MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

UNIT 2

TITLE: Environmental Laws and Principles

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

After studying this module, you are expected to:

 1. Identify the various environmental laws in
the Philippines;
2. Differentiate the Environmental laws
according to purpose;
3. Make use of the laws in deciding
conservation efforts.

Let’s do the INTRO

In today’s world where pollution is everywhere, governments put in place laws

that can mitigate the adverse damage to nature as well as animals and people who
thrive in areas that are really affected.
In the Philippines, the government had instituted policies on how to take care of
the atmosphere, land and water from pollutants which later on will have adverse impact
to people’s health if put on hind sight.

The Clean Air Act (RA) 8749: Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1999
The Clean Air Act provides an air quality management policy and program which
aims to achieve and maintain healthy air for all Filipinos. The Philippines has been
divided into different air sheds. Air sheds are to be designated based on climate,
weather, metreology and topology, which affect the mixture and diffusion of pollutants in
the air. These air sheds shall be managed by multi-sectoral Governing boards chaired
by DENR Secretary with representatives from concerned government agencies, the
private sector, NGOs and LGUs.
The clean air act is the very reason why smoke belching vehicles need to undergo
emission testing. Our communities need clean air by having clean fuels hence all
leaded gasoline were phased out, sulfur content of industrial and automotive diesel
were lowered as well the lowering of benzene in unleaded gasoline.

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Pause for a moment
What are the examples of potential sources of air pollution according to:
Source Examples
1. Mobile Sources such as cars, buses, planes, trucks,
and trains
2. Stationary Sources such as power plants, oil refineries,
industrial facilities, and factories
3. Natural Sources such as wind-blown dust, wildfires,
and volcanoes

The Philippine Clean Water Act (RA) 9275: Clean Water Act (CAA) of 2004
When urban places get highly urbanized, the by-products of people will no longer
be limited through their mobility such as those vehicles that pollute the air but the bodies
of water as well.
The Clean water act aims to protect the country’s water bodies from land- based
pollution sources. The law provides an integrated strategy to prevent and minimize
pollution through a multi sectoral and participatory approach involving all the stake
holders. In this act, the highlight is pinned on controlling discharges of wastewater by
requiring owners of establishments to get a permit to discharge from Environmental
Management Bureau.

Pause for a moment

What are the examples of potential sources of water pollution according to:
Source Examples
1. Domestic Waste Means any nonputrescible waste,
consisting of combustible materials,
such as paper, cardboard, yard
clippings, wood, or similar materials,
generated in a dwelling, including the
real property upon which it is
situated, containing four living units
or less.
2. Solid Waste Such as waste tires, septage, scrap
metal and latex paints.
3. Industrial Waste Cafeteria garbage, scrap metals, oil,
and solvents

The Philippine Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear (RA) 6969 Act
The Act provides the legal framework for the Philippines to control and manage
the importation, manufacture, processing, distribution, use, transport, treatment and
disposal of toxic substances and hazardous and nuclear wastes. The government has

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issued a Chemical Control Order that regulates the use, manufacture, import, transport,
processing, storage , possession and wholesale of priority chemicals that are
determined to be regulated, phased-out, or banned because of the serious risks they
pose to public health and environment.
At present, five (5) of the 48 chemicals listed in the Priority Chemical List have
already been covered by Chemical Control Order; Mercury, Cyanide, Asbestos, Ozone-
depleting substances and polychlorinated biphenyls.

Pause for a moment

What are the examples of the five toxic chemicals covered by chemical Control Order
found in the market? The first one is done for you but you can add more
Chemical Product in the market Purpose of the
product
1.Mercury Body thermometers Used as body
temperature gauge
for people with fever
2.Cyanide Plastics Plastics is versatile,
hygenic, lightweight,
flexible and highly
durable. It accounts
for the largest usage
of plastics world
wide and is used in
numerous packaging
applications
including containers,
bottles, drums, trays,
boxes, cups and
vending packaging,
baby products and
protection
packaging.

3.Asbestos Talcum Powder/ Baby These powders are

Powder often used to prevent
or treat diaper rash

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 around infants'
bottoms and genital
areas
4. Ozone – depleting Fire Extinguisher Use to extinguish or
substances control small fires.
5. Polychlorinated Transformers A device that is used
biphenyls to either raise or
lower voltages and
currents in an
electrical circuit.

The Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (PESWMA) of 2000

The Philippines with its archipelagic nature is connected by bodies of water
hence, whatever human activities done on land may drain all the way into bodies of
water. This very context is evident in the manner on how people in land manage the
solid wastes they produce to the destruction on marine life forms. In this law it is
mandated that the government creates the following:
1. National Solid Waste management commission(NSWMC)
2. National Ecology Center
3. National Solid Waste Management Board (NSWMB) in every province, city and
municipality.
In the city level, the Local Government units are asked to prepare a 10 year Solid
Waste Management Plan. This plan should stipulate the mandatory segregation
of Solid waste at source (households, offices and others). The LGU is asked to
establish a reclamation program for recyclable and toxic materials as well as
establishing the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in every barangay or clusters
of barangay. It is also mandated by this law that open dumpsites shall be closed
instead push through for sanitary landfills.

Pause for a moment

Instruction: Segregate the following materials according to their decomposition.
Solid wastes Recyclable Bio degradable Non-biodegradable
1.banana peel  
2.cellphone case  
3.yard trimmings  
4.tin can  

5.sanitary napkin

6.used cooking oil

7.leftover food  
8.used papers  

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 9.old shoes  
10.surgical mask

The Climate Change Act of 2009: RA 9729

Republic Act (RA) 9729 aims to systematically integrate the concept of climate
change in the policy formulation and development plans of all government agencies and
units in preparation for the impact of climate change to the Philippines. The law created
the climate change commission tasked to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the
programs and action plans of the government pertaining to matters on climate change.
For instance, the Department of education is tasked to integrate climate change into the
basic education curricula as printed in books and other educational materials.

The Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008: RA 9512

It is an act that promotes environmental awareness through Environmental
education(EE) and covers the integration of these EE in curricula at all levels be it
private or public, including day care, preschool, non- formal, technical, vocational,
indigenous learning and out of school youth courses. It is also stipulated in Section 6 of
this Act that the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education
(CHED), Technical education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department
of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Science and
technology (DOST) shall lead in the implementation of public education and awareness
programs on environmental protection and conservation through collaborative
interagency and multi-sectoral at all levels.

Let’s check the DEVELOPMENT

Instruction: Create an advocacy poster that would introduce any of the Laws that you
have learned from this module.

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 Let’s Practice TOGETHER

Instruction: Make a summary of all the Environmental Laws you have learned in this
module by developing a ten matching type question. The questions should come from
the lesson tackled and should have ready answers.

Example:

Column A Column B
Waste water RA 9003
Clean Water Act
Answer: Clean water Act
Column A Column B

1. Clean care act a. (RA) 6969 Act

2. The Philippine Toxic b. (RA) 8749
Substances and Hazardous
and Nuclear
3. The Environmental c. RA 9729
Awareness and Education
Act of 2008
4. The Climate Change Act d.RA 9512
of 2009
5. In this law it is mandated e. Mercury
that the government creates
the National Ecology Center
6. Example of chemical f. The Philippine Ecological
listed in the Priority Solid Waste Management
Chemical List Act (PESWMA) of 2000
7. Year of clean water act g. Department of Education
8. It is tasked to integrate h. 2004
climate change into the
basic education curricula as
printed in books and other
educational materials.
9. Philippine Ecological Solid i. 1999
Waste Management Act
10. Year of clean air act j. 2000

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Your answer key:

1. B
2. A
3. D
4. C
5. F
6. E
7. H
8. G
9. J
10. I

Let’s Practice INDEPENDENTLY

Instruction Make a 10 sentence essay about your perspective on the Environmental

Laws we have in the Philippines. To guide you on what to write, here is your question:

1. After learning about environmental laws, assess your community and try to reason
out based on your observations if these laws helped solve the problems it was intended
to resolve? Why or why not?

ACT RIGHT NOW

Aren’t we aware of the different problems occurring in our nature, especially in

different bodies of water? Water pollution is the caused of our undisciplined actions and
irresponsibility. We, humans are only creating problems that consequently we will also
carry the burden of these problems. We all know that water pollution can affect our
health badly and seriously. It can cause such sicknesses and diseases that will badly
affect our health. We all know how important water is. Water is essential to our body.
Neither we nor every living thing can’t survive without water. And so therefore, we
should keep, protect, save, and help prevent our waters from being polluted, we should
act as early as now, we should save rivers, seas and oceans, and other bodies of water
because we will also bare the burden of this problem. We should not wait for the time
until people are competing just to get sufficient, fresh and clean water, the time where
clean water is insufficient to the people and animals, and the time where in our sources
of water are diminishing or until the time where there are totally no sources of water.
And so, let us be disciplined and responsible enough to save, protect and conserve not
only sources of water but also our mother nature because our nature provides and
helps us in our daily lives. Let’s just realize how important our mother nature is. It is our
only source of living. Let us not destroy it nor pollute it. Let us act for a change. We
need and we should help save and conserve our mother nature, especially the different

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bodies of water. Absolutely, there are many simple ways in how we can help. Change
ourselves before we construct changes in our nature. Act right now!

Let’s check your UNDERSTANDING

1. Time to chat with the teacher.
2. Online quiz:

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