Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairperson Atty. Romando Artes on Tuesday disclosed the possibility of passing an ordinance to have a unified regulation to ban single-plastic use in the metropolis just like the unified traffic rules and regulations.

This was Artes’ response when asked by DAILY TRIBUNE at the sidelines of the launch of the two-day Metro Manila Road-to-Zero Waste Summit 2024 held at the Unilab in Pasig City.

“There is no unified ban on single-plastic use in the metropolis but there are some cities that have passed an ordinance about it,” said Artes, adding that they will study the possibility of passing such ordinance.

It was learned that the total garbage being collected in the 17 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila is 10,000 tons daily which more than doubled a few years back, and the bulk of the trash are single-use plastic.

To recall on 24 February 2020, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources announced the ban of “unnecessary” single-use plastics in all domestic government offices which was approved by the National Solid Waste Management Commission.