Solid Waste Management
Proposal
| 1.
Policy Brief on Solid Waste Management
Dilemma, Legislation
& Policy
Dilemma
Solid Waste issues are now at the forefront
of public attention. The continuous population increase all over
the country, urbanization and the economic growth currently being experience
has resulted in the rise in total tons of solid wastes generated and kilogram
generated per person.
The Problem in Perspective Metro Manila’s 17 cities and municipalities produce 6,000 to 7,000 tons of municipal solid waste each day. A 1994 estimate put the collection rate at 75 percent, with 60 going to the San Mateo Landfill and the rest to unmanaged open dumps. Future waste will pose greater environmental quality and health issues unless solving the problem received commensurate recognition and priority. The country’s major cities generate about
10,400 tons of solid waste daily. About two-thirds is collected and
only about 2,600 tons or 16 percent, is actually deposited in controlled
landfills or open dumps. Random illegal of municipal solid waste
may account for about 40 percent of the total amount generated. The LGUs
face a multitude of problems in dealing with solid waste management.
Philippine Garbage Slide Claims Lives Manila, Philippines, July 10, 2000 (ENS). Thirty-two people are dead and 29 others have been hospitalized after torrential rains loosened a mountain of garbage which then caught fire in the northern Manila suburb of Quezon City. The Payatas dump caught fire when a power pylon fell over and ignited the methane gas released by the huge pile of garbage. People who make their living scavenging the garbage for marketable and recyclable items were caught in the avalanche of trash. A community of about 3,000 surrounds the Payatas dump. At least 80 people are missing and feared dead, according to the Red Cross and government disaster agencies. About 780 others are in an evacuation center. Narrow alleys kept fire trucks from getting near the blaze. They parked on a main road and fire crew dragged fire hoses through the alleys to extinguish the fire. Ismael Mathay, mayor of Quezon City, said Monday evening that more than 500 families were affected and 100 shacks were buried. The dump was supposed to be closed in October of 1999, but it remains open because there is no alternative site for Quezon City’s more than 700 tons of daily garbage In an article describing that visit to
the dump with Sheen, Fr. Shay Cullen described the conditions there.
“on this mountain of decaying waste they wade ankle deep in the filth and
refuse of the garbage heap to which they have been condemned by the hardened
hearts f official and corporate corruption,” he wrote.
This is the garbage mountain that collapsed
this morning, burying the scavengers, six children among the dead.
Garbage: The Killer of Manila MANILA, Philippines, January 30, 2001 (ENS) - Where do you put 8,000 tons of ttrash generated daily by this city’s 12 million people? Nowhere. It piles up daily serving as breeding ground for files, rats, mosquitos, bacteria and virus. Manila’s hot, humid and polluted air is now full of the stench of trash decaying everywhere. “Sooner rather than later, the country will face a health epidemic of uncontrolled proportions if the worsening garbage problem is not solved,” said Secretary Alberto Romualadez of the nation’s Department of Health. There are no dumpsites for the millions of tons of trash that now litter all streets, business establishments, residential front and backyards and commercial shops in the city. On January 15, 150 garbage dump trucks from the Metro Manila Development Authority tried to dump their loads at the San Mateo landfill, a dumpsite closed by the government last year, but were met by 6,000 residents opposed to the dumping. Truncheon wielding policemen and water canons were used to mow down people who blocked the trucks’ entry. Shots were fired on the truck drivers who escaped unhurt. Most of the trucks were able to dump their loads with policemen guiding the way. But people near San Mateo vowed never to allow any truck to dump trash into their community again. They are seeking a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court, saying San Mateo is part of a watershed that provides water to the locality. The Payatas dumpsite, site of a tragic trash landslide triggered by rains and killed 215 and forever buried 760 other scavengers, is closed. Manila’s trash problem is laced wit politics and graft. First, plans for a multi-million dollar incinerator plan project were trashed because politicians and environmentalists successfully pushed a clean air act through the Philippine Congress, despite assurances from the incinerator developing companies that state of the art incinerating techniques would not add to air pollution. The act was passed as a law and took effect last year. There has never been a serious plan to
launch a massive waste management campaign among Manila residents to minimize
and recycle waste because some local politicians prefer dumping garbage
somewhere else.
