The Significance of Waste Segregation in Environmental Protection

Technology has found its way towards helping the world achieve sustainability as technology isn’t just viewed today as something that brings crisis and problems. We have come to an age of modernization where we can already use modern concepts in providing solutions to our global problems, which is why we use technology in the present not only just for our personal convenience but also for creating a more sustainable communities. For it there is the importance of waste segregation essay.

Many of our communities which were once seen as dirty, polluted and unsustainable are now making efforts towards creating a healthier community that can benefit the welfare of the people. Many of our organizations today have also aided in reaching this goal by creating policies and programs that can in the betterment of the society.

As stated by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Healthy community design is about planning and designing communities to make it easier for people to live healthy lives. Healthy community design encourages mixed land uses to bring people closer to the places where they live, work and play. It was also emphasized by the Lincy Institute of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2012 that quality health care, safety and physical activity (of the residents) are three elements that comprise a healthy community with the statement “A healthy community is one in which all residents have access to a quality education, safe and healthy homes, adequate employment, transportation, physical activity, and nutrition, in addition to quality health care”.

Even with these prominent movements and programs that are being executed in order to improve unhealthy communities into a much healthier one, there are still many areas around the globe that these movements can’t reach. This is because most of the areas that are being covered by these projects are on the central areas or developed areas. Residents from the rural areas, on the other hand are sticking to its old ways without the awareness that these old ways can bring them different hazards.

As stated in the study of Myers of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, research also exists suggesting that rural areas bear a disproportionately high level of risk for certain serious injuries, raising the possibility of increased safety threats to rural inhabitants. One of the places in the Philippines that are from the central area is the Ilocos Region. Although some areas in it are now converted into cities and are undergoing development, there are still areas in the Ilocos region that doesn’t have proper systems or technology to enable the progress towards a healthier community. Narvacan, a 2nd class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines is one of the provinces or municipalities that are being described because the services to make this province healthier are limited to certain areas only. Out of its 34 barangays, Sucoc is one of the areas that doesn’t have enough services as the central area cannot extend its full services towards this area.

“Open Burning”

Narvacan, Ilocos are one of the many areas in the Philippines that have waste management systems that are limited to certain areas of the province only. With the absence of such services in certain areas, residents have been doing their waste disposal by burning their trashes. “Open burning” means the burning of any type of combustible material where smoke and other emissions are directly released to the outside ambient air. According to the Rural Health Unit of Municipality of Narvacan, the following cases of disease might be correlated to open burning: 20 people with Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, 5 with Acute Bronchitis and 2 with Allergic Rhinitis.

Smoke created by backyard garbage burning especially affects people with sensitive respiratory systems, as well as children and the elderly. Exposure to smoke can also increase the risk of heart disease, cause rashes, nausea, and headaches. Waste burning might be an expedient way of cleaning up dump areas, but after repeated fires, it pollutes the air and the ground as well as being hazardous for human health. Thus it can affect the ground water sources that can introduce toxic chemicals with the residents’ water source which leads us to the next problem. 

River/Irrigation Pollution

Aside from open burning as a waste disposal, residents in the area also dispose their wastes in the river which also serves as an irrigation system to the plantation of agricultural lands in the area. During rainy season, resident near the rivers or irrigations suffer from flooding from overflowing of water due to obstruction by wastes. Being exposed to waters that are contaminated by trash can also heighten the risk of the residents who are suffering from the flood. The major public health concern during a flood is contamination of private drinking water wells.

Unsafe Drinking Sources

Aside from poor waste management, some of the residents also don’t consider having a safe drinking water source as some of them get their drinking waters directly from the well. Upon collecting water from the well in containers, they do not boil the water anymore unless it is for drinking hot beverages. Drinking water from the well directly can cause hazards. It was also stated from the gathered data that cases of diarrhea are likely to rise in rainy seasons where wells are more likely to be contaminated from the run off waters due to raining.

Private Wells can be contaminated by both naturally occurring sources and by human activities. Possible contaminants might be microorganisms that include bacteria, viruses, and parasites. People that consume drinking water containing microorganisms can experience gastrointestinal illnesses and infections. Water run-off from rainfall or snow-melt can contaminate private wells by washing microorganisms into the well system or seeping underground.

Open Burning Solutions

One principle of sustainable Municipal Solid Waste management strategy is to maximize waste recycling and reusing. This involves the process of biological treatments of organic materials such as the use of organic waste to be composted to produce fertilizers. By doing so, they would not only save money from environmental cost but also from agricultural cost for fertilizers. This solution was also supported by the study of Fullerton and Kinnaman as they elaborated on garbage and recycling as the only two disposal options because the optimizing fee for garbage collection equates to the resource cost and the environmental cost. This only shows that with garbage collection and recycling we would be able to reduce unhealthy environmental and human impacts that is much more expensive to deal with.

Another proposed solution for open burning is the development of organizations, programs and activities that promotes awareness to the people of the community about the importance of waste segregation. These organizations could also improve communication and partnership strategies among various entities especially encouraging community participation in research endeavors. This idea is supported to be effective and feasible by the study of Purba, Meidianna, and Adrianto as they developed a Waste Bank Development Program that increased their community’s awareness on environmental degradation which supported building capacity, income and the reduction of waste disposal on landfills as well.

River/Irrigation Pollution Solutions

Another way to minimize the water pollution into the river, the barangay officials need to monitor the activities of the citizens with their waste activities to ensure the cleanliness of the river. There will be a corresponding fines as consequences for people who still have improper waste management. Signage will also be put up to constantly remind the citizens of correcting this unhealthy behavior. The above mentioned possible solutions in open burning such as proper waste disposal and management can also be used in addressing river pollution concerns as both problems are due to improper dealing with garbages and wastes.

Sollutions of Unsafe Drinking Sources 

Stated in Environmental Science and Technology, water sanitation services could be enhanced and expanded through greater collaboration between fields of water and sanitation engineering and public health. Possible solutions in the problems are as follows:There would be a collaboration of the mayor of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur to water and sanitation engineering and public health in improving the barangays water pumps, sewage system or water sources to be a reliable drinking source.

Giving orientation or seminars towards the people of that certain barangay to give them knowledge about the disadvantages in drinking an unsafe sources like the water wells , water pumps and tap water from faucets. Promote drinking clean and safe water, which comes from a water station. Infrastructure of water stations that is accessible to that barangay or if not possible, other stations near the area can have their delivery services.

Conclusion

In this waste segregation essay where reminded major factors that contributes to an unhealthy community in Barangay Sucoc, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur include open burning, river/irrigation pollution and unsafe drinking sources. Due to improper waste management and absence of garbage collection services, residents in the area resort to: open Burning, which can cause and trigger respiratory illnesses such as Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, Acute Bronchitis, and Allergic Rhinitis which are cases present in the said barangay; and throwing Garbage into the River which also causes pollution and obstruction that contribute to overflow and floods. Having unsafe drinking water sources such as water wells can cause gastrointestinal sicknesses like diarrhea especially during rainy season. Water pollution in the river also contributes to the contamination of the water wells near the area.

These practices that make Sucoc an unhealthy community can be solved through the following: Seminars or symposiums on proper waste management and disposal and also importance of having a safe drinking water source. These seminars shall raise awareness with the dangers of their present activities. The municipality shall also impose proper collection, segregation and disposal of wastes, prohibiting open burning and throwing trash in the river. water stations shall be established but if not possible, other stations near the area can have their delivery services. Collaboration with Local Government Agencies to ask for assistance in resolving these issues can also help us in addressing these problems more.

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