QC prohibits disposables, single-use plastics in city hall, LGU establishments

Single-use plastics and disposables are now prohibited in the Quezon City Hall compound and local government unit-run establishments.

Under Executive Order (EO) No. 3, the use of plastic bags and packaging; styrofoam (polystyrene materials); and disposable dishware such as paper plates, plastic utensils, and bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate, and plastic and paper cups are no longer allowed inside Quezon City Hall buildings and other city-owned facilities starting April 21, 2025.

Employees will also have to bring their reusable containers when ordering takeout food.

Visitors and clients may be served disposable takeout containers and utensils upon request, but they are prohibited from bringing them inside the government facilities.

Deliveries that use plastic packaging are also prohibited inside government buildings.

Food deliveries, however, will be allowed inside, provided that the recipient offices recover the food containers and exchange them at the Trash to Cashback booth.

Vendors who fail to comply with the EO will face penalties, while non-compliant employees will receive formal reprimands or memoranda.

“Plastic waste clogs our drainage systems and contributes to severe flooding, as seen during recent typhoons. Plastic pollution is a growing crisis that endangers our health, our economy, and especially the well-being of our most vulnerable communities. Plastic even chokes our marine animals. This is precisely why the city government is pioneering policies and long-term solutions to reduce plastic use and advance sustainability,” Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a statement.

The EO reinforces the provisions of the Quezon City Green Public Procurement Ordinance, which sets the guidelines for eliminating single-use plastics and disposable materials in all city-led activities, promoting the use of reusable and recyclable materials. — VBL, GMA Integrated News