Earth Science SHS Unit 9 Human Activity and The Environment Study Guide

Unit 9
Human Activity and the Environment

Table of Contents
Table of Contents 1
Introduction 3
Essential Questions 4
Review 4
Lesson 9.1: Types of Wastes 5

Objectives 5
Warm-Up 5
Learn about It 8
Key Points 13
Web Links 13
Check Your Understanding 14
Challenge Yourself 14
Lesson 9.2: Causes of Wastes 16

Objectives 16
Warm-Up 16
Learn about It 18
Key Points 25
Web Links 26
Lesson 9.3: Effects of Wastes 28

Objectives 28
Warm-Up 28
Learn about It 30
Key Points 36
Web Links 37
Lesson 9.4: Managing Wastes 39
Objectives 39
Warm-Up 39
Learn about It 41
Key Points 48
Web Links 49
Laboratory Activity 51
Performance Task 53
Self Check 54
Key Words 55
Wrap Up 56
References 56
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Copyright © 2018 Quipper Limited
EARTH SCIENCE | GRADE 11/12
Unit 9
Human Activity and the
Environment
Humans cope with the progressively rising living standards through

industrialization, modernization, and innovation in technologies. Humans exert
effort to improve the ways in transportation, food security processes in the form
of agriculture, and harnessing energy sources to make living much more
comfortable to the present and future generations. The drawback, however, is the
inevitable production of immense amounts of wastes, which are by-products of
these developments. Some of these wastes are treated properly for proper
disposal but most goes directly to the environment and accumulate.
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Excessive waste production is detrimental to human health and the environment.
However, with proper waste management, and environment-friendly practices and
policies, the harmful effects of these wastes can be minimized. This unit focuses
on the classification of wastes, identification of its sources, and the proper waste
disposal of commonly human generated wastes that could harm the environment.
Essential Questions
At the end of this unit, you should be able to answer the following questions.
● What are the different kinds of wastes?

● What are the common waste sources?
● How different types of waste affect people’s health and the environment?
● What is the proper way of disposal and management of waste at home, in
school, and around the community?
Review
● Natural resources are resources that were not created by humans.

Examples are sunlight, water resources, soil resources like its minerals,
together with all the vegetations, crops, and animal life present.
● Environment is everything that is surrounding us that includes living and
nonliving things. It consists of both physical and chemical components and
processes.
● Living and nonliving components of the environment interact with each
other to sustain stability and avoid environmental degradation.
● Soil degradation is defined as the change in soil health, which results in
decreased capacity of the soil to support organisms.
● Degradation of soil is caused by different natural and anthropogenic
activities.
● When water resources receive excessive amounts of nutrients, particularly
phosphorus and nitrogen, eutrophication occurs. This is a type of pollution
that is caused by humans.
● Several government and private institutions are making ways in order to
properly manage all the natural resources that we have.
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Lesson 9.1: Types of Wastes
Objectives
In this lesson, you should be able to:
● enumerate different types of wastes; and
● differentiate one form of waste from another.
Human activities have caused various changes in the environment and still
continue to pose threat to its health status. Each type of human activity creates
various forms of waste products that, once able to accumulate in the
environment, can cause deterioration in the pristine condition of the ecosystem.
What are the different forms of waste that go into our environment? How can
we differentiate them from one another?
Warm-Up
My Trash Production: Composition

Our waste can be often classified into biodegradable and nonbiodegradable
materials. Biodegradable means that a material is capable of naturally degrading
or breaking down over a period of time. This includes organic materials like fruit
and vegetable wastes. On the other hand, nonbiodegradable wastes are materials
that can not be degraded naturally by decomposers or other natural processes.
Examples are plastics, glass, and clothing items. In this activity, you will classify
your wastes based on this manner.
Materials:
● pencil
● paper
● trash bag
● weighing scale
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Procedure:
1. Using a trash bag, collect all the trash that you generate from all of your
activities in a day.
2. Record all the waste items that you have generated for a span of one week.
3. Create a frequency table for all the waste items you generated for the week
by completing the given table below.
Data and Results:
Category
Waste item Frequency
(Biodegradable or Nonbiodegradable)
4. Classify each waste item into whether it is biodegradable or

nonbiodegradable by completing the third column in the table.
5. After creating the frequency distribution table for all the waste items, make
a pie chart to show the percentage composition of your generated waste for
the span of one week. Also, create a pie chart to show the biodegradable
and nonbiodegradable percentage composition of your generated wastes.
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Percentage composition of wastes Biodegradable and nonbiodegradable
generated for one week. percentage composition of wastes
generated for one week.
6. Weigh your generated wastes each day to track the amount of waste
generation for the week. Complete the table below.
Day Weight of waste (in grams)
Guide Questions:
1. What is the most dominant waste item in your waste generation chart?
2. Which waste material are you generating more, biodegradable or
nonbiodegradable materials?
3. Estimate how many grams of trash you produce in one day. How about in
one week, in a month, and in a year?
4. Looking at the non-biodegradable items, how can they still be reused for
recycling?
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Learn about It
Waste refers to any discarded or rejected material mainly from human activities
and some other processes. The management and regulation of these waste
materials vary depending on the waste type. Thus, correct classification of these
waste materials is crucial for proper waste management.
Since wastes come in many forms across different geographic, environmental,

industrial, and demographic settings, there exist numerous classifications and
regulatory schemes, which make an accurate classification challenging.
In general, and for simplicity, wastes can be classified as solid and liquid wastes.
Solid Wastes
Solid wastes, as their name implies, refer to wastes that are in solid form. Solid
wastes are further subdivided as either putrescible and non-putrescible.
Fig. 1. Types of solid waste materials: putrescible waste like food wastes (left); and
non-putrescible wastes like plastic container wastes.
Biodegradable Wastes
Biodegradable wastes have organic matter capable of being naturally
decomposed by microorganisms, which can cause formation of malodorous and
toxic substances. These include food wastes and animal and human waste in the
form of excrements and cadavers.
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Nonbiodegradable Wastes
Nonbiodegradable wastes, unlike putrescible waste, do not decompose easily
and may either be combustible or incombustible. Since this type of waste does not
break down easily, it persists in the environment, often causing inconvenience and
aesthetic problems. The most common examples of this are plastic materials,
bottled water containers, paper, and glass.
Liquid Wastes
Liquid wastes are those that are in liquid form, freely flowing when transported
or heated to 60°C and are not capable of being picked up by a spade or shovel.
Examples of these are household and industrial wastewater and like human and
animal excreta.
Domestic Wastewaters
Domestic wastewaters are liquid
wastes coming from domestic
residential areas. These are
products of our daily living coming
from our various activities like
food preparation, washing of
clothes, bathing, and toilet usage.
Blackwater and greywater are
products of most domestic areas
that pass through piped water
supply. These are also referred to
as sewage that can be described
as the combination of all
these types of liquid waste.
Effluent
Effluent is the wastewater that flows out from a specific source. This wastewater
often requires treatment before it can be released to water bodies like lakes and
rivers. Effluent from commercial areas like restaurants and hotels contain very
high amounts of oil from cooking processes that are aided by grease traps
incorporated in the pipelines. These help remove the oil from the water before it
can be released into the environment.
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Gas Wastes
Gas wastes are any gaseous
material due to be discarded.
These are usually waste
products from household and
industrial equipment. These
include fumes from motor
vehicles and exhaust cooling
agents, such as freons from
air-conditioning units.
The gaseous wastes are mainly

