Earth and

Life
Science
Quarter 1 - Module
Waste

This instructional material was collaboratively developed and reviewed by educators from
public and private schools, colleges, and or/universities. We encourage teachers and other
education stakeholders to email their feedback, comments, and recommendations to the
Department of Education at action@ deped.gov.ph.

We value your feedback and recommendations.

Department of Education ● Republic of the Philippines

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 Table of Contents

What This Module is About....................................................................................................... i

What I Need to Know................................................................................................................ i
How to Learn from this Module................................................................................................. ii
Icons of this Module.................................................................................................................. ii

What I Know............................................................................................................................. iii

Lesson 1:
Types of Waste......................................................................... 1
What’s In...............................................................................................................1
What’s New...........................................................................................................1
What Is It..............................................................................................................2
What’s More.........................................................................................................4
What I Have Learned............................................................................................5
What I Can Do.......................................................................................................5

Lesson 1:
Human Activity and the Environment..................................... 7
What’s New...........................................................................................................7
What Is It..............................................................................................................8
What’s More A......................................................................................................11
What’s More B......................................................................................................12
What I Have Learned.............................................................................................13
What’s I Can Do....................................................................................................14

Summary................................................................................................................................... 15
Assessment: (Post-Test)............................................................................................................. 16
References................................................................................................................................. 19
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Module 7
What This Module is About

Pollution degrades the environment for humans and other living things. Because human
actions are the major cause of pollution, we can do something to prevent or minimize it. This is the
reason why we are currently looking for modern solutions to solve the growing problem of waste and
pollution.
In the previous module, you have learned about soil conservation and protection for the next
generation to enjoy and experience. Now, let us dig deeper and learn concepts about the types of
waste and explain how it affects us as well as the environment.

This module is consists of activities that will help develop your critical thinking skills to have
a better and deeper understanding of the planet you live in.

The following are the lessons contained in this module: Types

of waste
Effects of waste on human health and the environment

What I Need to Know

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

1. Describe how people generate different types of waste (solid, liquid, and gaseous) as they
make use of various resources in everyday life
2. Explain how different types of waste affect people’s health and the environment

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How to Learn from this Module
To achieve the objectives cited above, you are to do the following:
• Take your time reading the lessons carefully.
• Follow the directions and/or instructions in the activities and exercises diligently.
• Answer all the given tests and exercises.

Icons of this Module

What I Need to This part contains learning objectives that are

Know set for you to learn as you go along the module.

What I know This is an assessment as to your level of

knowledge to the subject matter at hand,
meant specifically to gauge prior related
knowledge
What’s In This part connects previous lesson with that of
the current one.

What’s New An introduction of the new lesson through

various activities, before it will be presented to
you

What is It These are discussions of the activities as a way

to deepen your discovery and under- standing
of the concept.

What’s More These are follow-up activities that are in-

tended for you to practice further in order to
master the competencies.

What I Have Activities designed to process what you have

Learned learned from the lesson

What I can do These are tasks that are designed to show- case
your skills and knowledge gained, and applied
into real-life concerns and situations.

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 What I Know

Pretest: MULTIPLE CHOICE:

Directions: Read and understand each item and choose the letter of the correct answer. Use separate
answer sheet of paper.

