Waste

University of the Philippines College of Science

Waste Disposal By: Ruby Ann C. Iglesia

INTRODUCTION Waste Disposal is the human control of the collection, treatment and disposal of wastes. Proper waste disposal must be observed in order to reduce the negative impacts waste has on environment and society. Production of waste is directly linked to the human development, both technologically and socially. The composition of different wastes has varied over time and location. Industrial development and innovation today is being directly linked to waste materials. Many different types of waste have negative impacts on the environment such as pollution on land, air and water. Generation and improper disposal of chemical wastes coming from the hospitals, laboratories, factories and even geothermal plants makes the environment vulnerable and society unstable.

SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL The increasing and non-stop generation of solid waste brought about by economic development and rapid urbanization is one of the major problems of the country particularly in Metro Manila area. The problem of today’s solid waste, if improperly handled, carries implications not only for our environment but also for the health and well being of future generations. When waste ends up where it is not supposed to be, it becomes useless, causes pollution, and poses health risks. When it is used and put in the right place, it becomes a valuable resource.

Facts and Figures:  Philippines generates more than 10,000 tons of solid wastes per day  Metropolitan Manila accounts for more than 50% of the total wastes or 5,800 tons/day  Per capita estimates range from 0.30 to 0.70 kg/day, depending on whether the estimate refers to selected residential areas or all sources of wastes. An average Filipino generates 0.3 and 0.5 kg (rural and urban areas, respectively) of solid waste daily National Capital Region accounts for 23 percent of the total solid waste generated in the country annually. Makati City: per capita waste generation of 0.71 kg.

Composition of the Solid Waste in Metro Manila (2005)

food and kitchen waste paper waste plastic glass and wood others

Total solid waste generated by the LGUs

biodegradable recyclable special waste residual waste

The problem… Waste segregation at the household level is not widely practiced, waste recycling is minimal, and past efforts to promote waste segregation at source have failed despite the issuance of penalties for non-compliance Reasons: indifference of local residents to participate in community waste management-related activities : residents’ attitude that government has the sole responsibility over garbage management : lack of information and education campaigns : (government) to address the garbage crisis (in Metro Manila) and improve overall solid waste management is by mandating households and other waste generators to segregate at source in order to reduce the wastes collected and disposed

Waste Disposal on Bodies of Water Water Pollution is one of the major effects of improper waste disposal in bodies of water. The wastes thrown in water usually contained harmful chemicals like those coming from factories, plants and oil companies. The destructive effect of wastes on water also affects the physical look of the bodies of water; and marine products are unsafe to eat, people who will ingest polluted water will become ill or worst, may develop cancers or bear children with birth defects if the woman happened to be pregnant a time of intake. Moreover, there could also be a thermal pollution which can accelerate biological processes in plants and animals or deplete oxygen levels in water.

Methods of Waste Disposal Waste segregation (separating plastic, paper, food scraps and so on), is not widely practiced and recycling of the materials, except though informal door-to-door entrepreneurs, is minimal. Landfill sites are so poorly maintained that they pose health and safety hazards; as a result, two key sites were recently closed. Incineration is prohibited by law. Open dumping is now the most common disposal method – a situation that itself threatens public health.

Sanitary landfill Disposing of waste in a landfill involves burying waste to dispose of it, and this remains a common practice in most countries. Landfills were often established in disused quarries, mining voids or borrow pits. A properly-designed and wellmanaged landfill can be a hygienic and relatively inexpensive method of disposing of waste materials. Older, poorly-designed or poorly-managed landfills can create a number of adverse environmental impacts such as wind-blown litter, attraction of vermin, and generation of liquid leachate. Another common byproduct of landfills is gas (mostly composed of methane and carbon dioxide), which is produced as organic waste breaks down anaerobically. This gas can create odor problems, kill surface vegetation, and is a greenhouse gas.

Landfill

INCINERATION Incineration is a disposal method that involves combustion of waste material. Incineration and other high temperature waste treatment systems are sometimes described as " thermal treatment". Incinerators convert waste materials into heat, gas, steam, and ash.

RECYCLING METHOD The process of extracting resources or value from waste is generally referred to as recycling, meaning to recover or reuse the material. There are a number of different methods by which waste material is recycled: the raw materials may be extracted and reprocessed, or the calorific content of the waste may be converted to electricity. New methods of recycling are being developed continuously.

PHYSICAL REPROCESSING The popular meaning of ‘recycling’ in most developed countries refers to the widespread collection and reuse of everyday waste materials such as empty beverage containers. These are collected and sorted into common types so that the raw materials from which the items are made can be reprocessed into new products. Material for recycling may be collected separately from general waste using dedicated bins and collection vehicles, or sorted directly from mixed waste streams.

BIOLOGICAL REPROCESSING Waste materials that are organic in nature, such as plant material, food scraps, and paper products, can be recycled using biological composting and digestion processes to decompose the organic matter. The resulting organic material is then recycled as mulch or compost for agricultural or landscaping purposes. In addition, waste gas from the process (such as methane) can be captured and used for generating electricity. The intention of biological processing in waste management is to control and accelerate the natural process of decomposition of organic matter.

