BRIAN KENT S.

NACALABAN
ES09- ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

What can we do to help our environment? What does the government doing to
address these concerns? These are just some of the queries that arises when the
topic Solid Waste Management is brought up. But do you know that there is a law
pertaining to these concerns? Yes, there is and its RA 9003 or the Philippine
Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 provides the legal
framework for the countrys systematic, comprehensive, and ecological solid waste
management program that shall ensure protection of public health and the
environment. It emphasizes the need to create the necessary mechanisms and
incentives to pursue an effective solid waste management at the local government
levels.

Features of RA 9003 are the following;

1. Creation of the:

National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC)- responsible in the

formulation of the National Solid Waste Management Framework (NSWMF) and
other policies on solid waste.

National Ecology Center (NEC)- responsible for consulting, information, training

and networking services relative to the implementation of R.A. No. 9003.

Solid Waste Management Board- responsible for the development of their

respective solid waste management plans.

2. Formulation of the NSWMF: 10-year solid management plans by local

government units;

3. Mandatory segregation of solid waste to be conducted primarily at the source

such as household, institutional, industrial, commercial and agricultural sources;

4. Setting of minimum requirements to ensure systematic collection and

transport of wastes and the proper protection of garbage collectors' health;

5. Establishment of reclamation programs and buy-back centers for recyclable

and toxic materials

6. Promotion of eco-labeling in local products and services;

7. Prohibition on non-environmentally acceptable products and packaging;

8. Establishment of Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in every barangay or

cluster of barangays Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is where recyclable
materials that are collected from households are sorted into different types (e.g.
plastics, cardboard, paper, metal) using a mixture of manual and automated
methods.

9. Prohibition against the use of open dumps;

BRIAN KENT S. NACALABAN
ES09- ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

10. Setting of guidelines/criteria for the establishment of controlled dumps and

sanitary landfills

11. Provision of rewards, incentives both monetary and non-monetary, financial

assistance, grants and the like to encourage LGUs and the general public to
undertake effective solid waste management; and

12. Promotion of research on solid waste management and environmental

education in the formal and non-formal sectors.

Whats next? After knowing this law is it just right to follow it? Assess your
community. Tell them what they lack and suggest for improvements. Ask and inform
the people you know, tell them what is this law about. Our world is pretty messed
up so dont wait for anyone to change it for you. Change the status quo yourself. Be
the change you want to see in the world. There are plenty things each of us can do
and contribute. It is just a matter of perspective.