1/12/2023

ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH
CHN TEAM

What is environmental health?

“It is the characteristics of environmental

conditions that affect the quality of
health. It is the aspect of public health
that is concerned with those forms of
life, substances, forces, and conditions in
the surroundings or person that may exert
an influence on human health and well-
being.”
IRR, Code of Sanitation (PD 856) Chapter XX, 1998

What is environmental health?

“It comprises of those aspects of human

health, including quality of life, that are
determined by physical, chemical,
biological, social and psychosocial factors
in the environment.”
Wor ld Health Or ganization (WHO), 1993

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WATER
SANITATION

LEVELS OF SAFE WATER SOURCES

LEVEL I (Point Source)

- Refers to a protected well (shallow or deep well),
improved dug well, developed spring, or rainwater
cistern with an outlet but without a distribution
system. A level I facility is generally adaptable for
rural areas where the houses are thinly scattered. It
would normally serve 15-25 households and its
outreach must not be more than 250 meters from
the farthest user. The yield or discharge is generally
from 40-140 liters/minute.

LEVELS OF SAFE WATER SOURCES

LEVEL II (Communal Faucet System

or Standpost)
- refers to a system composes of a source, a
reservoir, a piped distribution network, and a
communal faucet located not more than 25 meters
from the farthest house. It is generally suitable for
rural and urban areas. The typical level II system is
designed to deliver 40-80 liters per capita per day to
an average of 100 households, with one faucet per
4-6 households.

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LEVELS OF SAFE WATER SOURCES

LEVEL III (Waterworks System)

- refers to a system with a source,
transmission pipes, a reservoir, and a piped
distribution network for household taps. It is
generally suited for densely populated areas.
This level of facility requires minimum
treatment of disinfection. Examples of this
include water districts with individual
household connections.

DOH Administrative Order

No. 2007-0012, otherwise
known as the
Philippine National Standards
for Drinking Water

GENERAL REQUIREMENT FOR

SAFE DRINKING WATER

1. Microbial quality tested through the

parameters of total coliform, fecal
coliform and heterotrophic plate count.
2. Chemical and physical quality tested
through the parameters of pH, chemical-
specific levels, color, odor, turbidity,
hardness, and total dissolved solids.
3. Radiological quality tested through the
parameters of gross alpha activity, gross
beta and radon.

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COMPONENTS OF A
WATER SAFETY PLAN

1. SYSTEM ASSESSMENT
- To help determine if the
drinking water supply chain as a
whole can deliver water of
quality that meets health-based
targets.

COMPONENTS OF A
WATER SAFETY PLAN

2. OPERATIONAL MONITORING
- To identify control measures in a
drinking water system that will
collectively control identified
risks and ensure that the health-
based targets are met, and to
rapidly detect deviation from
required performance.

COMPONENTS OF A
WATER SAFETY PLAN

3. MANAGEMENT PLAN
- To describe actions to be
taken during normal operations
or incident conditions.

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REPUBLIC ACT 9275

Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004
This is the national law on water quality
management which directed the DENR to act as
the lead agency in the implementation and
enforcement of this law. It also directed the
DOH to be primarily responsible for the
promulgation, revision, enforcement of
drinking water quality standards.

WATER SAFETY PROVISIONS under

PD 856 (Code of Sanitation
of the Philippines)
1. Washing and bathing within a radius
of 25 meters from any well or other
source of drinking water is prohibited.

WATER SAFETY PROVISIONS under

PD 856 (Code of Sanitation
of the Philippines)
2. No artisans, deep, or shallow well shall be
constructed within 25 meters from any source
of pollution (septic tank, sewage system).
Drilling of wells within 50 meters from a
cemetery is also prohibited.

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WATER SAFETY PROVISIONS under

PD 856 (Code of Sanitation
of the Philippines)
3. No radioactive material or source
shall be stored within a radius of 25
meters from any well or source of
drinking water unless the radioactive
material is enclosed by proper shielding.

WATER SAFETY PROVISIONS under

PD 856 (Code of Sanitation
of the Philippines)
4. No dwellings shall be constructed
within the catchment area of a
protected spring water source and it
shall be off-limits to people and
animals.

