In Quezon City, fast-food joints won't be giving dine-in customers disposable utensils beginning today

Because the Quezon City government has reimposed its ban on single-use plastics and disposables, establishments including fast-food joints, restaurants, and hotels will no longer be handing out disposable utensils to their dine-in customers beginning today. 

According to City Ordinance No. 2876-2019, all hotels and restaurants in Quezon City are no longer allowed to distribute disposables for dine-in purposes starting Thursday, July 1, 2021.

Prohibited materials include plastic spoon and fork, knives, plastic/paper cups, plates, plastic/paper straws, coffee stirrers, soap sachets, shampoo sachets, condiment cups with lids, ketchup/soy sauce packets, and other similar plastic and disposable materials.

As stated in the QC government announced in an earlier post, those who fail to comply could face the following penalties:

• 1st offense: P1,000 fine
• 2nd offense: P3,000 fine and revocation of environmental clearance, and issuance of cease and desist order
• 3rd offense: P5,000 fine and revocation of the business permit and issuance of closure order

The QC government also resumed a ban on plastic bags in March after it was temporarily lifted in May 2020 through the issuance of the city’s Localized Guidelines for Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ). —Margaret Claire Layug/JCB/LA, GMA News