1.E-waste is being sent to landfill at three times the rate of general waste. What types of
appliances make up the greatest percentage of e-waste?
A. copper wirings C. Electrical wires and plugs
B. cellphone, cases, and gadgets D. Washing machines & air conditioners
2. Used pizza boxes should be...?
A. composted C. thrown away
B. reused D. reduced
3.What is it that we get rid of, thrown away, or do not use?
A. garbage C. waste
B. landfill D. Dirt
4. How many times can glass be recycled?
A. 5 years C. never
B. 1 month D. Indefinitely
5. What is the process of reclaiming raw materials and reusing them to create new products?
A. recycling C, reducing
B. composting D. Reusing
6. Which recycling bin does soda cans go?
A. plastic C. paper
B. metal D. none of the choices
7. How does recycling help the Earth and the environment?
A. makes more garbage C. less pollution
B. helps people make more waste D. causing less garbage
8. Which of the following items should NOT be put in a compost?
A. plastic containers C. leaves
B.food scraps D. wood clippings
9. What is termed as the conversion of organic waste into a substance that helps make the soil
healthier?
A. incineration C. composting
B. recycling D. biodegration
10. Which is NOT considered hazardous waste?
A. car battery C. electronic devices
B. clothing D. auto fluids
11. What can you recycle?
A. paper, plastic, glass, metal C. dirty diapers
B.food D. hair
12. What is recycling?
A. wasting stuff C. making clothing
B. reusing items D. buying more
13. Which of the following materials is non-biodegradable?
A. plants B. plastic C. banana peel D. paper
14. What does reduce mean?
A. using more B. using less C. save the Earth D. waste
15. Why are composting and recycling beneficial?
A. reduces amount of waste C. increases waste
B. makes us rich D. because our parents

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 Types of Waste
Lesson

1
What’s In

Activity #1: Identifying Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable Waste

Identification. Label B if it is a Biodegradable waste and NB if it is a Non-biodegradable
waste.

1. Hair 6. AA battery
2. Plastic bottles 7. vegetables
3. Skin of fruits 8. metals
4. Papers 9. Fabrics/cloth rags
5. Milk tea bottle 10. Cardboard box

By knowing how to identify non-biodegradable and biodegradable waste, we can now move on onto
how we, humans, generate waste as we make use of different resources we have.

What’s New
Activity #2: Checklist
Directions: Check which of the following activities you follow and answer the corresponding
guide questions in 2-5 sentences.

Bringing an eco bag when going to the market or the malls.

Making a compost heap in the backyard.
Re-using papers by utilizing the clean back portion.
Donating my families’ clothes to the less fortunate.
Segregating our trash at home.
Using my tumbler for refilling my water and lunch box when buying a viand in
the canteen
Minimal use of disposable plates, utensils, and cups during family events.

Making toys or something useful out of recyclable materials.

Refusing the plastic straw in shops when buying milktea or other drinks.

Growing our own vegetables and fruits in our own backyard

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Guide Questions:

1. How many of those environment friendly activities have you done? Why do you
practice this?

2. How important are these simple things we do for our environment?

What Is It

In some parts of Cagayan de Oro, flooding is expected whenever there is strong rain and winds.
The aftermath of the flooding will have exposed another problem: poor waste management and the
clean-up of the streets due to garbage carelessly thrown everywhere. Read the article below to know
more about it.

It couldn’t be simpler than this: The recent flooding in Cagayan de Oro exposed the city’s lack of appropriate draina

Of course, an abundance of reasons could be easily factored in such as the obviously too much amount of rainwater,

Atfirst glance, irresponsible dumping of trash could easily be attributed to the lack of discipline among residents in t

Section 10. Role of LGUs in Solid Waste Management says that segregation and collection of solid waste shall be co

Source:

Waste is anything that we get rid of, throw away or do not use. While some items inarguably
cannot be used again, many are tossed before their time. Today, waste is a huge problem, affecting
every part of our environment, from our waterways to our atmosphere, our grassy fields to our forests,
our plants to people. Waste are broken down into four parts as written below:

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Four Different Types of Waste Generated by Humans

1. Liquid Waste

Liquid waste is commonly found both in households as well as in industries. This waste includes dirty water, or

Waste water may also contain organic substances and nutrients that are of value to agriculture, or may
be hazardous die to the chemicals or pathogens it contains like liquid waste bloodfrom hospitals.

2. Solid Waste

Solid waste can include a variety of items found in your household along with commercial and
industrial locations.

