WASTE DISPOSAL

• The Philippines produces 61,000 million metric tons of waste daily, with 24 percent being plastic; despite laws like the EPR Act, only 28 percent of plastic waste is recycled, highlighting the need for better waste management
• The country produces 163 million plastic sachet packets, 48 million shopping bags and 45 million thin-film bags daily
• Waste disposal

  The removal, disposal, recycling, or destruction of unwanted materials such as waste generated by agriculture, domestic use, or industrial products
• Types of Waste

  • Organic waste
  • Hazardous waste
  • Solid Waste
  • Liquid Waste
  • Recyclable Waste
• Organic waste


  • A broad term that encompasses all plant- and animal-based materials that can decompose naturally
  • When organic waste is composted, it breaks down into nutrient-rich soil that can be used to grow new plants. This process helps to reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfills, and it also helps to improve soil quality
• Organic waste

  • Green waste
  • Food waste
  • Agriculture waste
  • Non-hazardous wood waste
  • Livestock manure
• 1,717 metric tons of food are wasted every day in the Philippines. Every Filipino wastes one tablespoon or 14 grams of rice every day, accounting for ₱23 million a day worth of wasted rice a day
• Hazardous waste


  • A category of waste that, if improperly managed or disposed of, can pose significant threats to human health and the environment
• Types of hazardous waste

  • Chemicals
  • Batteries
  • Medical Waste
• Pandemic times have resulted in the accumulation of an estimated 280 metric tons of medical wastes every day
• Solid Waste


  • Any garbage, sludge, and refuse found in municipal, industrial and commercial locations
• Types of solid waste

  • Glass and Ceramics
  • Plastic waste
  • Paper rubbish
  • Metals and Tins
• 11 million pieces of plastic waste (around 90% of the 12 million pieces of marine litter) were collected along the Manila Bay
• Liquid Waste

  All grease, oil, sludges, wash water, waste detergents and dirty water that have been thrown away
• The liquid waste in Manila Bay was spotted on April 25, 2021. The PCG's (Philippine Coast Guard) visual inspection revealed that the M/V Sarangani's cooling system, which was docked in Manila Bay, was the source of the liquid waste
• Recyclable Waste


  Discarded materials including paper, plastics, glass, metals, furniture, organic waste that can be recycled/reprocessed and transformed into new products
• Filipinos' annual consumption of plastic packaging is around 20 kilograms, and 15.43 kilograms of which become wastes. With the country's insufficient capacity to recycle high-value recyclables and low-value plastic, only a measly 9% is repurposed, while 33% is collected
• Primary methods for waste disposal

  • Open dumps
  • Sanitary landfills
  • Incineration
• Open dumps


  • Involves simply piling up trash in a designated area and is thus the easiest method of waste disposal
  • It can support populations of organisms that house and transmit disease (reservoirs and vectors, respectively)
• As of January 2021, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported that there were still 233 open dumpsites operational in the Philippines
• The regions with the highest concentration of these dumpsites include Western Visayas (48), Mimaropa (35), Central Visayas (27), Bicol Region (23), and Davao Region (20). Among these, the Payatas dumpsite in Quezon City stands out due to its significant environmental and health hazards. Situated on the border between the Novaliches Reservoir and Marikina River System, Payatas poses risks to both local ecosystems and public health
• Effects of open dumps

  • Environmental pollution: Open dumps contaminate soil, water, and air with hazardous substances, leading to ecosystem degradation and loss of biodiversity
  • Respiratory problems: Exposure to pollutants from open dumps can cause respiratory issues in nearby communities
  • Skin diseases: Contact with harmful substances in open dumps can result in skin diseases
  • Gastrointestinal problems: Ingesting contaminated water or food can lead to gastrointestinal issues
  • Decreased quality of life: Open dumps create unpleasant odors, visual blight, and a general decrease in the quality of life for nearby communities
  • Accidents and fires: Improper waste management increases the risk of accidents and fires
• Sanitary landfill


  Method of controlled disposal of municipal solid waste (refuse) on land. Trash is sealed from the top and the bottom to reduce contamination of surroundings
• Skin diseases


  • Contact with harmful substances in open dumps can result in
• Gastrointestinal problems


  • Ingesting contaminated water or food can lead to
• Decreased quality of life


  • Open dumps create unpleasant odors, visual blight, and a general decrease in the quality of life for nearby communities
• Accidents and fires


  • Improper waste management increases the risk of accidents and fires
• Sanitary landfill


  Method of controlled disposal of municipal solid waste (refuse) on land
• Trash is sealed from the top and the bottom to reduce contamination of surroundings
• Out of the 290 sanitary landfills in the Philippines, only 245 are operational, as per 2021 data from the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC)
• Each landfill is equipped to process only 15 tonnes of garbage per day, serving 478 out of 1,634 municipalities
• In Iloilo province, two out of 43 local government units (LGUs) have their own sanitary landfills. The rest dispose of their waste at a centralized facility in Passi City due to challenges like land availability, funding, equipment, and manpower shortages
• Pros of sanitary landfills


  • Prevents contamination of groundwater, Prevent disease spread
• Cons of sanitary landfills


  • Habitat destruction, Management challenges, Land and site requirements, Long-term monitoring and maintenance
• Environmental effects of sanitary landfills

  • Pollution: Leachate contamination, Greenhouse gas emissions, Habitat destruction
• Health effects of sanitary landfills


  • Air pollution, Water contamination, Vector-borne diseases
• Human effects of sanitary landfills

  • Odor and aesthetics, Socio-economic impacts, Occupational hazards
• Incineration


  Burning of garbage, Uses special incinerators to burn waste materials to ash, heat, and flue gas
• The Davao City Waste-to-Energy Facility, which commenced operations in 2018, utilizes incineration or thermal treatment processes to combust solid waste for electricity generation
• Pros of incineration


  • Reduces volume, Can be used to generate electricity (waste-to-energy)