HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF

CITIZENS?

HUMAN AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY

School-Based Assessment

How does the burning of garbage affect the health of the community members in
Gregory Park Portmore?

Candidate Name: La-Shayne Marshall

Candidate’s Number: 100385

Date of submission: March 24,2023

School: The Cedar Groove Academy

Centre Number: 100385

Territory: Jamaica

Teacher M.Sewell

Group Members

 Annakay Williams
 Corneilia Burton
 Malik King
 Draion Palmer

1
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

TABLE OF CONTENT

Background……………………...………………………………………………………

Problem Statement………………………………………………………………

Research objectives……………………………………………………………..

Methodology…………………………………………………………………………….

Presentation of Data………………………………………………………………… ….

Analysis and Interpretation of Data……………..………………………………………

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………

Recommendations………………………………………………………………………

Reflection……………………………………………………………………………….

Appendix………………………………………………………………………………..

Bibliography………………………………………………………….………………...

2
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

Background/Overview of the Issue

The air we breathe is what keeps us alive as humans and therefore we need to protect
it. Some cities became buried, and built over the waste, and others pioneered new ways to
save their cities from vermin and disease. Recycling began as a necessity and ended up in
present day as a responsibility to the environment.

This topic was chosen because as a student at the Cedar Grove Academy we have
noticed that there are frequent burning of garbage in the community of Gregory Park,
Portmore due to issues that will be investigated later on, However, according to the article
from Jamaica Observer, about how burning waste is dangerous to health, it tell us about how
the citizens who burn garbage are warned not to because of the dangers of it for example it's
polluting the air resulting in emission, also how it can impact your health and also affects
others. This can happen because of the release in toxic chemicals in the atmosphere which
will then affect our health to an extent that we will develop long term illnesses. These
illnesses do not just affect the elderly or the infants but every age group.

Over the years the researchers have seen regular burning of garbage in the community
of Gregory Park, Portmore. The researchers have been students at The Cedar Grove
Academy for over three years and this act have been an issue to the citizens of the
community. Often students have to be absent because the burning of garbage in the
community has caused them health complications. Its therefore because of this reason that the
researchers have taken an interest in the topic.

Problem Statement
The effect of the burning of garbage in the community of Gregory Park, Portmore,
St. Catherine.

Research Objectives:
 To determine if the burning of garbage affect the health of the citizens of Gregory
Park, Portmore.
 To identify the causes that influence the citizens of Gregory Park to burn their
garbage.
 To implement strategies that will help to diminish this unhealthy act.

3
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

Methodology
The method that the researchers used to gather the data is a questionnaire. A questionnaire is
defined as a research instrument consisting if a series of questions for the purpose of
gathering information from respondents on a particular matter or issue; therefore, this is the
reason the researchers used a questionnaire to conduct the research. However, there are
reasons for choosing this instrument such as:

 They cost less.

 They are confidential.
 They are achieved within a short timeframe.

The questionnaire was issued online via google form and it was distributed to the citizens of
Gregory Park, Portmore through their community committee email link and WhatsApp group
for them to access the questionnaire.

The questionnaire consists of 15 closed-ended questions and the researchers distributed a

total of 36 questionnaires to the citizens of Gregory Park, Portmore however 30 of them were
completed fully from both genders, Male and Female.

The questionnaire took a total of two weeks to be completed. While doing the questionnaire
we faced technological issues so sending out the questionnaire posed as a challenge.

4
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

Presentation of Data
Figure 1 represents the percentage of people that had encounters with the burning of garbage.

Do u encounter problem in your

community with the burning of
garbage?
13%

87%

Yers No

Figure 2 Represent the percentage of how often people in the community burn their garbage

Ho w o ft en d o y o u b u r n g ar b ag e in y o u r
co mmu n it y ?
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Everyday Every other day Never Once per week

Figure 3 represent the percentage of the community that struggle with respiratory illnesses

5
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

Do you struggle with respiratory illnesses?

29% Yes
42% No
Sometimes

29%

Figure 4 represent the community opinion on the garbage collection system.

W h at is y o u r o p in io n wh en it co mes t o t h e
c o llecti o n o f g ar b ag e?
80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
Good Fair Satisfactory Non- Satisfactory

Figure 5 represents in what way does burning of garbage affects individuals of the
community

6
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

How does this act aff ect your health?

Burning Eyes
Rushes
Headaches

Respiratory Problems ( Such as asthma attacks or

pneumonia)
Nausea

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Figure 6 represents options chosen by persons of the community what they think should be
done to reduce the burning of garbage

What can the government do to reduce the act of

burning garbage?

Enforce stronger laws

16% 10% Provide access to waste
disposal
Invest in waste management
infrastuctures
eductae the citizens
35%
39%

Analysis and Interpretation of Data

7
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

In total I received 31 Reponses for my questionnaire and while analysing my data in figure(1)
can determine that 87.1% encounter problems with burning garbage while the remaining
12.9% does not.

In figure (2) I can determine that 25.8% of persons never burn garbage, 45.2%burn garbage
once per week, 16.1% burn garbage every other day while 12.9% burn garbage every day

In figure (3) 41.9% of the people in the community sometimes suffer from illnesses, 29%
does not while the remaining 29% does all the time

In figure (4) 71% of who answered the questionnaire garbage collection system is non-
satisfactory, 9.7% finds is satisfactory, 9.7% finds it fair while the remaining 9.7% finds it
good.

