PROPER SEGREGATION OF
GARBAGE
Increasing population and industrialization would also mean more wastes in the
environment. More waste, more diseases. But then, there would also be a positive effect of
increasing population, we could also help each other. Hand in hand for a better, cleaner and
greener environment for us people to stay and live with.
In this study, we discussed about the proper waste disposal. Proper waste disposal is
important to both rural and urban areas. We the citizens of our community are the
responsible one to take care of our environment. Undeniably; most of us do not protect our
environment but rather; we cause destruction of it. Proper waste disposal is one of the ways
that we can help to clean our environment. First step to have a proper waste disposal is waste
segregation. Waste segregation is important to our environment. It is segregating the bio-
degradable from non-biodegradable. It helps our environment to look cleaner and greener.
Improper waste disposal could cause disasters such as floods and diseases. Here, in
Philippines we have a lot of scenarios that we encountered massive flood not only because of
typhoon but also because of improper waste disposal. Student volunteers have their clean up
drive to collect garbage washed ashore by the typhoon surge brought on by monsoon rain at
a bay in Paranaque city, metro Manila August 25, 2012 (Romeo Ranoco/Reuters) . It is one of
the evidences that we, people, do not have the discipline on managing our wastes that result
on killing people, plants and animals and also to the destruction of our mother earth.
Republic Act No.9003 also known as the Ecological Waste Management Act of 2000, it is hereby declared the policy of the state to adopt a systematic, comprehensive and ecological solid waste
management program. This law intends to reduce garbage while putting up a competent recycling based-management system in the country.
Moreover, it is then stated in the Section 10 of this act that “Pursuant to the relevant provisions of R. A. No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local government code, the LGUs shall be primarily
responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the provisions of this Act within their respective jurisdictions.” Our local government units (LGUs) are responsible for enforcing the law.
Government agencies on the national level are required to support LGUs in carrying out this responsibility. LGUs are thus required to draw up a solid waste management plan; local government units
are mandated to implement proper solid waste management.
Consequently the City of General Santos agreed to pass the City Ordinance No.12, series of 2008,also known as the “ General Santos City Ecological Solid Waste Management Ordinance of
2008”.The Goals, Provisions and objectives are very much alike with the Republic Act 9003. This was an effort to create awareness among the public on the importance of environmental
protection and preservation. The barangay shall be responsible for the collection, segregation, recycling of biodegradable, recyclable, compostable and reusable wastes.
In line with this, here in Brgy. Fatima has adopted this ordinance. The barangay officials are tasked to implement this one, they have the trucks that collects garbages door to door as part of
their jobs and as part of the ordinance.
Our group conducted a community service at the back of the barangay hall together with the volunteers and some barangay officials to segregate the garbages on the land fill.
We still have time to save our Mother Earth. We can be responsible stewards to take of our environment. We can start on our homes the proper waste segregation and also on schools; we can
educate not only the students but also the teachers to be more responsible on their wastes.
Our country is now grappling on the massive volume of wastes everywhere especially on urban areas. Waste management is important to practice for us to be safe from diseases and disasters.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Francis Tolentino said 48 trucks of garbage had been collected so far from Roxas Boulevard, which went underwater due to storm surge. (Philippine
Daily Inquirer, [Link], 2012). Garbages could cause some diseases just like of skin and blood infections resulting from direct contact with waste, and from infected wounds; eye and respiratory
infections resulting from exposure to infected dust, especially during landfill operations; different diseases that results from the bites of animals feeding on the waste; and lastly,Intestinal infections
that are transmitted by flies feeding on the garbages
The Philippines has alarming garbage problems despite the passage of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act or the Republic Act (RA) 9003. RA 9003 further calls for the establishment of
materials recovery facilities, or ecology centers, in every barangay or cluster of a barangay. To date, only 1,923 ecology centers exist, serving 2,133 barangays of a total 41,975 nationwide. In Quezon
City alone, only 52 barangays have established Materials Recovery Facilities out of a total of 142. Recognizing the importance of the environment’s immediate recovery and effects of improper waste
management to the Philippines, there is a need for understanding and reformation of attitudes and concern towards the protection of environment. (
In General Santos City, a report from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) said the floods affected around 600 families in Barangays Lagao, Baluan and Bula, which
