Basic Education Department

S.Y 2019-2020

An Investigatory Project
Presented to the Science Area

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INSERT TITLE
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In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirement of
Science 8

by

Student’s Name
Student’s Name
Student’s Name
Student’s Name
8-Justice

Date of Submission:
March ,2018
 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Rationale

The origin and the earliest applications of the study of man’s relationship with his

environment go back into the mists of time; human beings learned to manage their waste and to

recover and reuse certain vitally important raw materials. Historically, the aim of waste

management has been to prevent or reduce the impact of waste materials on human health or local

amenity. It involves the collection, transport, processing and/or disposal of waste materials. It

includes the gathering, transport, preparing and additionally transfer of waste materials.

The Ecological Solid Waste Management in the Philippines also referred to as Republic

Act 9003 is one of the national programs mandated to address the issue on solid waste

management. It provides directives to the local government units (LGUs) for the creation of their

respective Solid Waste Management Boards, formulation of a ten year Solid Waste Management

Plan, construction of materials, recovery facilities (MRFs) and construction of final disposal

facilities. However, in the past 18 years of its implementation, there has been very little

transformation in solid waste management in the Philippines. Large percentage of the total Filipino

population is still unaware of the implementation of this law and the adverse effect brought by

improper waste disposal.

Central Visayas Cluster schools, being an audacious Christ-centered educational institutions,

committed to empowering communities of learners, into inner-directed Vincentian leaders, who

are advocates of God’s creation, is one in the mission of developing an attitude among its students

and Lay Mission Partners (LaMPs) towards proper solid waste management. For the past years,

the DC-SLMES Central Visayas Cluster schools have been an active advocate of good stewardship

of God’s creation, through its environmental activities like tree planting, adopt-a- space program,

clean-up drive, Trash Walk, etc. But over the years, the researchers have noticed that even though

the schools have already been practicing good stewardship of God’s creation through proper solid

waste management, there was no Solid Waste Management Program, where school policies,

regulations and activities regarding solid waste management could be anchored to. Moreover, the

researchers would also like to assess the level of awareness and practices of the students and the

LaMPs on solid waste management.

Hence, this study endeavors to assess and create a descriptive -correlation study on the

solid waste management awareness and practices of the Daughters of Charity – St. Louise de

Marillac Educational System (DC-SLMES) Central Visayas Cluster Schools in terms of

segregation, reduce, reuse, recycle and disposal of wastes. Also, this study will also seek to find

the significant relationship between the level of awareness and practices on solid waste

management of the DC-SLMES central visayas cluster schools. Ultimately, through results of the

study, the researchers aim to create a unified Solid Waste management Program for the three DC-

SLMES Central Visayas Cluster schools. The creation of the said program will enhance and

develop the consciousness, awareness and practices of the people towards solid waste

management.
Theoretical Background

This study focuses on the idea of the cause-effect relationship between the level of

awareness and the practices of the people on solid waste management. This idea can be anchored

to the Theory of Planned Behaviour, which states that what an individual does is determined by

the personal motivation which can be determined by attitude, social support and perceived

behavioural control (Ajzen, 1985; Maddan, Ellen & Ajzen, 1992; Ajzen & Driver, 1992, as cited

by Ifegbesan, 2009). The theory is based on the notion that individual behavioural intentions and

their attitudes are directly related from another. It views a person’s intention to perform (or not

perform) as the immediate determinant of an action. A study made by Dondo, et.al. in 2014 at

Chinhoyi, Urban, Zimbabwe shows the application of this theory. In their study, they found out

that the majority of the people did not take solid waste management as their responsibility, but that

of the municipality. Others have negative attitude towards waste disposal while there are a few

who are very supportive and willing to engage in activities that promote change of behaviour on

solid waste disposal. The study of Desa, Kadir & Yusoff in 2011 also revealed that in order to

achieve high level of awareness on solid waste management among the students, a carefully

thought-out waste education and awareness strategy must be developed in order to change

students’ habits. This goes to show that establishing a pivot point where solid waste management

strategies can be implemented must be the primary step in engaging the people in the community

in solid waste management. Thus, knowing the levels of awareness and their practices on solid

waste management in terms of segregation reduce, reuse recycle and disposal is a crucial step in

making a progress.
 Awareness towards solid waste management can affect the population's willingness to

cooperate and adequately participate in waste management practices (Mlozi, 2011 as cited by

