector as these waste materials must be cleaned and dried to be submitted to their respective barangays for proper disposal.

Establishments who are found violating any of the prohibited acts will be fined P200.00 for the first offense; P500.00 for the second offense and P1,000.00 for the third and succeeding offenses or imprisonment at the discretion of the court. Fines are payable to Municipal Treasurer’s Office.

Monitoring the implementation of the ordinance is lodged with  the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, the Rural Health Unit through the Municipal Sanitary Inspector, the Municipal Treasury Office and the Municipal Police.

Strict implementation of the Ordinance is seen to at least lessen or solve the problem of non-biodegradable garbage that is now facing the town following the closure of its controversial open dumpsite on August 22, last year