Earth Science

Human Activity and the Environment

How people generate different types of waste (solid, liquid, and gaseous) as they make use of various materials and
resources in everyday life,
How different types of waste affect people’s health and the environment, and
Ways of reducing the production of waste at home, in school, and around the community

I. Introduce the following terms:

a. Solid, liquid, and gaseous waste
b. Leachate
c. Eutrophication
d. Siltation
e. Acid mine drainage

 It is estimated that, in the next 30 years, Metro Manila alone will generate approximately 230 million cubic
meters of solid waste– enough to fill the country’s largest shopping mall over 175 times (Asian Development
Bank, 2004). This then leaves us with this important question: ‘what are we going to do with this situation?

• Some of the possible hazards associated with improper waste disposal:

- Pollution of bodies of waters, such as rivers, lakes, the marine environment, and ground water
- Loss of habitat from pollution of environment
- Clogging of waterways /drainage system (canals, rivers, and streams) which can cause flooding
- Unsanitary conditions leading to the spread of disease and pests that carry disease
- Burning of waste can release toxic gases (formaldehyde, hydrogen chloride, sulfur dioxide, dioxins, and furans)
- Unsightly and destroys the natural beauty of the environment

• Some government regulations that control improper waste disposal:

- Republic Act No. 9003 is an act providing for an ecological solid waste management program, creating the necessary
institutional mechanism and incentives, declaring certain acts prohibited and providing penalties, appropriating funds
therefor, and for other purposes. Prohibited acts include:
๏ Littering, throwing, dumping of waste matters in public places
๏ Undertaking activities in violation of sanitation operation
๏ Open burning of solid waste
๏ Causing non-segregated waste
๏ Squatting in open dumps and landfills
๏ Open dumping, burying of biodegradable materials in flood-prone areas ๏ Unauthorized removal of recyclable
material
๏ Mixing of source-separated recyclable material with other solid waste
๏ Establishment or operation of open-dumps
๏ Manufacturing, distributing, using, and importing consumer products that are nonenvironmentally-friendly materials
๏ Importing toxic wastes misrepresented as ‘recyclable’ or ‘with recyclable content’
๏ Transporting and dumping in bulk in areas other than facility centers
๏ Site preparation, construction, expansion or operation of waste management facilities without an Environmental
Compliance Certificate and not conforming with the land use plan of LGUs
๏ Construction of establishment within 200 meters from dump sites or sanitary landfills
๏ Operation of waste disposal facility on any aquifer, groundwater reservoir or watershed area

- Municipality ordinances

1 . Can landfills cause pollution to the local environment?

Leachate from landfills can contaminate groundwater if not properly managed. Moreover, it can cause soil
contamination and the production and release of methane (a greenhouse gas) from the decomposition of organic
matter.

Highlighted are the prohibitions that are most relevant. Point out that littering, dumping of wasted matters in public
places is punishable by law. Burning waste (e.g.” pagsisiga”) is also prohibited.
Most of the waste in landfills are classified as ‘municipal waste’ or waste collected from residential houses, markets,
among others (mostly in urban areas). However, there are other sources of waste.

Other Sources of Wastes and their Environmental Impact

1. Industrial waste
• Waste released from manufacturing plants, such as chemical plants, cement production, textile industries,
metallurgical plants, textile, food processing, power plants, etc.
• Eutrophication - excessive richness of nutrients can cause algal blooms (dense growth of plant life), which can be
detrimental to animal life due to lack of oxygen.
• Siltation - pollution of water by silt or clay. Siltation can have a negative impact on flora and fauna. It can cause
smothering of filter feeders, as well as an increase in the turbidity of waters (decrease light penetration).

2. Agricultural waste
• Excess use of fertilizers and pesticides can cause land and water pollution.
• Rice paddies release methane to the atmosphere.
• Excess excrement from poultry and other livestock can cause eutrophication of bodies of water.

3. Mining waste
• Waste generated from the exploitation of mineral resources
• Overburden material - ground (soil and rock) that is removed to extract the mineral deposit. Release of overburden
material to the environment as a result of improper management can cause siltation of bodies of water.
• Acid mine drainage - water that has come to contact with oxidized rock or overburden that contains sulphide material
(coal, zinc, copper, and lead). When acid mine drainage is not properly managed, it can find its way into waterways and
the ground water. High pH waters can be detrimental to plant and animal life. Acid mine drainage is also associated with
the release of heavy metals to the environment.

4. Biomedical Waste
• Waste generated by hospitals and other health care institutions
• This type of hazardous waste includes infectious waste and chemical waste dangerous to people and the environment.

ENRICHMENT
• Republic Act (RA) 9003 provides for the establishment of the Provincial Solid Management Board
• Divide the group into an appropriate number of groups. Each group will develop materials video presentation that can
be used to promote recycling in their community.