The ban on plastic bags had led to the increased use of brown paper bags and even newspapers as food wraps, thus raising potential public health and safety hazard, as I see it now.
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| This is what I got from different stores here in Davao, according to them their BIO-Plastic bags are not yet available. VELASCO BOOKSTORE STAFF and RG Enterprises told me they are still waiting for their BIO-PLASTIC bags delivered from Manila. CHOOKS-TO-GO is using paper plastic bag rather than BIO-PLASTIC BAG. |
I have read from an item book about paper bags, that using brown paper and newspapers as food wrap is not safe given the chemicals they contain and the uncertainty about where the recycled waste paper come from. And health authorities in the Philippines and in other developing countries have not yet issued any standards that would qualify such recycled paper as safe as food wrap.
In my own observation using paper bags is not good, I am just raising this fact not to bring down paper industry but to point out the unintended and costly consequences of the plastic ban, which in most instances has denied the public a cheap food-grade wrapping material.
Davao is not banning all plastic bags, they say and I quote that, " WE ARE USING BIO, OXO Plastic Bags. Plastic that is BIODEGRADABLE."
I want everyone knows that TOTAL PLASTIC BAN is for the NON-BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC only. We can still use plastics that are BIODEGRADABLE.
But just incase in FAST FOOD or any FOOD SHOP, they will use paper bags, I suggest better use White paper it is “food-safe” if it comes from virgin and not recycled paper while brown paper and newspapers could have just been picked up from anywhere and they may also contain harmful chemicals.
That is why you will notice when you order pizza, the food itself is not in direct contact with the brown paper or carton packaging. In the case of pizza, wax paper holds the pizza underneath but the top cover might still get in contact with the food unless, as some outlets do, a plastic item is provided to hold it up.
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| Sorry for the bad photo (using my mobile cam) |
And Julie's Bakeshop by the way is using a BIODEGRADABLE FOOD PLASTIC CONTAINER for their spaghetti.
Davao City is banning NON-BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC and POLYSTERENE FOAM FOOD CONTAINER just to address the garbage problem.
Some supermarkets and department stores are now using BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC BAGS, but still they are encouraging customers to bring their own bags.
IMO, Our irresponsible ways of disposing of plastic and other waste is to blame, not plastic. We are the problem; (so) we are also the solution. Banning plastic misses the problem completely. It is an egregious mismatch between problem and solution.
Hope now that DAVAO CITY is implementing this banning of NON-BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC and POLYSTERENE FOAM, Dabawenyos will follow.
“The law is adequate. What is not is the enforcement”