ENERGY RECOVERY The energy content of waste products can be harnessed directly by using them as a direct combustion fuel, or indirectly by processing them into another type of fuel. Recycling through thermal treatment ranges from using waste as a fuel source for cooking or heating, to fuel for boilers to generate steam and electricity in a turbine. Pyrolysis and gasification are two related forms of thermal treatment where waste materials are heated to high temperatures with limited oxygen availability. The process typically occurs in a sealed vessel under high pressure. Pyrolysis of solid waste converts the material into solid, liquid and gas products. The liquid and gas can be burnt to produce energy or refined into other products.

AVOIDANCE AND REDUCTION METHOD An important method of waste management is the prevention of waste material being created, also known as waste reduction. Methods of avoidance include reuse of second-hand products, repairing broken items instead of buying new, designing products to be refillable or reusable (such as cotton instead of plastic shopping bags), encouraging consumers to avoid using disposable products (such as disposable cutlery), and designing products that use less material to achieve the same purpose (for example, lightweighting of beverage cans).

ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT (SWM) ACT OF 2000 The Republic Act: Passed in January 2000 Enacted in response to the growing scarcity of disposal sites (particularly in Metro Manila) Emphasizes solid waste avoidance and volume reduction through source reduction and waste minimization measures, the protection of public health and the environment are the primary goals.

The four provisions of the law that are of interest to the present study are listed below: a) Chapter 3 Article 1 Section 20: establishes a mandatory, solid waste diversion rate of 25% within the next five years at the local level It requires each local government unit (LGU) in the next five years to divert annually, on the average, 5% of its solid wastes away from waste disposal facilities into resource recovery facilities such as reusing, recycling and composting. b) Chapter 3 Article 2 Section 21: -mandatory segregation of solid wastes at source -properly marked as can-be- composted, non-recyclable, recyclable or special wastes. -Segregation and collection of biodegradable, can-be-composted and reusable wastes shall be conducted at the barangay level, while collection of non-recyclable materials and special wastes shall be the responsibility of the municipality or city (Chapter 2 Art 1 Sec 10).

c) Chapter 3 Article 4 (Sections 26-33) and Chapter 3 Article 5 (Sections 34-35): - Establishes recycling and composting programs which includes; - An inventory of existing markets for recyclable and can-becomposted materials - Establishment of materials recovery facilities - Setting up of drop-off locations for recyclable materials - Standards for non-environmentally acceptable products and packaging will be developed and imposed on manufacturing and commercial establishments. d) Chapter 5 Article 7 Section 47: - Provides LGUs with the authority to collect SWM fees - The LGUs can impose fees sufficient to pay the costs of preparing, adopting and implementing a solid waste management plan - Factors used as the basis for setting the fees: types of solid waste; amount/volume of waste; and distance to waste management facilities.

CURRENT ISSUES A. Sanitary landfill

Sanitary Landfill for Metro Manila is still a major problem up to now. Last year, the landfill in Rodriguez, Rizal was barricaded by casual employees of the Rodriguez municipal government. Rizal Governor Casimiro “Jun” Ynares III, then orders the police chief Supt. Freddie Panen to deploy policemen at the new 19-hectare sanitary landfill in Barangay San Isidro. Up to now, there are still protests on opening sanitary landfill in Rizal. People of Rizal are strongly against the idea of Rizal being the place where the wastes from Metro Manila will be dumped. Their primary concern is the health of the residents. Also, the bad smell coming from the landfill is one of the issues they are addressing on their protests.

Japan- Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) The issue: Environmental hazard - JPEPA provision: toxic and medical wastes will have zero tariffs - Both countries are signatories of the Basel convention (prohibits the trade of toxic wastes) Why reduce tariffs to zero? - Would support firms trying to ensure proper toxic & hazardous waste treatment - Trade and good environmental management and regulation together produce optimal environmental outcomes and sustainable growth.

Critics --- Toxic Dumping -"The exchange of diplomatic notes is simply a reiteration of the status quo gift wrapped in a new package. The Philippines is still open to the dangerous wastes from Japan in the guise of 'recyclable materials'," said Atty. Richard Gutierrez of the BAN, Asia-Pacific. JPEPA would provide mandate for the dumping of toxic wastes into the country The liberalization of toxic waste trade ran counter to multilateral environmental agreements like the Basel Convention and the Basel Ban Amendment

Beyond the press releases: 1. Japan has been an opponent of the Basel Ban Amendment - A recent example of Japanese opposition against the Basel Ban was in August 2006, when the Japanese government sought a consultancy to prepare an assessment on the use of bilateral agreements “for bidirectional movement of toxic wastes between Japan and Asia.” 2. Japan has funded a group: the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)--- proposed expansion of cross-border transfer of recyclable toxic wastes through the use of the 3R Initiative and through bilateral Free Trade Agreements, such as the JPEPA. 3. At the Conference of the Parties of the Basel Convention in Nairobi, Kenya in 2006 the Japanese government representative was asked in a side event whether or not they supported export of hazardous electronic wastes to developing countries from Japan. YES!

4. Field investigations in China (2001) and Nigeria (2005) had found evidence of toxic Japanese e-waste being dumped in the guise of “second-hand” goods in these countries "There is a strong history of Japanese toxic waste dumping in Asia, in spite of their laws, the Basel Convention, and the laws of the country they dumped on," said Gutierrez

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