were placed under a state of calamity. City Councilor Richard Atendido said the floods worsened due to the still unfinished drainage projects in Barangays Baluan, Buayan and Bula as well is reserved
for clogged canals. . He said most of the canals were clogged due to the accumulation of garbage that was not disposed properly by local residents.(
Moreover, City of General Santos agreed to pass the City Ordinance No.12, series of 2008,also known as the “ General Santos City Ecological Solid Waste Management Ordinance of 2008”.The Goals,
Provisions and objectives are very much alike with the Republic Act 9003. This was an effort to create awareness among the public on the importance of environmental protection and
preservation. The barangay shall be responsible for the collection, segregation, recycling of biodegradable, recyclable, compostable and reusable wastes. (
Waste disposal is now the main problem being face by the world today. In third world countries, you can really see these problems. This year, the Philippines experienced floods here in there and a
lot of people died. If we look closely the main problem being blamed is the improper waste disposal.. Sometimes nature takes its turn on us and that’s what we should be concerned about. Sometimes
even in the so called developed countries we can still see some trash scattered. We can also notice some people burning their trash in the backyard and they think it’s the easiest way to get rid of
waste but they are totally wrong because they are just making a faster way to destroy the nature.
It is just sad to note that many people, though they know what to do refuse to abide by the rules of waste segregation. With the people behaving this way, pollution will mount and diseases will be very
prevalent. And it is fearful to anticipate the truth that years from now, the whole surrounding is already health hazard. It is lamenting that people are having extreme difficulty in separating their trash. - into
wet and dry, plastic or cans, left-over foods and paper. When trash is just placed in a plastic bag, regardless of their classification, unpleasant odor might emanate from the plastic garbage container.
We can have the color coding of the trash bins for us to be familiarize with the specific color for each type of waste. With this, we can be a more responsible person on segregating our wastes.
Clear or white plastic is reserved for recyclable or reusable items. Because of this transparency, you will be able to see the different contents of the plastic bag. What you can put in the clear or white bags are
tins, bottles and papers.
Black
This color is particularly assigned to non-biodegradable and non-infectious waste. These are wastes that cannot be decomposed. Examples of non-biodegradable trash are plastic cans, styrofoams and sticks.
Green
This color is reserved for biodegradable wastes. These are the garbage that can easily decompose. Examples are left-over foods, fruits, vegetables, peelings, dried leaves and branches.
Red
This color may be optional since these are rarely found in homes. These are the bio-hazardous or infectious wastes which could really be very harmful to the community. Usually, these are trashes taken from
the hospital area. So the contents of the red plastic bags are syringe, cotton, gauze disposable cups, forks, spoons, plastic food bags and human wastes.
Blue
This is another optional color for home trash. Usual content of the blue bag are industrial materials. Actually, this coo of bag is for different industrial materials such as glasses, fabrics, heavy plastics.
To actually segregate your wastes at home, you will only need three plastic bags - clear or white, black and green. It would be very easy to remember, and it would also be easy to inform the children in the
house of your desire to waste segregate.
It was once a common practice to burn waste either in your own backyard or at a landfill. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, when household garbage and plastics are burned, they
release particulate matter which are solid compounds suspended in air. Being exposed to particulate matter increases heart disease, asthma, emphysema and respiratory disease incident rates. Waste
disposal relocates waste to an area where it can be safely left, incinerated or otherwise disposed of. Removing waste from public areas reduces overall health risks, decreases pest infestation in urban areas
and lowers exposures to biohazards. The only thing, us, ordinary people can do in order to let the world know the importance of waste disposal is by teaching our own children. In this regard, we are
nurturing a child to do what is right while we are also saving the future generations. With this, they could also teach the future generation and would save our Mother Earth from destruction.
More and more local government units are now approving resolutions and ordinances that will promote the protection of our environment and ultimately conserve the natural resources of our planet.
The mounting garbage is an eyesore. But there is an even more harmful effect of the garbage -
Mother Earth is grieving. People had been taught on the proper disposal of trash yet they continue
to do their own convenient way. The polluted environment has caused many diseases and some
even resulted to death. Waste management is now a giant problem facing our nation. So what are we
going to do?