Plastic waste – This consists of bags, containers, jars, bottles and many other products that can
befound in your household. Plastic is not biodegradable, but many types of plastic can be
recycled.
Paper/card waste – This includes packaging materials, newspapers, cardboards and other
products.
Tins and metals – appliances, product packaging, paint cans
Ceramics and glass – figurines, jalousie, wine or liquor bottles. Glass can be recycled indefinitely.

3. Organic Waste
Organicwaste is another common household. All food waste such as raw peelings and stems, garden waste such as grass

Organic waste in landfills causes the release of greenhouse gases like methane, so it must never be simply discarded w

4. Hazardous Waste

These wastes CANNOT be disposed of in regular garbage. Any product which is labeled WARNING, CAUTION, POI
REACTIVE or EXPLOSIVE should be considered hazardous. For example, buriedwastes can filter down through the s

Examples of theses wastes are batteries, fluorescent bulbs, electronics and small appliances, oil, gasoline, and auto fluid

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 What’s More

Activity #3: How Humans Generate Waste

Directions: Look around your house or your neighborhood. On the first column, list down the
different waste in the household or your neighborhood. On the second column, write how humans
generate these.

Types of Waste List of Items How Humans Generate These

Waste
Liquid
Ex: used cooking oil We use cooking oil for frying our
food

Solid

Organic

Hazardous

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 What Have I Learned

Activity #4: Reflection Writing

Directions: Answer the following questions in 3-5 sentences. Make it straight to the point. Write
legibly. (5 points)

1. After knowing about how humans generate waste in everyday life, what will you do to
reduce the build-up of waste? Cite concrete examples.

2. What types of solid waste do you produce in your home? What could be done to each type and
what goes to the disposal site or dumpsite?

What I Can Do

Activity #5: Research Activity

Direction: Using different resources (internet, books, TV documentaries, Youtube videos,
newspapers, etc), find out different countries’ waste management strategy. Fill out the last column
with the advantages of the programs. Fill out the guide question below.

Country Waste Management Program Advantages

Example: Methane Recovery From Waste Methane gases from the landfills
Management Project are being converted into
Philippines electricity.
Sweden

Germany

South Korea

Singapore

Netherlands

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1.What country do you like best with regards to their waste management program? Why?

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 Impacts of Waste to Human Health and
Lesson

2
The waste humans generate has been detrimental to the environment for quite some time now. Humans are generating t

At the end of this lesson, we will tackle how waste affects people’s health and the environment.

What’s New
Activity #1:Solid Waste Word Search
Directions: Find fifteen (15) words related to the lesson about waste by highlighting. List down
the 15 words you found on the boxes below.

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 1 9
2 10
3 11
4 12
5 13
6 14
7 15
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What Is It

We currently experience a growing problem on plastic and other waste.

Health impacts of Improper Waste Disposal

Modernization and progress has had its share of disadvantages and one of the main aspects of
concern is the pollution it is causing to the earth – be it land, air, and water. With increase in the
global population and the rising demand for food and other essentials, there has been a rise in the
amount of waste being generated daily by each household. This waste is ultimately thrown into
municipal waste collection centers from where it is collected by the area municipalities to be further
thrown into the landfills and dumps. However, either due to less resources or inefficient practices,
not all of this waste gets collected and transported to the final dumpsites. If at this stage the
management and disposal is improperly done, it can cause serious impacts on health and problems to
the surrounding environment.

Waste that is not properly managed, especially excretions and other liquid and solid
wastefrom households and the community, are a serious health hazard and lead to the spread of
infectious diseases. Unattended waste lying around attracts flies, rats, and other creatures that in turn
spread disease. Normally it is the wet waste that decomposes and releases a bad odor. This leads to
unhygienic conditions and thereby to a rise in the health problems.

Waste dumped near a water source also causes contamination of the water body or the ground water source. Direct dum
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 in the accumulation of toxic substances in the food chain through the plants and animals that feed on it.