generated by the anthropogenic
activities. These include methane oxides of nitrogen (NOx), (CH4 ), carbon dioxide
(CO2 ), chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), carbon monoxide (CO), and oxides of sulphur
(SOx). These gases can be a serious environmental pollutant that is hazardous to
both environment and human health. Proper management is highly needed.
Hazardous Wastes
Hazardous wastes have properties that pose a substantial threat to the
environment and to the health of the public. These are generated from many
sources, ranging from industrial manufacturing processes to electronic wastes,
and they come in many forms including liquids, solids and gases.
For a waste to be considered hazardous, it should be:

a. Toxic: It causes injury or death when inhaled or ingested.
b. Flammable: It can easily ignite and burn rapidly.
c. Corrosive: It can burn skin on contact and can erode away the surface of
materials.
d. Reactive: It can react with other substances to produce toxic vapors or
explosions.
Examples of hazardous wastes include: (1) strong acids, bases, and cyanides; (2)
flammable chemicals such as fuels, kerosene, gasoline, and methanol; (3)
electronic wastes, such as batteries and computer parts; (4) and special wastes.
These materials often come with specific signs to inform people about its
presence in the environment.
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Fig. 4. Hazard sign for the presence of toxic substances (upper left); flammable
substance (upper right); corrosive substance (lower left); and reactive irritant
substance (lower right).
Special Wastes
Special wastes, as the name implies, require special or unique regulatory
requirements to lessen their potential of causing harm. Special wastes include
clinical and asbestos waste.
Clinical Wastes
Clinical wastes originate from medical, dental, pharmaceutical, and other related
activities and facilities. These include wastes containing human tissue, body fluids
or blood, laboratory specimens and cultures, as well as animal tissues and
carcasses. Clinical wastes can be further classified as cytotoxic wastes
(contaminated by residues toxic to cells), drug wastes (include those with
pharmaceutical and chemical substances that can be poisonous), and sharp
wastes (potentially injurious and infectious materials with sharp edges used in
medical practices such as syringe needles and other surgical apparatus).
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Asbestos Wastes
Asbestos wastes refer to any waste containing the hazardous mineral asbestos
which is a fibrous form of silica mineral. Since asbestos exists in fibrous forms, it
can be easily inhaled and ingested, thereby causing severe health problems such
as lung cancer.
Fig. 5. Special wastes: hospital wastes showing used syringe and bottles (left) and
asbestos cement (right).
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Key Points
● Waste refers to any discarded or rejected material mainly from human

activities and some other processes.
● Solid wastes, as their name implies, refer to wastes that are in solid form.
Solid wastes are further subdivided as either putrescible and
non-putrescible wastes.
● Liquid wastes are those that are in liquid form, freely flowing when
transported or heated to 60°C, and are not capable of being picked up by a
spade or shovel.
● Gas wastes are any gaseous material due to be discarded. These are
usually waste products from households and industrial facilities.
● Hazardous wastes have properties that pose a substantial threat to the
environment and to the health of the public.
● Special wastes, as their name implies, require special or unique regulatory
requirements to lessen their potential of causing harm to humans and the
environment.
Web Links
For further information, you can check the following web links:
● Learn more trivias about asbestos and its harmful effects.

Michelle Whitmer. Asbestos.com. 2021. ‘Asbestos: Statistics and Facts.’
https://www.asbestos.com/asbestos/statistics-facts/
● Learn more about the different types of gaseous wastes.

CBSE. 2016. ‘Types of Gaseous Wastes.’
https://youtu.be/7rOr-mEycwA
● Inform yourself with the Philippine Solid Waste bill.

Philippine Senate. 2017. ‘Philippine Solid Waste.’
http://legacy.senate.gov.ph/publications/SEPO/AAG_Philippine%20Solid%20Wastes_N
ov2017.pdf
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Check Your Understanding
A. Identify each of the following whether it is a solid waste, liquid waste,

gaseous waste, or a special waste.
1. sulfur dioxide
2. asbestos
3. plastic bottles
4. used syringes
5. carbon monoxide
6. animal urine
7. toilet effluent
8. grease trap
9. methane
10. leaf litter
B. Write the word true if the given statement is correct and false if it is
otherwise.
1. Solid wastes tend to accumulate in landfills and take years before they
can decompose.
2. Liquid wastes require prior treatment before they can be released into
the environment.
3. All gaseous wastes are toxic and harmful to human health.
4. Hazardous wastes are naturally present in the environment and
degrade on its own.
5. Special wastes include hospital wastes and asbestos wastes.
Challenge Yourself
Briefly answer the following questions.

1. The Philippines produces millions of tons of solid wastes per year and most
of its landfills are almost full. What are the possible methods of waste
management for our solid wastes?
2. Most of our lakes and rivers are contaminated with heavy metals that are
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dangerous to human health. How can we prevent accumulation of heavy
metals in the bodies of water?
3. Hospital wastes are often incinerated for disposal. This method is effective
but emits a lot of carbon dioxide into the environment. What can be used as
an alternative method?
4. In the Philippines, most domestic households do not treat their domestic
wastewater and directly release it to the bodies of water. How can we solve
this problem?
5. By looking in your environment, what are the common waste you observe in
your surroundings?
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Lesson 9.2: Causes of Wastes
Objectives
● enumerate the sources of waste; and
● classify waste based on its source.
Looking at your surroundings, you will be able to see a lot of waste items that
come from different sources. Solid, liquid, gaseous, and hazardous wastes are
products of different human and natural processes that are essential to sustain
the increasing demands of mankind. What causes the accumulation of wastes
in the environment? Where specifically these wastes come from?
Warm-Up
Our Trash Production: Sources of Wastes
Wastes usually come from two major sources. It can be from human activities or
from nature. Human wastes are those generated from any human activities.
Examples are plastics and other nonbiodegradable materials. Natural wastes, on
the other hand, are those that come from the environment like leaf litter.
Materials:
● pencil ● paper ● trash bag ● weighing scale
Procedure:
1. By using a trash bag, collect all the trash that is generated in your school
from all the activities in a day.
2. Record all the items of waste that you generated for a span of three days.
3. Create a frequency table for all the waste items you generated for the week
by completing the given table below.
4. Classify each waste item whether it is human or natural waste by completing
the third column of the data and results table.
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5. After creating the frequency distribution table for all the waste items, make
a pie chart to show the percentage composition of your generated wastes
for the span of one week. Also, create a pie chart to show the human and
natural waste percentage composition.
6. Weigh the collected wastes each day to track the amount of waste
generation for the week. Put the data in the second data and results table.
Data and Results:

Source of waste
Waste item Frequency
(Human or Natural Waste)
Percent composition of waste Human and natural waste percent

generated for three days composition for a week
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Day Weight of human wastes Weight of natural wastes
(in grams) (in grams)
Guide Questions:
1. What is the most dominant waste item in your school?
2. What do you think is the reason for the large waste generation of the
dominant waste item in your school?
3. Which waste source contributed a greater amount of waste in your school?
4. Given this waste profile in your school, what waste management scheme
can be implemented by your school administrators?
Learn about It
Waste production comes from different sources. These sources can be classified
under two general causes, namely anthropogenic and natural sources.
Causes of Wastes Production