Baba, Infesto, Razo & Vedra, 2017). According to Pop, Cojocaru & Bican-Brisan in 2013, the

success of the population involvement in waste management process is to also know the awareness

level, its importance in environmental protection natural resources conservation, biodiversity

protection and its economic advantages. The study of Amber, et. al. in 2015 further supports this

finding. Their study revealed that attitude and participation of the people in solid waste

management is key component in implementing the Solid Waste Management Program.

Furthermore, their study also showed that education about solid waste management should flourish

in schools in a creative manner. B.C. Sarker, S.C. Sarker, Islam and Sharmin in 2012 further added

that management of disposal facility should be increased and the awareness of the people must be

developed in order minimize the negative effects of wastes at a large extent. Consequently, the

low level of environmental literacy and awareness of the public partly contributes to the difficulties

in implementing and enforcing environmental laws and policy, particularly, laws on cleanliness

and sanitation (Jaworski & DENR, 2012, as cited from Ateneo School of Medicine, 2017).

Phillips’, et.al (2004) Theory of Waste Management is also being anchored in this study.

This is primarily based from the assumption that sustainable waste management depends greatly

upon how waste is defined. Definition about waste is important in the field of law, but it is

particularly important in a system of regulatory control, as it is necessary to define what can and

cannot be controlled (Cheyne & Purdue, 1995, as cited by Phillips, et.al., 2004). The primary

justification of regulating waste disposal was to regulate waste disposal. However, the key to
sustainable waste management is waste minimization, especially the waste source (Tromans, 2001;

Phillips, et. al., 2002). The European Council Directive on Waste defines waste management as a

collection, transport, recovery and disposal of waste, including the supervision of such operations

and after-care of disposal sites (European Council Directive, 1991). Generation of solid wastes is

one of the functional elements of the solid waste management system. If this can be minimized by

educating the people on the proper waste disposal, segregation and regulation, this would help

minimize the negative effects of wastes (Lagbas, 2015).

Every educational institution is mandated by law to educate the public on the theories and

practices on solid waste management. In order to achieve sustainable implementation on proper

waste management, awareness and action is an important aspect of a school-wide Solid waste

Management Program (Paghasian, 2017). Thus, the study is also anchored to the Republic Act No.

9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Act of 2000, an act providing for an ecological

solid waste management program, creating the necessary institutional mechanisms and incentives,

declaring certain acts prohibited and providing penalties, appropriating funds therefore and for

other purposes. This law requires all Local Government Units in the country to establish an

ecological solid waste management program within their jurisdictions and provide necessary

institutional mechanisms to attain its objectives (Republic Act No. 9003, 2001, as cited by Lagbas,

2015). Other legal basis includes city ordinances adopted by each institution, which are directly

anchored to the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

The study follows the framework below in achieving its objectives. In the framework, the

level of awareness and practices on solid waste management among the students and personnel in
the three DC-SLMES Central Visayas cluster schools, along with its legal basis, the Republic Act

No. 9003, otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 will serve as

a foundation in creating a unified Solid Waste Management Program for the three cluster schools.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to assess the level of awareness and the practices of the three DC-SLMES

Central Visayas Cluster schools on Solid Waste Management, as a basis in creating a unified Solid

Waste Management Program. Generally, it attempts to answer the following questions:

1. What is the level of awareness on solid waste management of the DC-SLMES Central

Visayas Cluster Schools?

2. What is the level of practices on solid waste management of the DC-SLMES Central

Visayas Cluster schools in terms of:

2.1.Segregation?

2.2.Re-use?

2.3.Reduce?

2.4.Recycle?

2.5.Disposal?

3. Is there a significant relationship between the level of awareness and their practices on

solid waste management of the three DC-SLMES Central Visayas Cluster schools?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is conducted to determine the solid waste management awareness and practices

and exposure of students and personnel of the three cluster schools of namely: Colegio de la
Inmaculada Concepcion – Cebu, Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion – Mandaue and Saint

Louise de Marillac College of Bogo. The results of the study will serve as the basis in creating a

unified Solid Waste Management Program for the three cluster schools. Hence, this study aims to

provide benefits to the following entities:

Students. This will benefit the students’ awareness and commitment in doing the

segregation of trashes in their school and community. From there, they can utilize it into active

learning and practical situations and to gearing them up to be stewards of God’s creation.