Disposalof hospital and other medical waste also requires special attention since this cancreate major health hazard

Environmental impacts of Improper Waste Disposal

Methane – a big factor of Climate Change

A major environmental concern is gas release by decomposing garbage. Methane is a by-

product of the anaerobic respiration of bacteria, and these bacteria thrive on landfills with high
amounts of moisture. A second problem with these gases is their contribution to the enhanced
greenhousegas effect and climate change. Methane comesfrom two main sources: biological and
geological. Biological methane can be released from decay of organic waste, whereas geological
sources include natural seeps from fossil fuels and leaks from natural gas and coal mining operations.

Loss of Biodiversity

Demands for new landfill sites results in the clearing of large amounts of vegetation adn alterations to the natural enviro

Pollution

If a landfill site is not properly managed, a toxic pollutant known as leachate can escape into the surrounding gro

How can we eliminate waste and help the environment?

We can help by learning about and practicing the three R’s of waste management: Reduce,
reuse, and recycle. Practicing all three of these activities every day is not only important for a
healthy environment, but it can also be fun too. Everyone can become a key player in making our world a
safe and healthy place.

REDUCE
Reducingwaste is a matter of planning ahead. In the case of food, for example, there are many ways to reduce waste.

Only buy what you need

Bring your water bottle to school/anywhere you go rather than buying water that comes
in plastic bottles.
Bring your eco bag, lunch box, and food containers when buying food from
carenderias or restaurants.

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 Start a compost pile in the backyard. That way, instead of heading to landfill where it won’t
decompose for hundreds of years, food gets a second life as a great fertilizer. You can then
use your garden to grow food, and avoid having to buy fruits and vegetables that come in
packaging.

REUSE
Shop secondhand. It helps others make money off their unwanted items. At the same time, it
keeps old items out of the landfill and saves the resources and energy needed to make new
ones.
Be creative. For example: turning unused mason jars into decorative ornaments at home, sew
some old jeans into an apron, etc.
Turn used paper into art supplies or scrap paper for making shopping lists.

RECYCLE
Don’t just toss everything in the trash. Lots of things (like cans, bottles, paper, and cardboard) can be remade int

Here is a list of things you may be able to recycle

Aluminum cans Cardboard

Electronic equipment
Glass (particularly bottles and jars) Magazines/Newspaper
Metal
Paper
Plastic Bags & Bottles Steel
Cans

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 What’s More (A)

Activity #2: Picture Essay

Directions: Draw the effect of improper waste disposal to a.) human health and b.) the environment on the space

A.) Effect on Human Health

B. Effect on the Environment

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 What’s More (B)

Activity #3: Fill in the Table

Directions: Fill out the table below with the necessary information. You may write in sentence or bullet form. Refer to

Types How are these Effects on Human Effects on Ways to Eliminate

of wastes Health the
Waste Generated? Environment
Solid Used plastic bags Inhalation of Plastic is a toxic Using ecobags or
from the market microplastics if not pollutant to bayong when going
and other stores disposed properly, humans, plants, and to the market.
causing lung animals.
problems

Liquid

Solid

Organic

Hazardous

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 What I Have Learned
Activity #4: Journal Writing
Directions: Learn the value of your thoughts! Answer the following questions like you write on
your diary or journal. Write your thoughts in more five sentences or more. Expound your ideas and
be creative. Write legibly. You may use another sheet of paper.

1. Why is it important to reduce, reuse, and recycle?

2.What are the five ways our house or school could start recycling?

3.How could saving the environment make people healthier?

4.How can you teach people about proper waste segregation?

5.What policies could our city or municipality make to encourage waste segregation?

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 What I Can Do

Activity #5: Ecobrick Making

Directions: You are going to make an Ecobrick using PET bottles with loose non- biodegradable
waste. The bigger bottle, the more points you gain. Make sure to use existing non-biodegradable
waste for this project. Used Follow the directions below. Pass it to your science teacher within the
deadline set.

What isan EcoBrick?

