CEBU CITY – The multi-awarded Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) has banned the use of non-biodegradable single-use plastics and polystyrene containers in restaurants and shops inside the hub as part of its environmental program called “Going Green Campaign.”
The MCIA now is the first plastic-free airport in the country, according to Andrew Acquaah-Harrison, Chief Executive Advisor of GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC), the airport’s private operator.
He said the ban on the use of plastic containers inside the airport facility is part of their commitment to a sustainable environment. “We took this step forward starting with our commercial partners as our commitment to environmental sustainability,” Acquaah-Harrison said.
Starting this year, GMCAC prohibited its concessionaires from using the non-biodegradable, single-use plastics and polystyrene containers in restaurants and retail stores located in Terminals 1 and 2.
Restaurant and coffee shop patrons inside the airport facility on Mactan Island are also encouraged to use eco-friendly and reusable substitutes.
Since the campaign began, at least 80% of the concessionaires are now using biodegradable alternatives such as plant starch utensils, paper cups and straws, wood stirrers, paper bags, and carton boxes for takeaway food.
“In 2018, MCIA produced a monthly average of 3,500-kilograms of plastic wastes from its restaurants and shops. This is now down by close to 30% or a decrease of around 12,000 kilos per year,” Harrison said.
The airport management also holds regular information and education campaigns for all concessionaires and stakeholders at the MCIA to raise awareness on the impacts of plastic use on the environment. GMCAC underscores other initiatives as part of its commitment to environmental sustainability.
Since August 2017, GMCAC has been using 6,300 solar panels on the roof of Terminal 1 to supply electricity for the airport which makes MCIA the first solar-powered airport in the country. On a monthly average, the solar panel system produces 196,800 kilowatt-hours and provides for 30 percent of the electricity requirements of the domestic terminal. (John Rey Saavedra)
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