Reducing waste is one of the most important parts of waste minimization. Avoiding the
unnecessary use of resources means there is less wastes to manage. The aim of waste reduction is
to eliminate waste before it is produced. The next most cost effective means of minimizing waste is
to reuse waste material in its same form. Reusing an item means it doesn't go in the rubbish and
end up in the landfill. It also means that you don't have to buy a new product and so you are saving
the energy and resources that would have been used to make the new product. Composting is a
natural process in which plant and other organic wastes are broken down biologically to produce a
nutrient-rich material. At home, put yard and kitchen waste such as leaves, grass clippings, and
fruit and vegetable scraps in a bin. This will eventually decompose and produce a mixture that can
be used for soil improvement in individual gardens. Municipalities can treat waste in the same way.
Recycling is one of the best ways of waste management. It helps in reducing pollution, saving
natural resources and conserving energy. Recycling newspapers, plastics, glass and aluminum also
helps in saving money. Recycling other materials such as tires, batteries, asphalt, motor oil, etc.
reduces pollution (otherwise these would end up in landfill). In order to reduce trash, it is necessary
to encourage and implement recycling at all levels of society.
In this study, we focused on segregating waste materials .Waste segregation
means sorting from biodegradable to non-biodegradable. Why is it necessary?
Waste segregation is necessary because if the waste is not separated properly, it will
mix up in landfills, this will lead to ground water and contaminate it. It can also
release methane gas which is highly flammable; this gas is also a green-house gas
that ultimately leads to climate change and droughts. The impact of climate change
on the world is already there for everyone to see. A lot of materials in every day
waste are recyclable. When waste is not segregated, it is difficult to pick out these
materials for recycling. This leads to a lot of wastage of valuable resources. Toxic
waste can seep into the ground and contaminate our water supplies, and sometimes
cause widespread disease. Even non-toxic waste causes pollution that contributes
to global warming and a general negative impact on the public health. EPA studies
suggest that global warming could make earth almost inhospitable by the end of the
century. In that manner, we are in need of proper segregation of waste materials to
prevent the drastic effects that can result in improper disposal of trash. Segregation
of wastes is very important. This is the gauge to proper waste disposal which when
done by men can make the environment free from toxins and pollution.
City of General Santos agreed to pass the City Ordinance No.12,
series of 2008,also known as the “ General Santos City Ecological Solid
Waste Management Ordinance of 2008”.The Goals, Provisions and
objectives are very much alike with the Republic Act 9003. This was an
effort to create awareness among the public on the importance of
environmental protection and preservation. The barangay shall be
responsible for the collection, segregation, recycling of biodegradable,
recyclable, compostable and reusable wastes.
Brgy. Fatima has adopted this ordinance. We conducted a community
service at the barangay hall of Brgy. Fatima to segregate the garbages
on the landfill. We classify those garbages from biodegradable to
[Link] also collected garbages around the barangay gym
to make it look clean. We can start to practice this proper waste
disposal within our selves and in our community.
There are ways in segregating wastes. First, classify garbage as wet and dry. If
possible, make a mini recycling center in your backyard. Place similar items in one
container. Then, share your recycling interest and experience with your friends,
neighbors. a. Wet garbage includes animal feeds and organic matter. Animal feeds are
leftover foods, vegetables, fruit peelings and others that can be used as feeds for
animals like pigs, chickens, and dogs. Place animal feeds in plastic or metal containers.
Organic matter actually includes unused animal feeds, rotting fruits and vegetables,
leaves and grasses, twigs and others that rot or decay. b. Dry garbage may either be
organic or inorganic such as glass, metal, plastic, rags, wood pieces, paper and others
which can be used or sold for recycling. Compost organic materials right away. Build a
backyard compost pit or install a home composter. If possible, talk with the
professionals about putting up a composter. If the community produces more than 25
kilograms of wet garbage, initiate the installation of a biogas digester with
[Link] the materials that you can still use. Donate or sell to junkshops
those extra recyclable materials. Junkshops are recyclers. They buy recyclable materials
and sell them in bulk buyers.
Garbage segregation can make our streets cleaner, it can help us recycle things, reduce
the use of certain raw materials and hence in making our country and planet a better
place to live in.