Wastes can be caused by humans, or they may originate from the environment
through natural processes.
Anthropogenic Wastes
Anthropogenic wastes are those generated from various human activities. This
unit will primarily focus on this kind of waste.
Natural Wastes
Natural wastes are those originating from the environment, particularly from
natural processes. These are usually wastes that are produced by Earth’s different
natural phenomena. Natural wastes include matter brought about by dust storms
and typhoons, left by forest fires, and even the byproducts of different biological
processes such as animal excreta after digestion and the decay of organisms. In a
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sense, these wastes are simply a temporary inconvenience as these are eventually
reintegrated into other processes.
Fig. 6. Causes of wastes production: humans littering trashes along the street
causing anthropogenic wastes (left) and leaf litter on the ground caused by natural
wastes (right).
Sources of Anthropogenic Wastes

Demographics and economic development play a role in the amount of wastes
generated by countries. Through the years, rapid industrialization and
urbanization, coupled with the ever growing population, led to a substantial
increase in the quantity of wastes that are generated.
In general, more developed and populated countries, such as the United States
and some European countries, generate much higher quantities of wastes per
capita as compared to developing countries. Sources of wastes are varied
throughout the world. In general
though, the principal sources of
these wastes, particularly the
solid types, are residential
households and agricultural,
commercial, mining, and
industrial sectors.
Residential Sources
The wastes from residential areas
are commonly disposed of by the
local government and sometimes
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referred to as the municipal solid wastes (MSW). Residential wastes are a
mixture of metals, glass, organic matter, paper, plastic, clothes, and domestic
wastewater generated from households activities.
The composition of residential wastes vary based on the lifestyle, food habits, and
the living standard of humans. These wastes are collected locally, and the total
amount being collected is dependent on the population size of the locality. Global
production of municipal solid wastes is approximately 1.3 billion tons per year. In
the Philippines, the number of municipal solid wastes is expected to increase from
29 315 tons per day to 77 776 tons by 2025 according to a report made by the
World Bank. This increase is a consequence of a projected 47.3% hike in urban
population in 2025.
Agricultural Sources
Agricultural sources generate organic wastes such as plant and animal materials.
In farmlands, the excess use of chemical products such as fertilizers, pesticides,
and chemicals for agricultural purposes can cause land and water pollution. These
chemicals contaminate both the surrounding soil and water bodies. Examples of
harmful chemicals being generated by agricultural areas are chlorinated
hydrocarbons, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dieldrin, endrin, malathion,
and endosulfan that can be absorbed by the soil and contaminate planted crops
in the area. In the Philippines, other agricultural wastes comes from major
industries like sugar factories, slaughter houses, tobacco processing units,
poultry, and livestocks.
Fig. 8. A local farmer who sprays pesticide to his crops, which causes
agricultural wastes.
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Commercial Sources
With the urbanization of major cities, a lot of industries are being more
commercialized that create large amounts of wastes that are generated on a daily
basis. Commercial sources include supermarkets, restaurants, commercial
buildings, hotels, auto mechanic workshops, among others. Moreover, most
hospitals and other medical institutions release tremendous amounts of wastes
that can be hazardous to the environment and human health.
Commercial sources also produce several chemicals and disposable materials.

Just like residential wastes, these wastes are dumped into landfills that pose
danger to the environment and human health as they may cause contamination of
the soil and types of infectious diseases.
Mining Sources
Mining sources generate wastes from its various activities that disturb the
chemical, physical, and biological features of an area. Mining wastes include mine
tailings, which are the wastes left after ore extraction from rocks, harmful gases
from blastings, and overburden materials. Wastes from these sectors involve
overburden materials and topsoil (waste rock) which are removed to gain access
to mineral and energy resources.
Wastes from metal mining industries

may contain significant quantities of
hazardous materials. These include
harmful metallic compounds and
heavy metals. Due to mining and
mineral processing, these compounds
and metals are more readily available,
which can result in the generation of
acid and alkaline drainage. Mine
tailings, which are wastes from
mineral ores, also pose a major
environmental threat when improperly
managed and
disposed. These tailings contain toxic
levels of heavy metals which are byproducts from the extraction of valuable
metals from an ore.
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Industrial Sources
One of the major contributors of
wastes in the industrial sector is
the construction and demolition
of buildings and civil
infrastructure. These wastes
consist of various materials such
as concrete, metals, plastics,
solvents, and hazardous wastes
such as paints, and asbestos. Due
to the growing number of
construction and demolition
wastes, it has been identified as a
primary waste stream by most
developed countries. Industrial
waste sources include various
industries such as chemical plants, cement factories, metallurgical plants, power
plants, textile industries, petroleum industries, and thermal power plants. These
industries produce different types of waste products.
Table 3. Examples of wastes and their corresponding generators and sources.

Source Waste Generator Type of Wastes
Crops, orchards, vineyards, Spoiled food wastes,

farms agricultural wastes,
Agricultural
hazardous wastes (from
chemical treatments)
Stores, hotels, restaurants, Paper, plastics, wood, food

Commercial markets, wastes, glass, metals, special
office buildings, etc. wastes, hazardous wastes
Construction and Construction sites, road Wood, steel, concrete, dirt

Demolition repair, renovation sites
Light and heavy Housekeeping wastes, food

manufacturing, fabrication, wastes, construction and
Industrial
construction, power and demolition materials,
chemical plants Industrial process wastes,
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scrap materials,
off-specification products,
slag, tailings, hazardous
wastes, special wastes
Schools, hospitals, prisons, Same as the wastes produced

Institutional
government centers by the commercial sector
Single and multifamily Food wastes, paper, plastics,

dwellings textiles, wood, glass, ashes,
Residential
metals, special wastes,
household hazardous wastes
World’s Waste Generation

Various regions across the globe generate varying amounts of wastes every year
due to varying levels of income and degree of industrialization. These are
summarized in Figure 11, based on a report released by the World Bank in 2012.
Fig. 11. Waste generation per region. AFR (Africa), EAP (East Asia and Pacific), ECA
(Eastern and Central Asia), LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean), MENA (Middle
East and North Africa), OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development, mostly European and North American countries), SAR (South Asia).
The African region contributes the lowest amount of generated wastes at

approximately 62 million tonnes per year. Countries in East Asia and the Pacific
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(such as the Philippines), and countries in Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development or OECD (mostly European and North American countries)
regions contribute the highest amounts of wastes every year, generating 270
million and 572 million tonnes of wastes, respectively. The main contributor of
wastes in the latter is China, which makes up 70% of the region.
Every sector in society contributes differently to the total amount of wastes

