MANILA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has banned single-use of plastics, including plastic bags, straws, and spoons and forks, in government offices.

Philippine Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, also chair of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC), signed a resolution directing the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) "to prepare and implement" the ban on the use of eight "unnecessary" single-use plastic products by national government agencies, local government units, and all other government-controlled offices.

Specifically, the ban covers plastic products such as plastic cups less than 0.2 millimeters in thickness, drinking straws, coffee stirrers, spoons, forks, knives, thin and translucent plastic bags, and thin-filmed bags lower than 15 microns.

"The NSWMC resolution is a major step to curb the use of single-use plastic items that pollute our waterways, kill marine life and contribute to our country's increasing solid waste," Cimatu said in a statement on Monday.

He said the DENR will craft specific guidelines for the implementation of the plastics ban, which forms part of the government's "solid waste avoidance and minimization strategy."

Cimatu further said the Philippines produces 2.7 metric tons of plastic waste every year. "Following this trajectory of plastic production and mismanagement, UN reports predicted that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the oceans than there are fish."

Under the country's Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, the DENR has the function to recommend policies to eliminate barriers to waste reduction programs.

Created by RA 9003, the NSWMC is an inter-agency body under the Office of the President mandated to oversee the implementation of solid waste management plans and prescribe policies to achieve the law's objectives.