Improper Waste Disposal in Metro Manila

A Research Paper Presented to the

Faculty of College of Architecture
National University-Manila

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree Bachelor of Science in
Architecture

Research Methods for Architecture

Lucero, Charlotte H.
Ogayon, Louis Abraam
 The Improper Waste Disposal in Metro Manila

CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Introduction

Around the world, waste generation rates are rising. Solid waste refers to the

range of garbage materials arising from animal and human activities that are discarded

as unwanted and useless. Solid waste is generated from industrial, residential, and

commercial activities in a given area and may be handled in a variety of ways.

Waste is the by-product of man and is produced every day, the global

community recognized that Solid Waste Management is an issue that requires serious

attention. Many countries have resulted in manufacture, distribution and used of

products and generate waste that contributes to environmental degradation and global

climate. This is proven with the increasing rise of temperatures, seas levels, carbon

dioxide emissions, and the threat of global warming. With the rise of these

environmental crisis, we have the paralleled rise of waste in the forms of sanitary

landfills that produces invincible yet poisonous toxins in the air, water, soil and also

takes up valuable land spaces and excrete harmful bio-gases leading us all to

cancerous fates and eventual extinction.

One of the most pressing problems in the world today is the escalation of solid

waste generated due to an increasing population, leading to deterioration of the

environment. Based on the “World Population Data Sheet,” (Motavilli et al. 2005) there

will be a 46 percent increase in worldwide population to about nine billion from 2005
to 2050. While the population trend in most developed countries is decreasing, there

is an accelerating increase in the population in the developing countries.

A previous case study by Premakumara et al. (2013), states that the Republic

Act (RA) 9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000,

provides local government units the necessary institutional framework, policy

framework, and mandate to achieve a 25% waste reduction through the creation of

integrated solid waste management plans based on the 3Rs (reduce, reuse and

recycling). The evidence in their study does, however, indicate that these national

policies will only be successful if they are supported by strong political commitment at

the local government level in establishing supportive institutional framework and

ensuring political will to implement innovative, strategic programs by allocating

financial and organizational resources. In order to establish a successful solid waste

management program, community engagement is also required. This can be

accomplished when deployed programs offer financial incentives in conjunction with a

tight enforcement mechanism.

This rapid population growth aggravates the continuous increase in the volume

of solid waste generated per day. In Asia alone the waste generation rate is predicted

to increase from about 760,000 tons to about 1.8 million tons per day by 2025. The

greater percentage of these wastes is not collected properly or is dumped illegally.

The worsening condition of solid waste creates environmental and health problems.

Garbage is considered a third pollution inextricably interlocked with the air and water

pollution creating environmental hazards. Improper disposal of solid wastes

contributes to air, soil, and water pollution. Solid waste clogs drains, creates stagnant

water for insect breeding and causes floods during rainy seasons especially in urban

areas. Insect and rodent vectors can also spread diseases such as cholera and
dengue fever due to improper waste disposal. Improper wastes disposal, inefficient

wastes collection and lack of disposal facilities are among the dominant concerns in

the country’s solid waste management. Unless these are addressed, the wastes

generated from various sources will continually lead to health hazards and serious

environmental impacts such as ground and surface water contamination, flooding, air

pollution and spread of diseases.

Background of the Study

During past decades, both developed and developing countries continued to

introduce and implement different technologies and strategies to address this problem

of waste. However, despite the efforts of the government to address this concern,

many municipalities still have difficulty managing the growing volume of solid waste in

their localities. In Metro Manila, due to the forced closure of two primary disposal

facilities, the metropolis has been without any means to dispose of its garbage

adequately and safely. The solid waste management sector requires a massive and

urgent overhaul. Change must come. But the crisis continues—environmentally,

socially—as an unceasing tidal wave of refuse overwhelms the metropolis. In the

absence of a functional system of waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and disposal,

local governments cope the best they can.