TREATMENT OF
WATER IN CASE OF
EMERGENCY

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PRETREATMENT PROCESSES:

1. AERATION – this is done to remove volatile

substance, reduce carbon dioxide content
and oxidize dissolved minerals in preparation
for sedimentation and filtration. Aeration is
shaking a container that is partially full of
water for about 5 minutes.

2. SETTLEMENT – allowing water to stand

undisturbed in a dark for a day. This causes
death to about 50% of most harmful bacteria
and suspended solid.

3. FILTRATION – done by utilizing filters to

block particles while allowing water to pass
through.

DISINFECTION PROCESSES:

1. BOILING – water should be brought to a

“rolling boil” and kept in that state for one
minute at sea level. If in higher altitudes,
water should be kept in a boil for three
minutes.

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2. CHEMICAL DISINFECTION – the use of

chemicals like chlorine which kills almost all
viruses and bacteria.

3. SOLAR DISINFECTION – done by filling

transparent plastic containers 1 to 2 liters in size
with clear water and exposing them to direct
sunlight for 5 hours. If the sky is cloudy, expose
them for two consecutive days.

AIR PURITY

REPUBLIC ACT No. 8749

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL POLICY
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

PHILIPPINE CLEAN AIR

ACT OF 1999

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a) The right to breathe clean air;

b) The right to utilize and enjoy all natural

resources according to the principle of
sustainable development;

c) The right to participate in the formulation,

planning, implementation and monitoring of
environmental policies and programs and in the
decision-making process;

d) The r ight to par ticipate in the decision-making pr ocess

concer ning development policies, plans and pr ogr ams
pr ojects or activities that may have adver se impact on the
envir onment and public health;

e) The r ight to be infor med of the natur e and ex tent of the

potential hazar d of any activity, under taking or project and
to be ser ved timely notice of any significant r ise in the level
of pollution and the accidental or deliber ate r elease into the
atmospher e of har mful or hazar dous substances;

f) The r ight of access to public r ecor ds w hich a citizen may

need to ex er cise his or her r ights effectively under this Act;

g) The right to bring action in court or quasi-

judicial bodies to enjoin all activities in
violation of environmental laws and
regulations, to compel the rehabilitation and
cleanup of affected area, and to seek the
imposition of penal sanctions against violators
of environmental laws; and
h) The right to bring action in court for
compensation of personal damages resulting
from the adverse environmental and public
health impact of a project or activity.

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SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9003

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 THEREFOR, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES.
This Act shall be known as the “Ec ological Solid
W aste Management Act of 2000”

What is solid waste management?

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

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SOLID WASTES CLASSIFICATION

1.Municipal Waste
2.Health Care Waste
3.Industrial Waste
4.Hazardous Waste

MUNICIPAL WASTE
This refers to all discarded
nonhazardous household
commercial and Institutional
waste, street sweepings, and
construction debris.

HEALTHCARE WASTE
This refers to the refuse that is
generated in the diagnosis,
treatment or immunization of
human beings or animals together
with those related to the
production or research of the
same.

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HEALTHCARE WASTE
CLASSIFICATIONS OF HEALTHCARE WASTE:
1. Infectious Waste
2. Pathological Wastes
3. Pharmaceutical Wastes
4. Chemical Wastes
5. Sharps
6. Radioactive Wastes

HEALTHCARE WASTE
1.INFECTIOUS WASTES
- Are those suspected to contain
bacterial, viral, parasitic or fungal
pathogens in sufficient concentration
so as to cause disease.

HEALTHCARE WASTE
2. PATHOLOGICAL WASTES
- These refers to tissues, organs, body
parts, human fetuses, animal
carcasses, blood and body fluids.
- Recognizable human and body parts
may also be called as anatomical
waste.

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HEALTHCARE WASTE
3. PHARMACEUTICAL WASTES
- Refers to pharmaceutical products
such as drugs, vaccines, and sera that
are no longer required and need to be
disposed of appropriately.

