CEBU CITY: Heavier penalty for non segregation of garbage pushed

Local

THROWING garbage without segregation may soon be costly for Cebu City residents.

This comes after Councilor Dave Tumulak is pushing for tougher penalties to curb persistent violations of the city’s solid waste management ordinance.

Tumulak, the chairman of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC), has filed a proposed measure amending the city’s 2004 ordinance on waste segregation.

The proposed ordinance has been forwarded to the Committee on Laws and Styling for their review.

The amendments align with Republic Act No. 11898, or the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2022, which mandates producers and local government units (LGUs) to step up efforts in reducing plastic waste and ensuring efficient waste management.

"Whereas, incorporating relevant provisions of the EPR Act and its implementing rules and regulations in the city's ecological waste management program further ensures that its practical program parameters are adopted by business entities and other sectors doing business in the City of Cebu," the ordinance stated.

Under the proposed measure, violators who fail to segregate waste at source will face higher fines and possible imprisonment.

The penalties include:

P1,000 for the first offense or four hours of community service;

P2,000 for the second offense; and

P5,000 or up to six months in jail, or both, for the third and succeeding offenses.

If the violator is a corporation or business establishment, the responsible officers may be held liable. Deputized personnel from the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) will be authorized to issue citation tickets on the spot.

The measure also introduces an incentive system, granting 20 percent of collected compromise fees to barangays and apprehending officers to encourage strict enforcement.

The ordinance emphasizes the principle of “No Segregation, No Collection,” requiring households, businesses, and institutions to provide separate containers for biodegradable, non-biodegradable, recyclable, hazardous, and bulky wastes.

The city’s Department of Public Services (DPS) is tasked with preparing a reference guide for proper implementation.

Beyond households, the proposal requires businesses and large-scale producers to adopt recovery and recycling programs in compliance with the EPR Act. These may include plastic buy-back schemes, refilling systems, product redesign for recyclability, and partnerships with informal waste collectors.

DENR Administrative Order No. 2023-02 set recovery targets for plastic packaging waste: 20 percent by the end of 2023, gradually increasing to 80 percent by 2028. Cebu City’s adoption of these provisions aims to align local practices with national goals toward plastic neutrality.

Monitoring will be handled by the Solid Waste Management Board, in coordination with barangay officials, civic groups, and the DPS. Barangay residents and organizations may also be deputized as enforcers after undergoing training.

Tumulak explained that stricter penalties are necessary because waste segregation has long been mandated but poorly followed.(TGP)