generated in a given time frame. In a developed and high-income region like the
Europe, for example, most wastes generated came from industrial activities,
particularly the construction and mining sector, each contributing 33.5% and
29.8% respectively to the total amount of wastes generated in the year 2014
(Figure 12).
Fig. 12. Contribution of various sectors in waste generation in Europe for 2014.
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In the Philippines, data from the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources show that solid wastes came mostly from the residential and
commercial sectors, each contributing 56.7% and 27.1% respectively, to the total
amount of solid wastes generated from 2008 to 2013 (Figure 13).
Fig. 13. Sources of solid wastes in the Philippines for 2013.
Key Points
● Anthropogenic wastes are those that are generated from various human
activities.
● Natural wastes are those originating from the environment. These are
usually wastes that are produced by Earth’s different natural phenomena.
● The wastes from residential areas are commonly disposed of by the local
government and sometimes referred to as the municipal solid wastes
(MSW).
● Agricultural sources generate organic wastes such as plant and animal
materials. In farmlands, the excess use of chemical products, such as
fertilizers, pesticides, and chemicals for agricultural purposes, can cause
land and water pollution.
● Commercial sources include supermarkets, restaurants, commercial
buildings, hotels, auto mechanic workshops, among others.
● Mining sources generate wastes from its various activities that disturb the
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chemical, physical, and biological features of a natural area. Mining wastes
include the mine tailings, which are the wastes left after ore extraction from
rock, harmful gases from blastings, and overburden materials.
● One of the major contributors of wastes in the industrial sector is the
construction and demolition of buildings and civil infrastructure.
Web Links
● Be shocked at how much waste the world generates.

Ovo Energy. 2013. ‘The Top 10 Shocking Facts about Waste.’
https://www.ovoenergy.com/blog/green/10-shocking-facts-about-waste.html
● Do not waste your waste.

Valentino Ristevski. 2012. ‘Don't Waste Your Waste.’
https://youtu.be/Kr_DGf77OhM
● What is the North Pacific Ocean gyre?

National Geographic. 2012. ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch.’
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia
A. Identify whether the given waste item comes from residential, industrial,
mining, commercial, or agricultural sources.
1. sulfur dioxide
2. asbestos
3. plastic bottles
4. used syringes
5. carbon monoxide
6. animal urine
7. toilet effluent
8. grease trap
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9. methane
10. leaf litter
B. Identify the term referred to in the given description below.

1. This is the region that contributes the lowest amount of generated wastes
at approximately 62 million tonnes per year.
2. It refers to the waste generated from ore extraction from rock.
3. These are wastes from residential areas that are commonly disposed of,
managed, and processed by the local government.
4. This is a chemical waste from the agricultural sector that is used for
controlling pests in crop lands.
5. This is the process of destroying existing infrastructures that greatly
contributes to the wastes generated by the industrial sectors.
Challenge Yourself

1. Why do you think the industrial sectors produce the greatest amount of
waste all over the world?
2. We have a lot of problems with the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides
in agriculture. What can be done to solve this problem?
3. How does the mining sector contribute to the release of hazardous wastes
to the environment?
4. Most of the wastes generated in the Philippines come from the residential
sector. What is a possible intervention on how to reduce the amount of
wastes generated from this source?
5. Why do you think Africa has the least amount of waste generation? What
possible practice can we adapt from them to reduce our waste production?
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Lesson 9.3: Effects of Wastes
Objectives
● enumerate possible effects of wastes on the environment; and
● identify possible solutions to mitigate these effects.
Poor waste management practices can lead to the over accumulation of wastes
and contamination in the environment. The degree of the effects of wastes on
environmental degradation remain immeasurable until now. Awareness of the
possible outcome of the presence of these wastes in the environment requires
emphasis. What are the effects of wastes on our environment? How about
your health?
Warm-Up
Guessing Game: Decomposition of Waste Materials
Materials:
● electronic gadget with an internet connection
● pen
● paper
Procedure:
1. Look around your classroom and identify the most common material
present (e.g., plastics, leather, and wood).
2. List the most common material you observed by completing the given data
table below.
3. After listing the materials, have a group discussion on estimating time
needed for the degradation of each material in the environment. Complete
the second column of the given data table.
4. After the discussion, look for the actual time needed for the degradation of
your listed materials using the given link below. Then, complete the third
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column of the given table.
● How Long Does It Take For Trash to Biodegrade?

Green Eco Services. 2017.How Long Does It Take For Trash to Biodegrade?’
http://www.greenecoservices.com/how-long-does-it-take-for-trash-to-biodegrade/
Table 4. Estimated and Actual Time Needed for Degradation

Estimated time for Actual time needed for
Materials degradation degradation
(in days, months, or years) (in days, months, or years)
Guide Questions:
1. How many of your estimates were close to the actual time taken for some
items to biodegrade?
2. Which material takes the longest time to degrade?
3. Since most materials take years to biodegrade, where do you think these
materials go?
4. What could be the effect of the overdensity of these materials on land and
in seas?
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Learn about It
Without proper disposal and management of excessive wastes, the impacts they
have on the environment, the economy, and the health and safety of the public
are amplified. The following are the effects of wastes in different aspects of life:
Economic and Aesthetic Impact

Wastes that are not properly disposed affect the aesthetics of a region, in that
they cause a decline in the number of tourists and investors. This, in turn, results
in a decline in a region’s economic growth. As more and more wastes are
generated, disposal, reprocessing, and operational costs have increased
precipitously over the last years. Presence of too much organic wastes in the
ocean where most tourists stay like Boracay Island cause algal bloom that affects
the quality of the water in the area and alters the beauty of several tourist
destinations.
Fig. 14. Algal blooms in the coastlines of Boracay due to an increase in organic
content in the water that is directly related to tourism.
Environmental Impact
Soil
Open dumping of wastes has resulted in the degradation of valuable land
resources for agriculture. Metals such as cadmium, copper, nickel, and lead, which
30
are present in wastes, alter the soil chemistry and can have an impact on
organisms especially the plants which are depending on the soil for nutrition.
Water Bodies
Contamination of water resources is also a pressing environmental concern
caused by excessive waste generation and problematic disposal practices. The
most common contaminant found in water resources is leachate. Leachate is a
harmful mixture of chemicals (usually phenols, toluene, ammonia, dioxins, and
heavy metals) which forms as water percolates through the dumped wastes in
some landfills and contaminates and deteriorates surface and groundwater
quality. The composition of leachate depends on the type of wastes in the landfill
and on the stage of degradation.
Atmosphere
At a global scale, the release of gases such as methane and carbon dioxide from
the decomposition of organic wastes in landfills contributes to the greenhouse
effect, which results in the rise of the Earth’s temperature.
Fig. 15. Dangers associated with the disposal of wastes in landfills.
31
Effects of Mining
In mining quarries, improper disposal of mine tailings continues to be a problem
for nearby water resources and communities. Tailings consist of finely ground
rock particles occurring as wastes from mineral processing and are deposited as
slurries in tailing ponds. Because of its fine particle composition, management of
tailings can be problematic. Irresponsible miners often dump their mine tailings
into water bodies, which deteriorate water quality. The Marcopper Mining incident
is considered the worst mining disaster in the country. On March 24, 1996, the
drainage tunnels of Marcopper Mining Corporation ruptured, spilling 2 to 3 million
tons of mine tailings that reached the Boac River in Marinduque and killed marine
life. Eventually, due to the extent of the damage brought by these tailings, the Boac
River was declared dead, and nearby villages lost a major source of livelihood.
Pollution Impact
Excessive waste production leads to pollution , an unwanted and harmful change
in the environment’s condition. Pollution is caused by the introduction of a
contaminant into the environment, which makes something (such as land, water,
air) unfit for its intended use (e.g., groundwater contamination by bacteria from
sewages). This disrupts the balance of the ecosystem, causing harmful effects on
human health and the environment. There are five main types of pollution: water,
air, radioactive, soil, and thermal pollution.
Water Pollution
It involves the contamination of water
bodies, thus causing harm to various
aquatic creatures whose survival
depends greatly on the condition of
these water bodies. There are a number
of things that cause water pollution, but
the main culprit mostly includes
industrial wastes, which get dumped
into water bodies. Oil spills also cause
eutrophication in water systems, an
effect where sunlight is blocked and
oxygen is reduced, resulting in an
inhabitable environment. It could also
disrupt various organisms and their
natural activities.
32
Air Pollution
This is caused by the presence of poisonous gases, which disturb the natural
chemical balance of the atmosphere out of its normal proportion. This is fatal to
living things since almost all living things rely heavily on respiration to function
well. The main causes of air pollution are partially combusted exhaust gases from
engines, burning of plastics, wood, or rubber, and the release of gases, such as
sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide, as wastes by certain industries.
Fig. 17. Presence of high concentrations of smog in the skyline