In the Philippines, a person generates around 0.40 kg daily. To compare, in

Singapore, a person generates 3.72 kg of solid waste daily (otherwise known as daily

per capita generation) 52% of the solid waste generated in the Philippines is

biodegradable, as of 2015. With proper composting, especially backyard composting,

a significant volume of waste can be reduced from management. However, because

Philippine cities are planned poorly, backyard composting is a challenge. Because

residential sources generate a major percentage, municipal solid waste management

should focus on reducing waste generation by households. Although industrial solid

waste consists only 4% of total Philippine solid waste, managing it requires much effort

and resources.

Like many rapidly developing countries, the Philippines grapples with

unsustainable plastic production/consumption and insufficient solid waste

management infrastructure. A staggering 2.7 million tons of plastic waste are

generated in the Philippines each year, and an estimated 20 percent ends up in the

ocean. Comprised of more than 7,500 islands, the livelihoods of the Philippines’

coastal communities, and the fishing, shipping and tourism industries are especially

vulnerable to the impacts of marine debris. The Philippines recycled just 28% of key

plastic resins in 2019.78% of the material value of the key plastic resins– upwards of

US$890 million per year – is lost in the Philippines when recyclable plastic products

are discarded rather than recycled into valuable materials. 78% of the material value

of the key plastic resins– upwards of US$890 million per year – is lost in the Philippines

when recyclable plastic products are discarded rather than recycled into valuable

materials. The Philippines had a large recycling capacity gap of 85% in 2019

(compared to Malaysia and Thailand across all four resins) and is a net exporter of

plastic scrap.

Today referred to as the “garbage mountain”, enormous open dump or sanitary

landfills is a grave environmental hazard, threatening the quality of life, health, safety

and the environment with its odors and uncontrolled seeping leachates that kill surface

vegetation. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources reported that

about 70% of municipal solid waste in the country still ends up on landfills or
uncontrolled dumpsites, which often contaminate surface water, ground water or soil

and emit greenhouse gases. It produces 250 tons of leachate daily, (about 90,000 tons

annually). This current waste management system has proven itself unsustainable

functionally as well as environmentally.

Landfills are still not a perfect container for our waste with toxins accidentally

and uncontrollably leeched into the environment and is no longer considered state-of-

the-art. Proper treatment and disposal of waste remains highly challenging and often

overwhelming for many municipalities. According to the international Energy Agency,

waste generation rates will more than double over the next twenty years in lower-

income countries.

In Metro Manila, dump sites are dangerous, exposed, and generate potentially

toxic liquids called “leachate.” As these toxins flow along the surface and seep into the

earth, they risk poisoning the surface and groundwater that are used for drinking,

aquatic life, and the environment. Waste fires at these sites are common, which send

plumes of toxic emissions into the air. Other sites are critically unstable, presenting

the possibility of another deadly garbage slide.

The severity of Metro Manila’s garbage crisis is illustrated by the Payatas dump

site tragedy. In July 2000, after a weekend of heavy rain, a mountain of garbage

collapsed, burying hundreds of homes. Later, due to a dangerous mix of methane gas

and downed electrical utility poles, fires spread across the dump site. The bodies of

205 people were recovered and, reportedly, hundreds more remain missing. In

December 2000, the site was “permanently closed,” with plans to fast-track a new

sanitary landfill project. A crisis in collection ensued, with mountains of garbage left
uncollected throughout the metropolis. Over time, without any alternatives in place,

dumping at Payatas has resumed.

Despite the promotion of waste segregation and collection at source, adoption

has been at a very slow pace. Efforts must be dramatically scaled up to have any

effect on the unceasing wave of garbage generated by Metro Manila.

Statement of the Problem

In general, this study aims to formulate a solution to reduce the improper waste

disposal in the environment and how to improve and solve the solid waste

management problems in Metro Manila

Specifically, it aims to answer the following questions:

1. How solid waste affect the citizens’ health?

2. What are the factors affecting the continuous increase of waste in Metro

Manila?

3. How does improper solid waste disposal affect the environment?

4. What solutions can be used to minimize the solid waste management

problem?

5. How can architectural study help and solve solid waste management

problem?
Research Questions

1. What are the solutions of other countries to combat improper waste

management.

