Solano, Nueva Vizcaya—The local government is strictly enforcing the regulatory use of plastics as containers for dry and wet goods bought from business establishments.
Mayor Eufemia Dacayo said the plastic ban is embodied in the Municipal Ordinance No. 2012-09-7.
“It is also known as Pagba-BAG ko…. PagbaBAGO sa Solano Ordinance which seeks to lessen plastic pollution and boost environmental Protection for public health and safety,” she added.
The ordinance covers all types of plastics that end up as residual waste but will not include those that are currently and economically directed within the municipality through resource recovery, container or packaging material, and residual waste but are not explicitly prohibited, regulated or mentioned.
“This ordinance shall be applicable to and observed in all households, commercial, agricultural, industrial establishments, scrap, and junk dealers, and all persons residing or doing business in our municipality,” Dacayo said.
The ordinance will also tap the support and participation of various stakeholders from information education and communication campaign, enforcement and monitoring and evaluation of compliance and giving of incentives and awards to compliant groups and key players in the business sector.
Violators of the ordinance will face fines and penalties such as P500 or one day of community service for individual violator and P1,000 for the business establishment for the first offense.
It goes up to P750 or three days community service and P2,000 respectively for the second offense, P1,000 or five days community service and P2,500 fine and imprisonment of not more than six months upon the discretion of the court and cancellation of business license to operate for one year.
Subsequent violations carry a fine and penalty of P2,500 and imprisonment of one month but not more than six months upon the discretion of the court for the individual violator.