Chapter II

LEGAL BASES, REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

     This chapter contains some related studies and related literature having bearing on the study.
This gave important concepts and ideas for the development of the study.

LEGAL BASES

    Solid waste shall refer to all discarded household, commercial waste, non-hazardous
institutional and industrial waste, street sweepings, construction debris, agricultural waste, and
other non-hazardous/non-toxic solid waste. 

    Solid waste management shall refer to the discipline associated with the control of generation,
storage, collection, transfer and transport, processing, and disposal of solid wastes in a manner
that is in accord with the best principles of public health, economics, engineering, conservation,
aesthetics, and other environmental considerations, and that is also responsive to public attitudes.
Ecological solid waste management shall refer to the systematic administration of activities
which provide for segregation at source, segregated transportation, storage, transfer, processing,
treatment, and disposal of solid waste and all other waste management activities which do not
harm the environment. 

    Article 4 Recycling Program Section 26 of R.A 9003 Inventory of Existing Markets for
Recyclable Materials. The DTI shall within six (6) months from the effectively of this Act and in
cooperation with the Department, the DILG and other concerned agencies and sectors, publish a
study of existing markets for processing and purchasing recyclable materials and the potential
steps necessary to expand these markets. Such study shall include, but not be limited to, an
inventory of existing markets for recyclable materials, product standards for recyclable and
recycled materials, and a proposal, developed in conjunction with the appropriate agencies, to
stimulate the demand for the production of products containing post-consumer and recovered
materials.

    Disposal shall refer to the discharge, deposit, dumping, spilling, leaking or placing of any solid
waste into or in a land. 
    Section 25 of R.A 9003. Guidelines for Transfer Stations. Transfer stations shall be designed
and operated for efficient waste handling capacity and in compliance with environmental
standards and guidelines set pursuant to this Act and other regulations: Provided, That no waste
shall be stored in such station beyond twenty-four (24) hours. The siting of the transfer station
shall consider the land use plan, proximity to collection area, and accessibility of haul routes to
disposal facility. The design shall give primary consideration to size and space sufficiency in
order to accommodate the waste for storage and vehicles for loading and unloading of wastes.

RELATED LITERATURE

Solid waste management

    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 faeces 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
allen 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 Municipal Council enacted an ordinance establishing solid waste management also known
as “Perkash Fashura Ordinance Na Isadanga.”The ordinance prohibits dumping of garbage
anywhere other than those recognized and established garbage facilities; dumping of unclean and
unsegregated waste at the redemption center/facility; discharging of human feces along the
creeks and rivers; throwing of wastes in creeks, rivers, public places such as roads, sidewalks and
establishments; and burning of garbage particularly non-biodegradable wastes. It also requires
residents to practice segregation of wastes at source. Reusable solid wastes such as bottles,
plastics, cellophanes and papers shall be brought to the barangay material recovery facility duly
segregated or directly to the agent-buyers. Non-recyclable materials and special solid wastes will
be brought to the material recovery facility, while hazardous wastes or chemicals will be
disposed in coordination with concerned government agencies according to prescribed methods.
The local government is responsible for collecting reusable, recyclable and non-biodegradable
waste materials from the material recovery facilities; and transporting them to the recycling
centers and or to the municipal material recovery facility. Collection of segregated solid wastes
is scheduled per barangay (Saley, 2012).

3R’s (Reduce Reuse Recycle)

        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). 

        Australia may be a large country, but we live in a throw-away society that is rapidly filling
it with our waste. Our insatiable desire to constantly upgrade disposable technology and consume
over-packaged products has continued unabated for decades. At the same time however, there
has been a trend away from both burning waste in incinerators and burying it in landfills. Waste
management policies now seek to minimize waste disposal by reducing its generation and by
reusing and recycling. This book reveals the extent of our growing waste problem and examines
the waste and recycling practices of households, and includes many tips on how to reduce, reuse
and recycle. Topics include green waste, plastics, glass, paper, metal and electronic waste
(Healey, 2010).

DISPOSAL

    There are many stringent regulations governing the treatment and disposal of waste in the UK,
both onshore and offshore, and in most other countries as well. Facilities involved in waste transfer
and treatment require licenses, and all personnel who work at such facilities require the proper kind
of training that goes with the handling of waste that can often be dangerous if not handled properly.
Waste management facilities also need to be able to respond quickly to emergency situations. By
their very nature there is rarely any warning that an emergency is about to occur. For that reason
emergency response teams need to be on standby every hour of every day, and every day of every
year. Waste management disposal and treatment can originate from both domestic and industrial
sources (Rose, 2009).

Local studies
    The experiences and practices of household waste
management of people in a barangay (village) in Manila,
Philippines are documented. The data were gathered through
an interview with household members using open-ended
questions. Interviews were also conducted with garbage
collectors as well as scavengers. Results showed that the
households generated an average of 3.2 kg of solid waste per
day, or 0.50 kg/capita/day. The types of wastes commonly
generated are food/kitchen wastes, papers, PET bottles,
metals, and cans, boxes/cartons, glass bottles,
cellophane/plastics, and yard/garden wastes. The respondents
segregate their wastes into PET bottles, glass bottles, and
other waste (mixed wastes). No respondents perform
composting. It is worth noting, however, that burning of
waste is not done by the respondents. The households rely on
garbage collection by the government. Collection is done
twice daily, except Sundays, and household members bring
their garbage when the garbage truck arrives. However, there
are those who dump their garbage in non-designated pick-up
points, usually in a corner of the street. The dumped garbage
becomes a breeding ground for disease-causing organisms.
Some household respondents said that it is possible that the
dumping in certain areas caused the dengue fever suffered by
some of their family members. Mothers and household
helpers are responsible for household waste management.
Scavengers generally look for recyclable items in the
dumped garbage. All of them said that it is their only source
of income, which is generally not enough for their meals.
Most of the respondents said that garbage collection and
disposal is the responsibility of the government. The results
of the study showed that RA 9003, also known as the
Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, is not
fully implemented in Metro Manila (Bernardo, 2008).
    This study highlights the results of the study that was
conducted to analyze the solid waste management practices
of the waste generators, and the extent of their compliance
with the Republic Act 9003, otherwise known as the
Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. The study
was conducted in Bacolod City, Philippines in 2007. The
findings of this study served as basis in developing a
handbook on solid waste management (Ballados, 2010).
    The Motiong town government in Samar has vowed to
intensify the implementation of its Solid Waste Management
Program after barangay chairmen here took at one-day
seminar-workshop on the program. The activity was held at
the Legislative Building here last Wednesday, August
29.Motiong Mayor Francisco M. Langi Sr. said 30 barangay
chairmen of his municipality attended said seminar-
workshop sponsored by the town government conducted
Municipal Planning and Development Officer, Engr.
NicasioPermejo. Langi said all the barangay chairmen were
educated on the provisions of the Solid Waste Management
Act of 2003 so that they would be acquainted with and help
implement the law in their respective barangays and
propagate environmental preservation. He said the town
government will strictly implement the “no segregation, no
collection policy” in all of Motiong’s barangays and urged
the barangay officials to put up a Materials Recovery Facility
(MRF) where they can segregate bio-degradable and non-
biodegradable waste materials. Such materials can be turned
into a livelihood as, according to Langi, “there is money in
junk” (Abrematea, 2012).