New Philippines President Cleans House Manila, Philippines, January 31, 2001 (ENS) – Alarmed by the worsening garbage problem in Manila which threatens to throw the country into a public health crisis, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has signed law which deals firmly with the mountains of trash in Metro Manila and is aimed at arresting similar problems throughout the country. The Solid Waste Management Act, Republic
Act 9003 is the first legislation Arroyo signed as President in her uneasy
term which is plagued by rumors of a coup and rumblings of dissatisfaction
from former supporters.
President Arroyo said the waste management law symbolizes the reforms her administration would like to implement which would produce immediate and concrete benefits in the daily lives of the Philippine people. “The tragedy of Payatas (Quezon City) last year taught us this painful lesson. Even more tragic is the fact that the persons most vulnerable to environmental disasters are the poor,” she said. The Solid Waste Management Act stresses the importance of environmentally sound techniques of waste minimization such as recycling, resource recovery, reuse, and composting. It provides for mandatory segregation of waste at the household level with collection vehicles having the appropriate compartments for the sorted wastes. The law prohibits open dumping of solid
wastes and the establishment of sanitary landfills for final disposal.
The act provides for the integration of solid waste management concerns in the school curriculum starting in the elementary level. It mandates an inventory of existing markets that recycle materials and composts. And it requires preparation of 10 year solid waste management plans by all local government units. The law empowers local government units to actively pursue solid waste management systems in their areas of jurisdiction by providing them with whatever policy and technical support is needed. Implementation of the act is expected to significantly reduce the volume of waste for final disposal, alleviating the current pressures on the capacity of sanitary landfills. “It addresses major negative aspects of solid waste which discourage a community’s hosting of a landfill. I am told no other country in the world has adopted this Integrated ecological approach to solid waste management,” President Arroyo said as she signed the bill into law. The President thanked Congress leaders for their dedication and hard work in expediting the passage of the act. Manila is becoming a very foul smelling city. Local governments have raised alarms against dumping garbage near water sources, but there is just no place that is adequate to accept the 8,000 tons of trash generated daily by Manila residents. Surrounding provinces around Manila like
Bulacan, Tarlac, Cavite and Rizal have sent strong warnings to Manila authorities
that they will not welcome any garbage from the country’s capital.
Misconceptions In the Philippines, most people believe
that once garbage is removed from the house it is no longer a concern for
the household members. They do not care when they no longer see the
garbage. They believe it is the government’s responsibility to take
care of it. While resident’s concern for collection efficiency runs
high, their appreciation for proper disposal is very low. Ironically,
however, communities often have objected to establishing sanitary landfill
in their area, but hey have tolerated the existence of open dumpsites.
Financial Realities Initial studies have shown that the establishment
of a proper disposal system is expensive. With the heavy subsidy
of garbage collection and services, building a sanitary landfill often
seems virtual impossible to consider given the other priorities of the
municipality or city. At present, the solid waste management system
operates on a 100-percent subsidy. The collection fees, mainly from
commercial establishments, go directly to the general fund of the LGU to
cover other service costs. The current high interest rates also are
making it difficult for the LGUs to secure loans.
Addressing the Solid Waste Dilemma Along with finance and planning, policy is a major aspect in solid waste management problem. New Policies on Solid Waste Management are needed to address such transitions. The creation of the Presidential Task Force on Solid Waste Management under the Aquino administration instituted a central policymaking body on waste management. It is chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Specifically, the Task Force, is mandated to identify an effective collection and disposal system or technology sustainable on a long-term basis. In 1993, the Task Force developed the Integrated
National Solid Waste Management System Framework. The Framework states:
The creation of the Presidential Task Force on Solid Waste Management under the Aquino administration instituted a central policymaking body on waste management. IT is chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Specifically, the Task Force, is mandated to identify an effective collection and disposal system or technology sustainable on a long-term basis. The government signed a $100 million loan agreement with the World Bank under the Solid Waste Ecological Enhancement Program (SWEEP). The vision of the project is in line with Ecological Waste Management. This means that the principles of waste minimization and recovery are an integral to the project. It will involve separation-at-source, recycling, reuse and composting as the primary methods of handling and treating waste. Several efforts are underway to build a
national framework for action and increase the public and private technical
capacity to deal with solid waste management issues. A National Conference
on Solid Waste Management held in November 1999 created a momentum for
a more active and effective response to the solid waste issue in the country
and the region. A key part of the conference included discussions
on overcoming the constraints and barriers to project implementation, accommodating
the private sector financial BOT-type projects arrangement to move forward
with major project. The even also included the creation of a Solid
Waste Association of the Philippines, envisioned as the official mouthpiece
for solidwaste advocacy of the country and as a vehicle for increasing
the technical capabilities of the public and private sectors.
