Boracay officials plan to prohibit plastic products in Malay town

The local council is eyeing to prohibit “single-use plastics” not only in this resort island but in the entire Malay town.

Single-use plastics, also known as disposable plastics, are products used only once. Examples of these are toothbrush, toothpaste tubes, shaving razor, shower cap, room slippers, sewing kit, sachets of shampoo or conditioner, liquid body soap, comb, plastic bottled water, plastic straws, coffee stirrers, cotton swabs, sachets of coffee, sugar and creamer, plastic spoons, fork and knives.

“A big percentage of Boracay’s trash is composed of ‘single-used plastics’ utilized by certain business establishments,” Malay Councilor Maylynn A. Graf said.

According to Graf, while these products offer convenience to travelers and tourists, these also a “huge” impact on the environment of Boracay and Malay. This can be seen in the growing stream of waste being generated daily, especially before Boracay was closed on April 26.

The national government declared the resort island off-limits to tourists and travelers for six months so that rehabilitation could take place.

Graf, chairman of the committee on environment, sponsored an ordinance banning single-use plastics.

If the ordinance would be realized, she said this will be considered a first in the Philippines and greatly benefit reduction in solid waste.

Graf noted the Philippines is known as the third largest in the world in terms of generating plastic waste that ends up in oceans. She didn’t say where she acquired that data.