2. How does the laws pertaining to solid waste management affect the

continued increase in waste generation in Metro Manila?

3. What City in Metro Manila has the greatest number of wastes generated per

year?

Research Goals and Objectives

The researchers goal and objectives of this study is to present the Solid Waste

Management in Metro Manila as a system and recommend solutions using different

approaches. The specific goals and objectives of the study are the following:

1. To analyze the current state of Solid Waste Management in Metro Manila,

the challenges it faces and the factors involved.

2. To determine the significant elements in the Metro Manila SWM system.

3. To present graphs and illustration of these elements.

4. To formulate model solutions and scenarios wherein different solutions in

the SWM system are applied.

5. To identify the effect of these improvements to the SWM system.

6. To develop and look into applicable solutions to the SWM system of the

Metro Manila.
Significance of the Study

This study is designed to provide information regarding solid waste disposal

and its impact to people’s health and in the environment. This study will provide

sufficient knowledge to individuals to guide and assess the problem.

The result and findings of this study will benefit the following:

Household: In able for them to gain broader knowledge and to be aware regarding

cause and effects of solid waste disposal to be mindful to know how to properly

dispose their garbage.

Barangays: they will be able to assess success of the implementation of R.A. 9003

as to the recycling/reusing of non-biodegradable solid wastes and composting of bio-

degradable solid waste.

Community: this study will help the community to a proper waste disposal which will

improves air and water quality as well as reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Local Government Units (LGU): they will be able to reduce solid waste disposal

expenses which usually constitute a sizable portion of the budget in Metro Manila.

Researchers: The knowledge derived from the study will lead them to have better

understanding of the impacts of solid waste disposal. Further, this study will help them

recommend some possible solutions to mitigate the negative effects of improper waste

disposal on people’s health and environment.

Future Researchers: this study will benefit the researchers who has managed to

deepen their understanding by working on to complete this project. This study

establishes sufficient findings and discoveries that will be useful for the future

researchers to serve as their guide and reference.

Scope and Limitations

This study looks into the solid waste management situation in Metro Manila,

Philippines as a system. It looks specifically, into the wastes generated in the city, its

generators and policies, the authorities and bodies involved in its management. The

researchers choose to limit the study of solid waste management of Metro Manila in

term of implementation of R.A. 9003 – Solid Waste Act of 2000.

The main concern of the study is to find a solution to the problems in Metro

Manila, specifically the improper waste disposal which is evident. This includes the

study of different ways of waste disposal observed in the area, the analysis of why

Metro Manila produces and causes so much waste and what could be the effects of

the lack of proper waste disposal to the environment and the overall health of

everyone.

The researchers will conduct interviews and surveys with different individuals

around Metro Manila for they are one of the ones affected by the implementation of

this study. To sum it up, this study will focus on the improper waste disposal and the

solutions to be use.
Definition of terms

Disposal – The act or process of disposing such as solid waste and biodegradable

materials.

Environment – the sum total of all surroundings of a living organisms, including

natural forces and other living things, which provide conditions for the development

and growth as well as danger and damage.

Health – Is the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely

the absence of disease.

Household – Consists of one or several persons who live in the same dwelling.

Household waste – Solid waste comprising of garbage and rubbish (such as bottles,

cans, clothing, compost, disposables, food packaging, food scraps, newspapers and

magazines, and yard trimmings) that originates from private homes or apartments. It

may also contain household hazardous waste. It is also called domestic waste or

residential waste.

Impact – The degree of action of one object coming forcibly into contact with one

another, a marked effect or influence.

Problem – A statement about an area of concern to be eliminated, a project set out to

answer.

Republic Act 9003 – Also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of

2000, is an act that provides for a systematic, comprehensive and ecological waste

management program to ensure the protection of public health and the environment.

Solid waste – A hazardous material with low liquid content.

Solid Waste Management – The process of collecting, storing, treatment and

disposal of solid wastes in such a way that they are harmless to humans, plants,

animals, the ecology and the environment generally.