The ban on the use of plastics in packaging here did not discouraged the Sugar Regulatory Administration to urge entrepreneurs to venture in the production of biodegradable plastics out of sugarcane.
In her recent visit here, SRA Administrator Maria Regina Bautista-Martin said products out of sugarcane should not be limited to sugar alone but to biodegradable plastics, bio-water, bio-ethanol and cogen.
Sugarcane can also be used for producing paint, cosmetics, textile, among others. Coming up with other products other than sugar can help boost the value of sugarcane in the market, she stressed.
Diversifying sugarcane production, according to the official, can help cane planters and millers survive the impacts of lower tariffs on subsidized imported sugars come 2015 and beyond due to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Free Trade Agreement (AFTA).
Producing biodegradable plastics made from variety of plants such as corn, sugarcane and switchgrass is considered nowadays as the "clean" alternative to petroleum-based plastics.
In other countries, the use of biodegradable plastic has established a market and the demand on environment-friendly packaging are projected by experts to grow through the years.
But in this city, the use and sale of any kind of plastics is prohibited pursuant to City Ordinance No. 562 otherwise known as Plastic Ordinance effective November 23, 2012.
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