Furthermore, it will serve as a platform for students to observe sanitation of the environment,

providing opportunities for students to learn the act of waste management and sanitation (Waste

Management Awareness of It Students in Schools, 2017).

Lay Mission Partners (LaMPs) or Personnel. This will benefit the Lay Mission Partners

or Personnel because they can utilize the said program to further strengthen the implementation of

school rules and policies on solid waste management to their students. Moreover, the findings of

the studies can be utilized to design effective lesson plans and teaching strategies, integrating the

importance of solid waste management in schools and communities. In this manner, teachers could

help raise the awareness of the students on the effects of proper waste management, which in turn

will help the realization of the school’s vision and mission – to be a good steward of God’s

creation. The findings of the study could also be used as a reflection point on the part of the LaMPs.

Through the results of the study, the researchers hope that this will help the LaMPs become a good

example and a role model in the institution with regards to the proper handling of the solid waste

materials.

Administration. This will benefit the administrators because they can use the findings of

the study as a basis of formulating the cluster solid waste management program for the ensuing
years. In this way, the three schools will be synergized in the implementation of the policies and

regulations on solid waste management. The program will also serve as an overarching framework

for all activities, initiatives and programs geared towards responsible stewardship of God’s

creation. The program could also be used as a tool for creating guidelines, policies and operations

of the schools in the proper handling of solid waste materials, as well as those that can still be

reused and recycled.

School. The result of the data could be used by the school as their basis in enhancing their

curriculum and policy in solid waste management. Also, the school can implement an effective

approach where the students will learn environment-based lessons in their class encounters.

Consequently, the findings of the study can be utilized as basis for school physical plant

improvement, taking into consideration the effects of proper solid waste management in the school

and the community where it resides. In this manner, the school can take necessary steps to improve

its physical plant without jeopardizing the environment.

Community. This will benefit the community because it will prevent their household or

family from experiencing the hazardous outcomes of solid waste material. By getting rid of most

of these waste matters properly and they can actually protect their loved ones along with the

environment and through recycling they can reduced solid waste materials in their place or

community.

Review of the Related Literature

The condition of the Philippine environment has reached critical proportions in relation to

solid waste management that needs immediate and collective action from all sectors of the

government (Reyes, 2016). There are a lot of human activities that contribute to waste generation.
These waste materials if failed to be disposed in the proper manner and in the proper place create

a serious problem to humans and threat to nature. Solid Waste Management plays a big role on the

preservation of life and nature. Managing wastes has become a problem especially in highly

urbanized areas. Philippines is considered as the tiger economy of Asia for its fast growth and

development. This advancement comes together with problems of solid waste management.

Republic Act 9003 of the Philippines addresses different issues regarding Solid Waste

Management. It mandates Local Government Units to implement policies to promote proper solid

waste management. This mandates each city or municipality to create a Municipal SWM Board to

prepare, submit and implement a plan for the safe and sanitary management of solid waste

generated in areas under its geographic and political coverage. The major responsibilities rest on

the LGUs as the lead implementers in the full implementation of the Act. As defined, waste

management is the collection, transport, processing, recycling or disposal of waste materials. The

term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and is generally undertaken to reduce

their effect on health, aesthetics or amenity (Azuelo & Barbado, 2016). Waste management is also

carried out to reduce the materials' effect on the environment and to recover resources from them.

It can also involve solid, liquid or gaseous substances, with different methods and fields of

expertise for each.

In technical note, the term solid waste is used to include all non-liquid wastes generated by

human activity and a range of solid waste material resulting from the disaster, such as general

domestic garbage such as food waste, ash and packaging materials; human feces disposed of in

garbage; emergency waste such as plastic water bottles and packaging from other emergency

supplies; rubble resulting from the disaster; mud and slurry deposited by the natural disaster; and
fallen trees and rocks obstructing transport and communications. Other specialist wastes, such as

medical waste from hospitals and toxic waste from industry, will also need to be dealt with

urgently, but they are not covered by this technical note (World Health Organization, 2011).