HEALTHCARE WASTE
4. CHEMICAL WASTE
- Includes the varied states of chemical
matter from clinical or laboratory
activities, environmental work,
housekeeping, and disinfecting
procedures.
- May also be considered as hazardous
waste but is better termed as hazardous
chemical waste.

HEALTHCARE WASTE
5. SHARPS
- Includes biomedical wastes that could
cause cuts, or puncture wounds.
- Needles, broken glass, scalpel blades

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HEALTHCARE WASTE
6. RADIOACTIVE WASTES
- Includes sealed radiation sources
typically used in cancer treatment,
liquid and gaseous materials
contaminated with radioactivity and
excreta of patients who underwent
radionuclide diagnostic and
therapeutic application.

INDUSTRIAL WASTE
This refers to the refuse that
arise from production and from
agricultural, and mining
industries.

HAZARDOUS WASTE
These are substances that pose either
an immediate or long term substantial
danger to human because of possessing
any of the following:
1. Toxic
2. Corrosive (pH <2 or pH >12)
3. Flammable
4. Reactive (explosives)
5. Genotoxic

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WASTE BIN CODING

• BLACK OR COLORLESS - nonhazardous and non-
biodegradable waste.
• GREEN - nonhazardous biodegradable wastes
• YELLOW WITH BIOHAZARD SYMBOL – pathological or
anatomical waste
• YELLOW WITH BLACK BAND – pharmaceutical,
cytotoxic or chemical waste.
• YELLOW BAG THAT CAN BE AUTOCLAVED -
infectious wastes
• ORANGE WITH RADIOACTIVE SYMBOL - radioactive
wastes

PROHIBITED ACTS
(1) Litter ing, throwing, dumping of w aste matter s in public
places, such as r oads, sidew alks, canals, ester os or par ks,
and establishment, or causing or per mitting the same;
(2) Under taking activities or oper ating, collecting or
tr anspor ting equipment in violation of sanitation oper ation
and other r equir ements or per mits set for th in or established
pur suant to this Act;
(3) The open bur ning of solid w aste;
(4) Causing or per mitting the collection of non-segr egated or
unsor ted w aste;
(5) Squatting in open dumps and landfills;

PROHIBITED ACTS
(6) Open dumping, burying of biodegradable or non-
biodegradable materials in flood-prone areas;
(7) Unauthorized removal of recyclable material
intended for collection by authorized persons;
(8) The mixing of source-separated recyclable
material with other solid waste in any vehicle, box,
container or receptacle used in solid waste
collection or disposal;
(9) Establishment or operation of open dumps as
enjoined in this Act, or closure of said dumps
(10) The manufacture, distribution or use of non-
environmentally acceptable packaging materials;

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PROHIBITED ACTS
(11) Importation of consumer products packaged in
non-environmentally acceptable materials;
(12) Importation of toxic wastes misrepresented as
“recyclable” or “with recyclable content”;
(13) Transport and dumping in bulk of collected
domestic, industrial, commercial and institutional
wastes in areas other than centers of facilities
prescribed under this Act;

PROHIBITED ACTS
(14) Site preparation, construction, expansion or
operation of waste management facilities without
an Environmental Compliance Certificate required
pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 1586 and this
Act and not conforming with the land use plan of the
LGU;
(15) The construction of any establishment within
two hundred (200) meters from open dumps or
controlled dumps or sanitary landfills; and
(16) The construction or operation of landfills or any
waste disposal facility on any aquifer, groundwater
reservoir or watershed area and or any portions
thereof;

FOOD SAFETY

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WHAT IS FOOD SAFETY?

Food Safety is the

assurance/guarantee that food
will not cause harm to the
consumers when it is prepared
and/or eaten according to its
intended use.

FOOD AND WATER-BORNE DISEASES

Food-borne and water-borne

diseases are groups of illness
caused by any infectious
(bacteria, viruses and parasites)
and non-infectious agents
(chemical, animal and plant
toxins).

