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Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Ordinance For A Cleaner Davao City


Usage of non-biodegradable containers particularly plastic bags and polystyrene foam (commonly called as Styrofoam) will be totally banned in the city starting June 28, 2012.  This is in accordance to Section 7, Article V of the Ordinance 0361 series of 2010 of the Davao City Ecological Waste Management of 2009.  According to the ordinance, only recyclable, biodegradable and reusable materials are allowed to be used as food and beverage container especially in market places and fast food chains.

It was also mentioned under Section 10, Rule VI of the ordinance’s implementing rules and regulations encouraging food and packaging industries to develop a more environment friendly container to replace the non-biodegradable ones.  I hope they immediately come up with the substitute material as not to affect the employment of it's labor force.

Meanwhile, public information drives are being held by concerned government offices prior to the ordinance implementation.  With this, no can avoid from being prosecuted by claiming not being aware of the ordinance.  Nonetheless, ignorance of the law is not an excuse.
  
If successfully implemented, this is another breakthrough for Davao City.  Added to it's people and environment friendly list of ordinances (i.e. no firecrackers, no smoking on public places).  I already observed that some supermarkets are already using paper and biodegradable plastic bags for groceries, which is a very good indication.

It maybe hard for others to let go of the ever convenient plastic bags and Styrofoam containers.  But think of it as a challenge, to create and look for much better and eco-friendly alternatives for such materials.  In the long run, it'll benefit us all:
  • help us have cleaner sewage and canals thus minimizing flooded streets, as a result, good traffic flow;
  • less polluted rivers and seas, which means greater life sustainable area for our marine food;
  • lesser clogged drainage, lesser stagnant water, lesser breeding ground for disease causing insects;
  • lesser garbage (minus biodegradable, reusable and recyclable materials), cleaner Davao City, and everything follows.
Let us all support the ordinance and be role models for other cities to follow. Just a little something to show that we care for the environment.  Proud to be Dabawenyo... Yahweh bless.

18 comments:

  1. Nice move Davao! :) Thumbs up! :)

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  2. I hope someone in your area reads this so that your streets can get cleaned up. A novel concept that the implemented in Florida when I lived there was a power plant just south of us burned trash to generate power...maybe something like that would be viable in your area?? Just a thought.

    Cheers, Jenn.

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    1. Wow that is very good! I've been in Davao way back 2003 and I can never forget how clean Davao is.

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  3. nice! I hope Iligan will also implement such laws

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  4. First stop is always the hardest! For sure when Davao finished the 1st phase, then the rest will be A! OK!

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  5. Every city should implement this or by subdivision especially here in Metro Manila. I just wish everyone would cooperate and aim for a clean city.

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  6. in calamba city laguna as well! last time i went back in philippines plastics are not allowed anymore so i decided to bring my mom a trolley that famously used here in singapore for groceries so u don't need to carry stuffs using paper bags! xx

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  7. hopefully causes like this would be really implemented.
    waste segregation is a really difficult task, it really has to start from every household.

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  8. maayu na.. kay na hugaw najud ang davao ba... labi na sa mga skwelahan..

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  9. This is a brilliant and brave ordinance by Davao City. Kudos to the local government especially to Mayor Duterte who has been very firm and valiant in her decisions.

    Hope other places around the country would follow suit.

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  10. sna mas mbigyan pansin mga gnitong activities.

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  11. This is a really good move for our city. But I think that the use of plastic cellophane won't be totally eradicated since there are already "biodegradable" plastic bags such as those used in SM. I actually have a lot of questions about this ordinance because if Styrofoam materials would be banned, would it be limited only to the styro packaging materials, or all styrofoam products? We Davaoenos should really read the ordinance. I hope that more information drives will be implemented before the effectivity of the ordinance.

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  12. This ordinance should be implemented in the whole country. This way, we can help Mother Nature.

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  13. that's good news. i am hearing implementations form the diff cities as well but i never heard one from our very own...tsk3

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  14. TAPAT mo LINIS mo!
    Put your waste in the trash can.
    Discipline must start with our own homes.
    This ordinance should be implemented and
    the maker must not be the breaker.

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  15. I hope the rest of the country will do what Davao has been doing already. ^_^

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  16. It isn't the easiest thing to do. But I'm sure that it's this kind of thinking that has made Davao a lot greener than Manila or Davao.

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  17. This a good proposal for Davao and will definitely help the environment. Been to Davao and it is already clean as it is but they still find ways to make the place cleaner and environment friendly.

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