due to vehicular gas emissions.
Radioactive Pollution
Radioactive pollution occurs
when radioactive metals such
as thorium, radon, and radium
release energy into the
environment to achieve a
more stable form. This energy
comes in the form of
radioactive rays, which, upon
exposure to it, can cause
various diseases and
mutations. The main cause of
radioactive pollution is
dumping of radioactive wastes
from nuclear power plants into
water bodies, and damage in
33
nuclear reactors.
During the Second World War, when the USA attacked Hiroshima in Japan, the
atomic bomb they used left a radioactive footprint, which led to many diseased
and mutated civilians. Recent radioactive meltdown also happened in Japan when
the Fukushima nuclear power plant was heavily damaged by an earthquake and
became highly unstable. The presence of a nuclear power plant can increase the
ambient radioactive frequency in a certain area.
Soil Pollution
Soil pollution happens
when soil is stripped of its
natural fertility and
nutrition when it is
contaminated by artificial
chemicals such as
pesticides and insecticides.
These chemicals absorb
nitrogen from the soil,
making the soil unfit for
the growth and
development of plants
,which highly depend on
nitrogenous compounds.
Aside from pesticides, the
presence of landfills in an area can greatly affect the quality of the soil due to the
penetration of leachates that contain mixtures of compounds that can be
hazardous to soil health.
Thermal Pollution
Thermal pollution is caused
mainly by the rise in
temperature in the environment.
This is due to the release of
excessive heat energy into the
environment by artificial sources
or natural disasters. This rise in
temperature decreases the
amount of dissolved oxygen in
34
an aqueous environment which can lead to fishkill. In highly urbanized areas,
thermal pollution is further amplified by the presence of high skyscrapers that
traps the heat from the sun by inhibiting it to be reflected to the atmosphere. This
is the reason my most urbanized areas have higher ambient temperature
compared to rural areas.
Health and Safety Impact

Reckless and uncontrolled dumping of
medical and clinical wastes can
transport disease-carrying organisms,
which pose a threat to the health of
the public upon exposure. Excessive
exposure to highly toxic chemicals
and materials such as cyanides,
mercury, and asbestos from industrial
activities can lead to hormonal and
reproductive diseases, as well as
damages to the nervous system, liver,
and kidney. Asbestos only manifests as
a hazard to health when its filaments
are inhaled and can develop decades after the asbestos exposure. At the point
when asbestos strands are inhaled, they can attach to lung tissues and cause
inflammation, scarring, and some more serious asbestos-related illnesses. The
four major asbestos-related infections, in increasing order of severity are pleural
plaques, asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
Moreover, exposure to toxic gases emitted by hazardous wastes can cause major
respiratory and cardiovascular diseases as well as damaged cells. Air pollutants
occur in different forms. Ground level ozone forms when volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) react with the ultraviolet rays from
the sun. Primary sources of these air pollutants are automobiles and construction
and agricultural equipment. Complications linked to ground level ozone include
bronchitis, asthma, lung damage, reduced resistance to infections, and fatigue.
Particulate matter is a mixture of soot, smoke, metals, nitrates, sulfates, dust,

and water. Since they have very small particles, they can easily make their way
towards the lungs and the heart. This can lead to problems in breathing,
decreased heart and lung function, heart attacks, and premature death.
35
● Carbon monoxide binds with hemoglobin, reducing the amount of oxygen
that enters our blood. This affects neurological functions and leads to
confusion, slow reflexes, and loss of concentration.
● Sulphur dioxide in the air due to the combustion of fossil fuels can cause
various lung disorders such as wheezing and shortness of breath.
Scientists from an initiative called Global Burden of Disease Project estimated

that about 5.5 million people worldwide are dying prematurely due to air pollution.
In terms of exposure to polluted water, drinking water that is contaminated with

toxic substances can also lead to various infections and diseases. Common water
pollutants include landfill leachates, untreated sewage, acids from power plants
and factories, and heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic. Upon drinking
water contaminated with these pollutants, an individual can develop toxicity, not
to mention bacterial and viral infections such as typhoid, cholera, and infectious
hepatitis.
Key Points
● Wastes that are not properly disposed affect the aesthetics of a region, in
that they cause a decline in the number of tourists and investors, and in
turn, a decline in a region’s economic growth .
● Wastes can cause environmental impacts by degradation of natural
resources such as water, soil, and the atmosphere.
● Excessive waste production leads to pollution . Pollution is caused by the
introduction of contaminants into the environment, which make something
unfit for its intended use.
36
● Reckless and uncontrolled dumping of medical and clinical wastes can
transport disease-carrying organisms, which pose a threat to public health
upon exposure.
Web Links
● Know more about the effects of air pollution on the

atmosphere.
National Geographic. 2015. ‘Ozone Depletion.’
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming
● More of heavy metal contamination and its toxicity.

Kota Sriraj. 2017. Heavy Metal Toxicity and Water Contamination.’
http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/
● Air pollution: Beijing’s current dilemma.