In figure (5) 32.3% of people in the community eye burn when garbage is burnt, 16.1% has
nausea, 19.4% get respiratory problems, 32.3% has headaches while 0% experience rushes.

In figure (6) 45.2% of people has bins located near them while the remaining 54.8% does not
The burning of garbage produces smoke which can get into the eyes and lungs of persons.

Our results show that too much burning takes place in neighbourhoods and the effects on
health are clear. Smoke in particular can affect the lungs. it is said that the burning of
residential garbage produced many pollutants, which affects the communities health.

CONCLUSION

8
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

The burning of garbage has a significant impact on the health of individuals residing in the
neighbourhood, leading to severe health problems. As a researcher, I have discovered that
burning garbage is detrimental and has no positive effects. Continuing to burn garbage will
only escalate the problem, leading to more severe consequences, and it may even result in
fatalities. The impact of waste pollution extends beyond the health of our communities, living
creatures, and ecosystem. It also has significant economic consequences, such as decreased
land values and reduced tourism.

RECOMMENDATIONS
9
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

To educate citizens about the new regulations pertaining to burning in the parish, additional
public service announcements should be broadcast. For example, no garbage should be
burned in any residential area, or the garbage collection system should be improved so that
garbage trucks are more dependable, so that residents of the community won't have to pack
garbage to the point where they feel the need to burn it. This would also encourage residents
of the neighbourhood to recycle garbage and build compost heaps.

REFLECTION

10
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

The passage discusses the experience of a researcher who gained new insights
while completing this SBA. Specifically, the researcher learned about the
negative effects of burning garbage and the importance of proper garbage
disposal practices. It was discovered that improper disposal of garbage can have
negative impacts on the disposer and their surroundings, highlighting the need
to practice proper garbage management.

One important aspect of the researcher's experience was the realization that
burning garbage has more significant negative impacts than previously thought.
Burning garbage can release harmful chemicals and pollutants into the air,
which can have detrimental effects on human health and the environment. This
underscores the importance of finding proper ways to dispose of garbage, such
as recycling, composting, or using waste management facilities.

The researcher's belief that more information could have been covered if the
questionnaire was distributed to a wider range of people highlights the
importance of conducting research with a diverse group of participants or have
more person on board to help with the process. By including a broader range of
people in the study, more perspectives and experiences can be collected, leading
to a more comprehensive understanding of the topic.

Overall, the passage emphasizes the importance of proper garbage disposal

practices and highlights the potential negative impacts of burning garbage. The
researcher's experience underscores the value of conducting research to gain
new insights and the importance of including a diverse range of participants in
such studies.

NOT seeing the social and economic impact!!!!!!!

Appendix

11
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

Instruction: Please answer the following questions honestly and truthfully by selecting the
option that is most suitable to you.

1. What is your gender?

 Yes
 No
2. What is your age?
 12-22
 23-33
 34-44
 45 and above
3. How long have you been living in the community of Gregory Park, Portmore?
 1-5 years
 6-10 years
 11-15 years
 16 years and above
4. Do you encounter problems in your community with the burning of garbage?
 Yes
 No
5. On a scale of 1-10. Rate how threatening you think the burning of garbage is to your
health and community? (1 Being the lowest and 10 being the highest)
 1-4
 5-6
 7-10
6. How often do you burn garbage in your community?
 Everyday
 Every other day
 Once per week
 Never
7. How often does the local garbage truck come to your community?

12
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

 Everyday
 Every other day
 Once per week
 Every Two weeks
 Never
8. What factor mostly causes or contributes to the burning of garbage in your
community?
 Lack of waste management system
 Inconsistent collection of garbage from NSWMA
 Regular attacks on animals
 Laziness and carelessness
9. What is your opinion when it comes to the collection of garbage?
 Good
 Fair
 Satisfactory
 Non-Satisfactory
10. Do you struggle with respiratory illnesses?
 Yes
 No
 Sometimes
11. How does this act affect your health?
 Nausea
 Respiratory problems (such as asthma attacks or pneumonia)
 Head aches
 Rushes
 Burning eyes
12. Have you developed any long or short term health issues from this act?
 Yes
 No
13. Are there any public garbage bins located near where you live?
 Yes

13
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

 No
14. What can the government do to reduce the act of burning garbage?
 Enforce Stronger laws
 Provide access to waste disposal facilities
 Invest in waste management infrastructures
 Educate the citizens
15. Do you believe that garbage should be disposed of more humanly?
 Yes
 No

Letter to the Citizens

14
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

The Cedar Grove Academy

Box 52, Gregory Park P.O,
Portmore,
St. Catherine.
Dear Citizens of Gregory Park, Portmore,
We are students from the Cedar Grove Academy and we are doing a research on
“How the burning of garbage affects the health of citizens” for our Human and Social
Biology SBA. The aim of the study is to examine the effects of the burning of garbage on the
citizens of Gregory Park.
You are advised to answer the following questions honestly and truthfully. Your
name is NOT required. There are no correct or incorrect answers. Simply click the box that is
most suitably for you. Please avoid changing answers. Filling out this questionnaire will help
us to successfully complete our SBA.

Yours Sincerely,
Students of The Cedar Grove Academy
HSB SBA group.

Bibliography
15
 HOW DOES THE BURNING OF GARBAGE AFFECTS THE HEALTH OF
CITIZENS?

https://www.des.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt341/files/documents/2020-01/ard-33.pdf

16