Baguio folk told to use personal lunch boxes

City officials encouraged residents to use personal lunch boxes or containers when ordering takeout food at their offices or school canteens in the city.

Under Resolution No. 515, series of 2022, local legislators stated that the practice of using personal lunch boxes instead of disposable containers would greatly help reduce the volume of city waste and an opportunity for the stakeholders to contribute their share in the conservation and protection of the environment through waste reduction.

The council recognizes that preparing and packing a meal before going to school or office is a burden to many people because of the rush to be on time.

Instead of packed lunch, the body said that people simply lined up in the school or office canteens for their regular meals.

According to the council, the practice of buying takeout food from canteens may sound convenient and saves time, however, these are usually served in disposable containers which contribute to a huge volume of non-biodegradable waste being addressed by the city government in its solid waste management programs to reduce the volume of waste being generated and hauled out of the city.

Republic Act (RA) 8003 otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 mandated the setting of guidelines and targets for solid waste avoidance and volume reduction.

Through Ordinance No. 18, series of 2016, otherwise known as the Environment Code of Baguio City, the city government provides strategies for the reduction of solid and liquid waste to further abate the deterioration of the city’s environment and its natural resources.

The council claims that the high-level waste production continues, and relentless disposal of single-use food containers bring serious, irreversible effects and much harm to the environment and the ecosystem. – Dexter A. See