South China Morning Post. 2018. ‘After Sandstorm and Smog, Beijing to Suffer 'Ozone
Pollution.’
http://www.scmp.com/topics/beijing-air-pollution
A. Complete the given table below by enumerating specific samples of the effects
of wastes to environment and human health.
Pollution Effects
Ozone layer depletion
Heavy metal contamination
Pesticide runoffs
Eutrophication
37
Oil spill
Carbon dioxide emission
Water quality degradation
Radioactive pollution
Thermal pollution
Leachate contamination
B. Write the word true if the given statement is correct and false if it is
otherwise.
1. The effects of wastes to the environment and humans can be observed
immediately.
2. Heavy metals tend to undergo bioaccumulation that affects several levels
of organisms in the environment.
3. The effect of leachate contamination due to the presence of landfills is
only limited to soil.
4. Carbon dioxide emission traps the heat in the atmosphere that leads to
higher ambient temperature.
5. Eutrophication is the increase in the concentration of pesticides and
fertilizers in bodies of water.
Challenge Yourself

1. Urban areas have higher ambient temperature compared to rural areas.
What is the reason behind this event?
2. Currently, Beijing is experiencing a great problem in air pollution. What are
the several solutions made by the Chinese government on how they are
addressing this problem?
3. As part of the solution to solve eutrophication in lakes in the Philippines, the
government removed the fish pens in lakes. Do you think this method is
effective in solving the problem in nutrient pollution? Why?
38
4. How do you think radioactivity affects human health?
5. If most of the effects of wastes to the environment and humans take time to
be observed, do you think it is important to do constant monitoring of the
presence of these wastes in the environment? Should it be part of the
government’s responsibility? Why?
39
Lesson 9.4: Managing Wastes
Objectives
● enumerate ways on proper disposal of wastes; and
● identify the importance of recycling in the environment.
Have you travelled to well developed countries and observed if there are litters
across the streets? Every well developed country prioritizes proper waste
management schemes to avoid its harmful effect to the environment and human
health. Proper disposal of wastes and recycling of materials is highly encouraged.
How should we properly dispose of our wastes? What is the importance of
recycling?
Warm-Up
Landfills and Recycling

Recycling is an important component of waste management. It allows us to
convert wastes into other products, usually with different uses. In this activity, you
will look at how recycling can significantly reduce wastes that accumulate in our
landfills.
Material:
● electronic gadget with an internet connection
Procedure:
1. Open your internet-connected device and proceed to the virtual activity by
clicking the link below provided in the next page.
2. Recycle any type of material by dragging the item to the recycle bin.
3. Click the laptop icon followed by the recycling information about the
material you recycled. Click the general landfill information button to find
40
out more information about the material.
● Recycling and landfills

Glencoe. 2016. ‘Our Impact on Land.’
http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/science/virtual_labs
4. Calculate the percent by which the total landfill tonnage can be reduced if
the selected material is recycled.
a. Click the laptop icon and open the calculator.
b. Input the total landfill tonnage for one year when no recycling is done
c. Subtract the tonnage left in the landfill if the material is recycled.
d. Divide the result by the total landfill tonnage when no recycling is
done
e. Multiply the value by 100 and enter in the given table below.
5. Calculate the percent by which the total landfill volume can be reduced if the
selected waste material is recycled.
a. Click the laptop icon and open the calculator.
b. Input the total landfill volume for one year when no recycling is done.
c. Subtract the volume left in the landfill of the material being recycled.
d. Divide the result by the total landfill volume when no recycling is
done.
e. Multiply the resulting value by 100 and enter in the given table below.
% Contribution to % Contribution to
Recycled Material
Landfill by Tonnage Landfill by Volume
Plastic
Glass
Paper
Food waste
Metal
Yard Waste
Other materials
Guide Questions:
1. Which material makes up the largest percent of the landfill wastes by
41
weight? How about by volume?
2. Calculate how much trash an average person can generate in a year.
Compare the data to your actual production.
3. Assume that after all wastes have been recycled, the remaining tonnage
consists of moisture and dirt. What percentage of the landfill is made up of
moisture and dirt according to your data?
4. From your data, calculate how many kilowatts of energy can be saved if all
glass were recycled.
Learn about It
When wastes are improperly managed and disposed of, they cause pollution,
which threatens the environment as well as the health and safety of the people. To
wane the impact and minimize the effects of wastes on the environment and
public health, proper waste disposal and management should be practiced.
Recycling
Recycling involves the recovery and reprocessing of materials from products after
they have been used by consumers. Usually, wastes end up having different uses
after they have been recycled. Among the most common types of wastes recycled
are solid household wastes, such as paper, plastics, and glass.
Paper
Recycling paper generally involves turning
used paper into pulp by shredding it and
putting it in a mixture of paper, water, and
various chemicals. This mixture is then
broken down into fibers. The mixture is
pressed through a screen to remove
adhesives and other contaminants. The
paper is then de-inked through a flotation
process where air is blown into the solution
making the ink adhere to the bubbles. The
fibers are then bonded and bleached to
increase whiteness. Paper is then dried and
42
put onto large rolls which can be made into paper products for different
purposes.
Plastics
Since plastics are non-biodegradable, it is essential that they are recycled to
reduce environmental problems. Recycling plastic involves proper sorting,
shredding, and melting. The plastic pieces are then compressed into tiny pellets
known as nurdles, which are to be reused and redesigned into new plastic
products. Common recycled plastic products include: (a) polyethylene
terephthalate, which is tough, clear, and strong and used in soft drink and salad
dressing bottles; (b) high-density polyethylene, which is stiff, moisture-resistant,
has low gas permeability and is used in water and milk bottles; (c) polyvinyl
chloride, which is versatile, flexible, tough, and used in juice bottles, and PVC
piping; (d) low-density polyethylene, which is the most common type of recycled
plastic that is tough, moisture-resistant, flexible, and used in frozen food bags,
container lids, and freezable bottles.
Fig. 23. Plastic recycling process.
43
Glass
Glass can be recycled endlessly without losing its quality. This is why the glass
manufacturing process contributes little to waste generation. Glass recycling
involves sorting glass materials by color. This is an important step as specific
chemicals are added to produce the desired color. This is followed by fining the
glass materials into tiny pieces known as cullet. After decontamination, the
produced cullet is melted and molded into various glass products, the most
common being bottles for beverages.
Fig. 24. Glass recycling process.
Waste Hierarchy for Recycling

Waste hierarchy is a diagram which can guide homes, schools, and communities
in making decisions regarding effective waste reduction and management. The
most preferable option according to the diagram is to avoid and reduce wastes
that enter the waste stream. Figure 25 shows what can be done to avoid and
reduce wastes in our communities and in our environment.
44
Fig. 25. Waste hierarchy for recycling.
● Select items that require fewer resources to be produced.

● Avoid using disposable and single-use materials.
● Buy products that are recycled, recyclable, reusable, or biodegradable.
The least preferable, on the other hand, is the disposal of waste which contributes
to the continuously growing volume of wastes dumped in landfills and dumpsites.
Incineration
Incineration uses combustion or burning of wastes to recover energy and reduce
the amount of wastes going to disposal. During incineration, waste materials are
converted to gases, particles, and heat which are later used to generate electricity.
However, combustion-based processes such as incineration can emit harmful
pollutants such as heavy metals, dioxins, and furans into the air, land, and water,
causing harm to the environment and human health. This is why despite its
potential for energy recovery, incineration as a waste disposal method is highly
discouraged in many countries including the Philippines, and it continues to be a
major subject of environmental debates globally.
45
Fig. 26. Conversion of wastes to energy through incineration.
Composting
Composting is a natural process of recycling decomposed organic materials into
rich fertile soils known as composts. Thus, composting is known to contribute to
the optimum growth and development of plants. This activity also increases
plant’s resistance to pests, therefore lessening the need for the treatment of
pesticides. In the process, organic materials and minerals, normally in the form of
food wastes, are combined together. This compost pile will be decomposed by the
natural bacteria with the presence of oxygen and then produce the finished
compost together with other byproducts, such as water, heat, and carbon dioxide.
46
Fig. 27. The process of composting
Landfill Waste Management

