The Las Piñas City government, after passing an ordinance banning the use of plastics and styrofoams, has decreased its garbage volume by 37 percent.
This after Las Piñas Mayor Vergel Aguilar recently noted significant drop in volume of solid wastes collected from households and commercial areas in the last three months.
Aguilar renewed his call for a continued practice of proper garbage disposal and minimal use of plastics and styrofoams as food packaging and carry-out bags.
Aguilar said there is about 37 percent decrease in garbage volume collected by the city’s Environmental Sanitation Office from households in 20 barangays, public markets and talipapa as well as in all commercial center areas in Las Piñas.
The city’s 60 compactor trucks make an average of 105 trips per day to collect solid wastes from households, 50 talipapa and wet markets and 15 public markets. To date, the Environmental Sanitation Office said only about four percent in plastic and styrofoam materials are found from the trash collected.
“If we continue the practice, we will soon meet our goal of just 70 percent solid waste reduction in the next five years,” Aguilar said.
Aguilar underscored the importance of sound lifestyle practices as “nothing can beat orderly and clean environment to save life and Mother Earth.”
The call was made following the second quarter evaluation with the implementation of “The Plastic Bag Regulation Ordinance” which prohibits the use of plastics, polyestyrene foam (styrofoam) and all other similar materials in the households, talipapa,  wet markets and commercial establishments.
Some 100,000 cloth bags were distributed to households as alternative to plastic bags in doing their marketing chores.
Commercial establishments and malls, though, have 100 percent compliance with the ban on plastic and styrofoam materials in their packaging for carry-away purchases.
Under the ordinance, commercial establishments are prohibited from using and selling the materials, and violators could be meted with penalty ranging from P1,000 up to P5,000 for various offenses, imprisonment of not more than six months and face cancellation of their licenses to operate.
Meanwhile, Aguilar reiterated his order for continuous monitoring by no-plastic police and the conduct of values formation campaign on the benefits of waste reduction and recycling.