COMMON CAUSES OF FOOD-BORNE

AND WATER-BORNE DISEASES
1. Unsafe sources of drinkng water
2. Improper disposal of human waste
3. Unhygienic practices like spitting
anywhere, blowing or picking the nose
4. Unsafe food handling and preparation
practices i.e. street vended foods

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FIVE KEYS TO SAFER FOOD SOURCE

1. Keep Clean.
2. Separate raw and cooked foods.
3. Cook foods thoroughly.
4. Keep food at safe temperatures.
5. Use safe water and raw
materials.

In case of Suspected Foodborne Illnesses

1. Preserve the evidence. If a portion of the
suspected food is available, wrap it securely
“danger” and freeze it.
2. Seek treatment as necessary. If symptoms
persists or are severe (i.e. bloody diarrhea,
excessive nausea and vomiting or high
temperature), immediately consult a doctor.
3. Report the incidence to the local health
department.

FOUR RIGHTS IN FOOD SAFETY

RIGHT SOURCE:
✓Always buy fresh meat, fish, fruits & vegetables.
✓Always look for the expiry dates of processed
foods and avoid buying the expired ones.
✓Avoid buying canned foods with dents, bulges,
deformation, broken seals and improperly seams.
✓Use water only from clean and safe sources.
✓When in doubt of the water source, boil water for
3 minutes.

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FOUR RIGHTS IN FOOD SAFETY

RIGHT PREPARATION:
✓Avoid contact between raw foods and cooked
foods.
✓Always buy pasteurized milk and fruit juices.
✓Wash vegetables well if to be eaten raw such as
lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes & carrots.
✓Always wash hands and kitchen utensils before
and after preparing food.
✓Sweep kitchen floors to remove food droppings
and prevent the harbor of rats & insects.

FOUR RIGHTS IN FOOD SAFETY

RIGHT COOKING:
✓Cook food thoroughly.
✓Temperature on all parts of the food
should reach 70 degrees centigrade.
✓Eat cooked food immediately.
✓Wash hands thoroughly before and
after eating.

FOUR RIGHTS IN FOOD SAFETY

RIGHT STORAGE:
✓ All cooked foods should be left at room temperature for NOT more than
two hours to prevent multiplication of bacteria.
✓ Store cooked foods carefully. Be sure to use tightly sealed containers for
storing food.
✓ Be sure to store food under hot conditions (at least or above 60 degrees
centigrade) or in cold conditions (below or equal to 10 degrees
centigrade). This is vital if you plan to store food for more than four to five
hours.
✓ Foods for infants should not be stored at all. It should always be freshly
prepared.
✓ Do not overburden the refrigerator by filling it with too large quantities of
warm food.
✓ Reheat stored food before eating. Food should be reheated to at least 70
degrees centigrade.

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SANITATION

WHAT IS SANITATION?
Sanitation refers to the provision of
facilities and services for the safe
management of human excreta from the
toilet to containment and storage and
treatment onsite or conveyance,
treatment and eventual safe end use or
disposal.

Benefits of improved sanitation include:

• r educing the spread of intestinal worms, schistosomiasis and
tr achoma, which are neglected tropical diseases that cause
suffer ing for millions;
• r educing the severity and impact of malnutrition;
• pr omoting dignity and boosting safety, particularly among women
and girls;
• pr omoting school attendance: girls’ school attendance is
par ticularly boosted by the provision of separate sanitary
facilities; and
• potential r ecovery of water, renewable energy and nutrients fr om
fecal w aste.

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SANITARY PRIVY

WHAT IS A PRIVY?
It is a toilet system that is
not connected to a
sewerage system

SANITARY PRIVY
COMPONENTS OF A SANITARY PRIVY
1. Earthen pit
2. Floor covering the pit
3. Water sealed bowl
It is to note that w ooden floor s and seat r iser s are not to be
used anymor e. The floor ing should cover the pit tightly and
joined to the bow l w ith a w ater -tight and insect pr oof joint.
The pit should be at least 1m2 w ide.