Landfill involves the dumping of wastes in a designated area. This area resembles
a pit lined with an impermeable clay layer designed to minimize infiltration
through underlying soil layers. However, in cases where the leachates leak
through the clay layers, they contaminate the groundwater and badly affect water
quality, leading to adverse health effects in nearby communities. Furthermore,
landfill sites contribute to increased methane and carbon dioxide levels in the
atmosphere, which contribute to the rising global temperature. This is why landfill
dumping, despite the significantly cheaper costs involved in processing, is not
highly encouraged as a disposal method.
A common landfill must include a clay cap that would seal the entire structure.
Also, it should have a thick plastic liner to avoid the penetration of the leachate
into the ground. Pipes are also assembled to serve as the collecting standpipes for
the leachate. Lastly, a groundwater monitoring well must be constructed to
determine whether the landfill is affecting the quality of the water in the area.
47
Fig. 28. A typical landfill structure.
The so-called Smokey Mountain, which was once located in Tondo, Manila, is a
known example of a landfill site here in the Philippines. It started out as an
unplanned landfill in the 1950s. In the 1980s, its population climbed to over 30,000
with people living off scraps and wastes dumped in the landfill. The landfill was
eventually closed in the 1990s.
Table 5. Summary of Advantages and Disadvantages of Waste Disposal Methods.

Option Advantages Disadvantages
Recycling Resources are Emissions from recycling

conserved; reduction of processes; more energy
waste disposed to landfill is used vs. original
and incineration manufacture; low
demand for recycled
products.
Composting Reduction of wastes Foul odor; potential

disposed to landfill and pathway for
incineration; useful contaminants to enter
organic matter is the food chain
recovered for soil
48
amendment
Incineration Protects potable water Foul odor; produces

supplies from hazardous solid
contamination; weight wastes; emits toxic
and volume pollutants, heavy
reduction of waste; metals, and combustion
produces energy products
for electricity generation
Landfill Cheap disposal method; Water pollution; leachate

landfill gas contributes to runoff; air pollution due
renewable energy to production of
supply methane, carbon dioxide,
and volatile organic
compounds; emission of
known carcinogens
Legislation on Waste Management

The ever growing problem of excessive waste production and pollution called for
policies to be implemented by government agencies and numerous
environmental organizations.
In the Philippines, most waste management practices are governed by the

Republic Act 9003 known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000,
which basically aims to protect the public’s health and the environment through
proper waste disposal and environment-friendly methods of utilizing our
resources. Since its implementation, government offices, as well as those in the
private sectors, conducted various programs towards a greener and cleaner
country. Numerous local government units passed ordinances banning the use of
plastics and foams, which clogged waterways and drainage systems resulting in
flooding and water pollution. Shopping mall giants ,such as Shoemart and Ayala
Malls, promoted the three R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) through their ecobag
programs and nationwide recycling fairs. Segregation was also strongly enforced
through “no segregation, no collection” campaigns
The RA 9003 also mandated the establishment of materials recovery facilities

(MRFs) in individual or clusters of barangays, schools, malls, and other
establishments. These MRFs receive, sort, and process compostable and
49
recyclable materials. Dump sites were closed and were replaced with sanitary
landfills whose impermeable linings prevent leachates from polluting ground and
surface waters.
Key Points
● Recycling involves the recovery and reprocessing of materials from

products after they have been used by consumers.
● Incineration uses combustion or burning of wastes to recover energy and
reduce the amount of wastes going to disposal.
● Composting is a natural process of recycling decomposed organic
materials into rich fertile soils known as composts.
● Landfill involves the dumping of wastes in a designated area. This area
resembles a pit lined with an impermeable clay layer designed to minimize
infiltration to underlying soil layers.
● In the Philippines, most waste management practices are governed by the
Republic Act 9003, which is also known as the Ecological Solid Waste
Management Act of 2000. It basically aims to protect the public’s health
and the environment through proper waste disposal and
environment-friendly methods in utilizing our resources.
50
Web Links
● A walk to the slum of Manila: Smokey Mountain

Just One Way Ticket. 2016. ‘Smokey Mountain: Through the Slums of Manila,
Philippines.’
https://www.justonewayticket.com/
● Learn more about the details of R.A. 9003

Philippine Law. 2001. ‘Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.’
https://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2001
● The largest plastic recycling facility.

KCET. 2014. ‘CarbonLite: Inside the World's Largest Plastic Bottle Recycling Plant.’
https://youtu.be/vAr4BZM_Tzk
A. Complete the table by enumerating the advantages and disadvantages of each

waste management method.
Option Advantages Disadvantages
Recycling
Composting
Incineration
Landfill
51
B. Arrange each event on its proper sequence where 1 being the first to happen.
Plastic recycling
_________ Collection
_________ Baling
_________ Manual Sorting
_________ Washing
_________ Crushing
_________ Production of semi-finite products
_________ Regeneration
_________ End products and cycle repeats
Glass recycling
_________ First purification
_________ Collection
_________ Fining
_________ Second purification
_________ Cullet melting
_________ Forming
_________ End products and cycle repeats
Challenge Yourself

1. What are the 3R’s of recycling?
2. What is an example of the R.A. 9003 that mandates that you follow in your
city?
3. Do you agree with the process of incineration as a good method of waste
management? Why?
4. International communities are saying that the Philippines does not have a
sanitary landfill. What are the criteria needed for a facility to be classified as
sanitary landfill?
5. Smokey mountain is an urban landfill surrounded by residential areas. Do
you think it is a good idea that the government placed a housing project
within a landfill? Explain your answer.
52
Laboratory Activity
Activity 9.1
Community Waste Generation Profiling
Objectives
At the end of this laboratory activity, the students should be able to:
● determine types of wastes;
● identify sources of wastes; and
● propose possible waste management schemes for the community.
Materials and Equipment

● trash bags
● community trash bins
● tongs
● pen
● paper
Procedure
1. Cooperate with your barangay hall and ask for permission to conduct a
seven-day waste profiling by using community trash bins.
2. Randomly select 10 small trash bins distributed within your barangay.
3. Everyday, collect the waste content of the trash bins. Do this for a span of
one week.
4. Sort the content based on waste items (e.g., paper, plastic, metal, leaf litter,
etc.).
5. Weigh the sorted waste items to determine the amount of waste generated.
6. Based on the weight data, construct a pie chart showing the waste profile of
your barangay by presenting the percentage composition in terms of the
weight of wastes generated.
7. Identify which day has the highest waste generation within the week and
what type of waste material is mostly generated.
53
Data and Results
Table 1. Summary of waste materials generation in your barangay
Waste Weight of waste item per day

