Philippines ponders plastic bag ban

A senator in the Philippines is trying to implement a country-wide ban on plastic bags.

Senator Loren Legarda has proposed a total ban on the use of plastic bags throughout the country in a move she says will curb wasteful habits and help prevent environmental problems.

In early April, Legarda filed Senate Bill 2759, or the Total Plastic Ban Act of 2011, which prohibits groceries, supermarkets, public markets, restaurants, fast food chains, department stores, retail stores and other similar establishments from using non-biodegradable plastic bags.

Proposed penalties for violators include a fine of 10,000 Philippine Pesos (Cdn$220.00) for the first offense, 50,000 Philippine Pesos (Cdn$110.00) for the second offense, and 200,000 Philippine Pesos (Cdn$4,400.00) and one-year suspension of business permit for the third offense.

“Plastic bags end up as litter as it makes its way to landfills, drainages and bodies of water, taking decades to decompose and damaging marine life when dumped into the sea. This issue of pollution is further aggravated by natural hazards, which have become unpredictable due to climate change,” Legarda said in a statement.

Muntinlupa, in metropolitan Manila, has already prohibited the use of plastic bags and Styrofoam in commercial establishments within the city.