An Ecobrick is a plastic bottle stuffed tightly with clean and dry non-recyclable materials. EcoBrick is a suitable buildin

EcoBrick is a sustainable way to reuse non-biodegradable plastic waste to keep plastic out of the ecosystem and preven

Doing EcoBricks is simply forming a habit of rather than throwing our garbage in the trash can, just put it in a disposa

Materials:

1L or 1.5L PET bottle

Long stick (wooden)
Dry non-biodegradable waste

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SUMMARY

Waste is anything that we get rid of, throw away or do not use. There are four types of
waste, namely: solid, liquid, hazardous, and organic
The waste humans generate has been detrimental to the environment for quite some time
now. Humans are generating too much trash and cannot deal with it in a sustainable way.
Waste that is not biodegradable and cannot be properly be recycled is filling our oceans and
landfills, thus killing wildlife animals. If we are not careful, itwill soon be the reason of our
demise.
We may imagine our impacts as ‘human-in-nature’—polluting oceans, stripping
mountains—but don’t forget, nature is also present within daily human life. Even in our
urban spaces, nature is embedded all around us, from the cotton in our clothes to the wood in
our furniture.
Though we people have caused grave imbalances in nature that now threaten us, we believe
that people also have the capacity to make meaningful change for or only
home and all those who share it. Let’s not forget that we are all deeply interconnected with
nature, and that we, too, can be heroes for the planet in our own ways!

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 Assessment: (Post-Test)

Multiple Choice. Answer the question that follows. Choose the best answer from
among the given choices.

1.E-waste is being sent to landfill at three times the rate of general waste. What types of appliances
make up the greatest percentage of e-waste?
A. copper wirings C. Electrical wires and plugs
B. cellphone, cases, and gadgets D. Washing machines & air conditioners
2..What is it that we get rid of, thrown away, or do not use?
A. garbage C. waste
B. landfill D. Dirt
3. What is the process of reclaiming raw materials and reusing them to create new products?
A. recycling C, reducing
B. composting D. Reusing
4. How does recycling help the Earth and the environment?
A. makes more garbage C. less pollution
B. helps people make more waste D. causing less garbage
5. Which of the following items should NOT be put in a compost?
A. plastic containers C. leaves
B.food scraps D. wood clippings
6. What is termed as the conversion of organic waste into a substance that helps make the soil
healthier?
A. incineration C. composting
B. recycling D. biodegration
7. Which is NOT considered hazardous waste?
A. car battery C. electronic devices
B. clothing D. auto fluids
8. What is recycling?
A. wasting stuff C. making clothing
B. reusing items D. buying more
9. Which of the following materials is non-biodegradable?
A. plants B. plastic C. banana peel D. paper
10. Why are composting and recycling beneficial?
A. reduces amount of waste C. increases waste
B. makes us rich D. because our parents say so
11. What possible wastes could be widely generated in hospitals?
A. food scraps, plastic containers C. grass cuttings, animal manure
B. blood samples, plastic syringe D. paper plates, plastic cups
12. Jaco, a Grade 11 student, threw his old electronic devices carelessly. What could be the
consequence of his action?
A. Nothing would happen to his trash.
B. The garbage collectors will collect his trash.
C. Toxic metals in his electronics will be retrieved, thus harming the atmosphere.
D. None of the above
13. What possible consequences could arise if we throw our trash everywhere?
A. Climate change
B. Human health would deteriorate
C. Loss of biodiversity of plants and animals
D.All of the above
14. Why shouldn’t we throw biodegradable trash carelessly?
A. Lack of oxygen causes the production of methane
B. Trash would undergo aerobic respiration with the presence of bacteria
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 C. Lack of methane gas causes the production of harmful oxygen
D. Trash would undergo aerobic respiration with the presence of fungi
15. Which of the following situation would be best done to address waste?
A. Buy local goods C. Avoid eating too much meat
B. Reduce, reuse, recycle D. Shop secondhand always

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