Material 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Paper
Metal
Plastic
Leaf litter
Other
materials
Total
Weight
Percentage composition of wastes generation in your barangay (pie chart)
54
Guide Questions
1. What is the most dominant waste item generated in your community?
2. What day gathered the highest amount of waste material? Which waste item
has the highest weight?
3. In what part of the barangay vicinity did you collect the most waste?
4. Given this data, what possible community waste management system can
you propose to your barangay hall?
5. How do you think recycling can be applied to the waste profile of your
community?
Performance Task
Importance of Recycling
Goal
● To create an informative pubmat (publicity material) about the importance
of recycling in the community.
Role
● You are a recycling advocate in the community and you were asked to talk
about the importance of recycling.
Audience
● The output will be presented to the entire class and will be evaluated by
your teacher.
Situation
● The challenge is to disseminate information about recycling in a simple and
creative manner in the form of informative pubmats.
Product, Performance, and Purpose

● You need to create a pubmat explaining the importance of recycling and
present it in front of the class.
Standards and Criteria

● Your performance will be graded by the following rubric.
55
Needs Successful Exemplary
Below Expectations,
Criteria 0% to 49%
Improvement Performance Performance
50% to 74% 75% to 99% 100%
Content. Details not Details are Details are Details are

presented. presented but not presented in an presented in an
Detailed facts are
Content is not organized. There organized organized matter
presented well.
related to the task. are some contents manner.Content that can be easily
Content related to the
that are not are related to the understood.
task.
related to the task. task. Contents are
related to the task.
Additional
supporting details
are presented.
Communication Presentation was Presentation was Presentation was Presentation was

not done. done but in a done smoothly but done clearly.
Skills.
disorganized and the concepts are Concepts were
Presentation was done illogical manner. presented in such presented in a
in a clear and logical a way that should logical manner
manner. be rearranged for and easily
better understandable by
understanding. the audience.
Self Check
Put a check on the space provided below if you agree on the given statements.
Check I can…
enumerate different types of wastes.
identify different sources of wastes.
explain the effects of waste on the environment and human health.
discuss methods that can be done for proper waste disposal.
56
Key Words
Anthropogenic These wastes are those generated from various human

wastes activities.
Composting It is a natural process of recycling decomposed organic
materials into rich fertile soils known as composts.
Gas wastes These are any gaseous material due to be discarded.
These are usually waste products from household and
industrial facilities.
Hazardous wastes These have properties that pose a substantial threat to
the environment and to the health of the public.
Incineration It uses combustion or burning of wastes to recover
energy and reduce the amount of wastes going to
disposal.
Landfill It involves the dumping of wastes in a designated area.
This area resembles a pit lined with an impermeable clay
layer designed to minimize infiltration through the
underlying soil layers.
Liquid wastes These are those that are in liquid form, freely flowing
when transported or heated to 60°C, and are not
capable of being picked up by a spade or shovel.
Natural wastes These are those originating from the environment. They
are usually wastes that are produced by earth’s different
natural phenomena.
Pollution It is an unwanted and harmful change in the
environment’s condition caused by excessive waste
production
Recycling It involves the recovery and reprocessing of materials
from products after they have been used by consumers.
Special wastes These are, as their name implies, wastes that require
special or unique regulatory requirements to lessen
their potential of causing harm.
Waste These refer to any discarded or rejected material mainly
57
from human activities and some other processes.
Wrap Up
Sources and Effects of Wastes
References
Cunningham, William P. and Mary Ann Cunningham. 2010. Environmental Science:

A Global Concern: McGraw Hill.
Botkin, Daniel B. and Edward Keller. 2011. Environmental Science: Earth as a Living
Planet: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
58
Hoornweg, Daniel and Perinaz Bhada-Tata. 2012. What a Waste: A Global Review of
Solid Waste Management. The World Bank
National Solid Waste Management Commission. 2015. National Solid Waste

Management Status Report. Department of Environment and Natural
Resources.
Rushton, Lesley. 2003. Health Hazards and Waste Management. British Medical
Bulletin
New South Wales Environment Protection Authority. “Classifying Waste”. Accessed

April 23, 2017.
http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/wasteregulation/classify-waste.htm
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. “Chapter
8: Types of Wastes” Accessed April 23, 2017.
http://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/CH08.PDF
National Geographic. “Pollution” Accessed April 23, 2017.

http://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/pollution/
World Nuclear Association. “What are Nuclear Wastes and How are they
Managed?” Accessed April 27, 2017.
http://www.world-nuclear.org/nuclear-basics/what-are-nuclear-wastes.aspx
New South Wales Environment Protection Authority. “The Waste Hierarchy”

Accessed April 28, 2017.
http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/wastestrategy/waste-hierarchy.htm
59

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Earth Science SHS Unit 9 Human Activity and The Environment Study Guide

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Unit 9

Human Activity and the Environment

Lesson 9.1: Types of Wastes 5

Lesson 9.2: Causes of Wastes 16

Lesson 9.3: Eﬀects of Wastes 28

Humans cope with the progressively rising living standards through

● What are the diﬀerent kinds of wastes?

● Natural resources are resources that were not created by humans.

My Trash Production: Composition

Data and Results:

4. Classify each waste item into whether it is biodegradable or

Day Weight of waste (in grams)

Since wastes come in many forms across diﬀerent geographic, environmental,

The gaseous wastes are mainly

For a waste to be considered hazardous, it should be:

● Waste refers to any discarded or rejected material mainly from human

● Learn more trivias about asbestos and its harmful eﬀects.

● Learn more about the diﬀerent types of gaseous wastes.

● Inform yourself with the Philippine Solid Waste bill.

A. Identify each of the following whether it is a solid waste, liquid waste,

Brieﬂy answer the following questions.

Data and Results:

Percent composition of waste Human and natural waste percent

Causes of Wastes Production

Sources of Anthropogenic Wastes

Commercial sources also produce several chemicals and disposable materials.

Wastes from metal mining industries

Table 3. Examples of wastes and their corresponding generators and sources.

Crops, orchards, vineyards, Spoiled food wastes,

Stores, hotels, restaurants, Paper, plastics, wood, food

Construction and Construction sites, road Wood, steel, concrete, dirt

Light and heavy Housekeeping wastes, food

Schools, hospitals, prisons, Same as the wastes produced

Single and multifamily Food wastes, paper, plastics,

World’s Waste Generation

The African region contributes the lowest amount of generated wastes at

Every sector in society contributes diﬀerently to the total amount of wastes

Fig. 13. Sources of solid wastes in the Philippines for 2013.

● Be shocked at how much waste the world generates.

● Do not waste your waste.

● What is the North Paciﬁc Ocean gyre?

Check Your Understanding

B. Identify the term referred to in the given description below.

Brieﬂy answer the following questions.

● How Long Does It Take For Trash to Biodegrade?

Table 4. Estimated and Actual Time Needed for Degradation

Economic and Aesthetic Impact

Fig. 15. Dangers associated with the disposal of wastes in landﬁlls.

Fig. 17. Presence of high concentrations of smog in the skyline

Health and Safety Impact

Particulate matter is a mixture of soot, smoke, metals, nitrates, sulfates, dust,

Scientists from an initiative called Global Burden of Disease Project estimated

In terms of exposure to polluted water, drinking water that is contaminated with

● Know more about the eﬀects of air pollution on the

● More of heavy metal contamination and its toxicity.

● Air pollution: Beijing’s current dilemma.

Check Your Understanding

Ozone layer depletion

Heavy metal contamination

Carbon dioxide emission

Water quality degradation

Brieﬂy answer the following questions.

Landﬁlls and Recycling