The Environmental Protection Agency has determined a three tiered approach for

managing solid waste. Each of these should be practiced to reduce the amount material headed for

final disposal. They are in order of importance: REDUCE, the best way to manage solid waste.

Don't create waste in the first place! Buy only what you need. Use all that you buy. Avoid heavily

packaged products. Avoid disposable items like paper plates and plastic silverware. Buy the largest

size package for those items that you use are often. REUSE, the better way to manage solid waste.

Reuse items use them over and over until they are completely worn out. RECYCLE, the good way

to manage solid waste. Recycle means taking something old and making it into something new. In

Seminole County, all residents who live in a single family home can recycle right in front of their

house. Those residents who live in apartments or condominiums can drop off their recyclables at

several different locations. Old newspapers, #1 and #2 plastic bottles, green, clear and brown glass

bottles and jars, aluminum and steel cans can all be recycled at the curb. Simply rinse out

containers and remove lids. That's it; it's very simple and very worthwhile. Not only does it keep

items out of the landfill, recycling conserves natural resources (Seminole County Government,

2012)

Republic Act. No. 9003or the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act” provides the

legal framework for the country’s systematic, comprehensive and ecological solid waste

management program that shall ensure protection of public health and the environment. It
underscores, among other things, the need to create the necessary institutional mechanism and, as

well as imposes penalties for acts in violation of any of its provisions. (The National Solid Waste

Management Commission Secretariat; Environment Management Bureau-DENR, 2012).

The best way to create awareness and to educate the students, steps had to be taken to

include environmental education in the school educational system. This must be the leading

approach to address the environmental problems and engendering sustainable development.

Knowledge and understanding of the environment are important since a degraded environment

means a lower quality of life for all. It is, therefore, the collective responsibility of all human

beings to secure a healthy environment not only for present, but also for future generations, so

building environmental curricula on this principle becomes a necessity. Environmental education

should, therefore, be a fundamental and integral part of education for all members of society.

Modern societies, both developed and developing, need environmental education in its formal and

informal aspects. Knowledge of the environment, its conservation and threats must be integrated

with the development of sensitivity to, and respect for, the natural environment and the formation

of proper attitudes towards it. Fundamental education is therefore the kind of education aimed at

realizing a sustainable living for mankind as a whole. (Asmawati Desa, 2012).

A study conducted in 2006 at Massey University in New Zealand investigated on-campus

attitudes toward a university recycling program and found trends in attitudes towards recycling

across the campus. One of the most significant findings in its overall acceptance was the suggestion

to increase recycling signage across the campus (Kelly et. al., 2006). A 1998 study focused on

making effective instructional recycling signs, specifically using schema theory to increase
comprehension. This approach resulted in both an increase in recycling rates as well as improved

quality and cleanliness of the material recycled (Werner et al., 1998).

While paper materials are an essential part of classrooms in higher education, as Chapman

University continues to grow they must become more conscious about their paper usage and

developing more green classrooms. According the Green School Initiative, Americans now use

about 31.5 million tons of printing and writing paper each year, meaning 660 pounds per person,

which requires 535 million trees (most from virgin tree fiber) and 12 billion gallons of oil for its

manufacturing. As a result of this impact, it is essential for institutions to start developing new

goals to combat this growing contributor to the waste stream. Currently the EPA has noted that the

decomposition of paper not only releases a large amount of methane, but 38 percent of all waste

is from paper, and of that 38 percent, 50 percent of that waste comes from schools (Green Schools

Initiatives, 2016). By reducing paper waste in a classroom setting it would have the ability to

divert waste while fostering an appreciation for the importance to sustainability in higher

education. In a study completed at the University of Michigan, students implemented a paperless

policy in the Business and Finance department and found that moving towards a paperless campus

overall enhanced communication and provided a unique learning experience. By implementing

paperless policies within one department they were able to: save money, reduce waste, create an

organized online system for all documents, increased time for staff to focus on other tasks, and

increase communication 8 between students and faculty (Artley, Blankenship, et al. 2011).