Quezon City bans single-use plastics in government facilities

Quezon City has banned the use of single-use plastics and disposables within its city hall compound and local government-run establishments starting April 21, 2025.

Executive Order No. 3 prohibits items such as plastic bags, styrofoam materials, disposable dishware like paper plates and plastic utensils, and bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate inside Quezon City Hall buildings and other city-owned facilities.

Employees are required to bring their reusable containers when ordering takeout food, while visitors may request disposable containers but cannot bring them inside government facilities.

Food deliveries are allowed if the recipient offices recover the food containers and exchange them at a designated booth for recycling incentives.

Vendors who do not comply with the order will face penalties, and non-compliant employees will receive formal reprimands or memoranda.

Mayor Joy Belmonte emphasized that plastic waste contributes to flooding during typhoons, endangers public health, and harms marine life, highlighting the need for sustainable practices.

The executive order aligns with the Quezon City Green Public Procurement Ordinance, which aims to eliminate single-use plastics in city-led activities and promote reusable and recyclable materials.