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COMMON SANITATION
FACILITIES IN THE COMMUNITY
1. BOX AND CAN PRIV Y (BUCKET LATRINE) - Fecal matter is
collected in a can or bucket, which is per iodically r emoved
for emptying and cleaning.
2. PIT LATRINE (PIT PRIVY) - Fecal matter is eliminated into
a hole in the gr ound that leads to a dug pit. Gener ally, a
latr ine r efer s to toilet facilities without a bowl. It can be
equipped with either a squatting plate or a r iser with a seat.
3. ANTIPOLO TOILET - It is made up of an elevated pit pr ivy
that has a cover ed latr ine.
4. SEPTIC PRIVY - Fecal matter is collected in a build septic
tank that is not connected to a sewer age system.

COMMON SANITATION
FACILITIES IN THE COMMUNITY
5. AQUA PRIV Y - fecal matter is eliminated into a water -
sealed dr op pipe that leads fr om the latr ine to a small
water filled septic tank located dir ectly below the squatting
plate.
6. OV ERHUNG LATRINE - fecal matter is dir ectly eliminated
into a body of water such as a flowing r iver that is
under neath the facility.
7. V ENTILATED-IMPROVED PIT (VIP) LATRINE - is a pit latr ine
with a scr eened air vent installed dir ectly over the pit.
8. CONCRETE VAULT PRIVY - fecal matter is collected in a pit
pr ivy lined with a concr ete in such a manner so as to make
it water tight.

COMMON SANITATION
FACILITIES IN THE COMMUNITY

9. CHEMICAL PRIVY - Fecal matter is collected into a

tank that contains a caustic chemical solution, which
in turn controls and facilitates the waste
decomposition.
10. COMPOST PRIVY - fecal matter is collected into a
pit with urine ad anal cleansing materials with the
addition of organic garbage such as leaves and grass
to allow biological decomposition and production of
agricultural or fishpond compost.

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COMMON SANITATION
FACILITIES IN THE COMMUNITY
11. POUR FLUSH LATRINE - it has a bowl with a
water seal trap similar to the conventional tank
flush toilet expect that it requires only a small
volume of water for flushing.
12. TANK-FLUSH TOILET - feces are excreted into
a bowl with a water sealed trap. The water tank
that receives a limited amount of water empties
into the bowl for flushing of fecal materials
through the water sealed trap and into the
sewerage system.

Consistently with NSO and DOH definitions,

the following types of sanitation facilities
are considered as sanitary in this
document:
✓Water-sealed connected to a sewer/septic
tank, used exclusively by household;
✓Water-sealed connected to other
depository, used exclusively by household;
✓Closed pit used exclusively by household.

The follow ing types of sanitation facilities/pr actices ar e

consider ed as unsanitar y:
✓Water -sealed, sew er /septic tank, shar ed w ith other
households;
✓Water -sealed, other depositor y, shar ed w ith other
households;
✓Closed pit shar ed;
✓Open pit;
✓Hanging toilets;
✓Other unsanitar y types of pr actise;
✓Open defecation.

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VERMIN AND
VECTOR CONTROL

VERMIN — a group of insects such as

flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, lice,
ticks, and bedbugs, or small animals such
as mice and rats that are vectors of
diseases.
INSECTS — flies, mosquitoes,
cockroaches, lice, ticks, and bedbugs,
fleas, ants and other arthropods.

PEST — any destructive or unwanted insect or

other small animals that cause annoyance,
discomfort, nuisance or transmission of disease
to humans and damage to structures.
RODENT — small mammals such as rats and
mice, characterized by constantly growing
incisor teeth used for gnawing or nibbling.
VECTOR — any organism that transmit infection
by inoculation into the skin.

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VERMIN ABATEMENT PROGRAM

A series of preventive and control activities or
procedures to eliminate or reduce the
presence of vermin in land, public places,
public places establishments, buildings and
residences, food establishments, markets,
ports, airports, vessels, aircraft or any means
of conveyances and other similar
establishments

STRATEGIES OF VERMIN ABATEMENT PROGRAM

1. It must be community-wide and community-
participated
2. It must be technically coordinated
3. It must be continuing
4. It must be basically a partnership between the
private and government sectors
5. It should preferably utilize indigenous technology
and resources to attain self-reliance.

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