Legislation
, Policy and Guiding Principles
Existing Legislative and Policy Framework
on Solid Waste
A. National Level
The national legislative and policy framework specifically governing solid waste management in the Philippines is based on separate provisions contained in several pieces of environmental legislation. None of these laws provides a comprehensive coverage of solid waste management in its entire field. Rather, each of them contains provisions only on certain aspects of solid waste management. 1 PD 1152 Philippine Environmental Code ( PD 1152 ) requires the preparation and implementation of a waste management program by all cities and municipalities. Specifically it prescribes that solid waste disposal shall be by sanitary landfill, incineration, composting, and others methods as may be approved by a competent government authority. It also prohibits the dumping or disposal of solid waste into the sea or any water body in the Philippines, including shorelines and riverbanks. 2 PD 8 Garbage Disposal Law ( 825 ) prohibits littering in public places and makes it the responsibility of residents, institutions, and commercial and industrial establishments to clean their surroundings, including streets and canals adjacent to their properties. It further provides for penalties for the improper disposal of garbage and other forms of uncleanliness. 3 PD 984 Code of Sanitation ( PD 850 ) prescribes all cities and municipalities to provide an adequate system of refuse collection, transport, and disposal in accordance with measures approved by the local health authority. It also defines the responsibilities of food establishments, markets/ abbatoirs, school, industries and the general citizenry in the storage and disposal of solid waste. 4 PD 2146 Pollution Control Law ( PD 984 ) prescribes the general manner, in which solid waste shall be stored, collected, processed, transported and disposed of. 5 BOT Law Definition Control and Coverage of the Envoronmental Impact Statement System ( PD 2146 ) provides that infrastructure including solid waste disposal projects are considered environmentally critical project and thus subject to the EIS System. 6 RA 7160 of 1991 The BOT Law provides that insfrastructure and development projects normally financed and operated by the public sector, such as that for solid waste management, may likewise be wholly or partly implemented by the private sector. 7 RA 7942 The Local Government Code ( RA 7160 of 1991 ) devolved certain power and responsibilities to the local government units including the preparation and enforcement of their respective SWM programmes. 8 RA 7942 The MMDA Law ( RA 7942 ) creates the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority which is responsible for providing waste disposal and management services to the cities and municipalities of Metro Manila. 9 Presidential Task Force on Waste Management The creation of the Presidential Task Force on Waste Management ( PTFWM) ( Memorandum Circular 30 of November 1987 the project Management Office (PMC of the PTFWM the Adoption of the Integrated National Solid Waste Management System Framework. 10 RA 9003 The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 established a National Solid Waste Management Commission under the Office of the President. The Commission is composed of fourteen (14) members from the government sector and three (3) members from the private sector. The Presidential Task Force on Waste Management and the Project Management Office were both abolished by RA 9300. Consequently, their powers and functions were absorbed by the National Solid Waste Management Commission pursuant to the provisions of RA 9300. Under the Commission is the Provincial Solid Waste Management Board in every province whish is chaired by the governor. Under the Board is the City and Municipal Solid Waste Management Board which shall be formed in every city or municipality and which shall prepare, submit and implement a plan for the safe and sanitary management of solid waste generated in area under its geographic and political coverage. Significantly, the Ecological Solid Waste
Management Act of 2000 delineates the following policy objectives:
A National Ecology Center under the Commission is required to be established under RA 9003. Its main purpose is to provide consulting, information, training and networking services for the implementation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. Pursuant to the relevant provisions of R.A. No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code, the Local Government Units shall be primarily responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the provisions of RA 9003 within their respective jurisdictions. Segregation and collection of solid waste shall be conducted at the barangay level specifically for biodegradable, compostable and reusable wastes: Provided; That the collection of non-recyclable materials and special wastes shall be the responsibility of the municipality or city. The Local Government Units are mandated
to encourage and promote the establishment of multi-purpose cooperatives
and associations that shall undertake activities to promote the implementation
and/or directly undertake projects in compliance of RA 9003.
B. Local Level Traditionally, LGUs have always been expected
to operate on their own without much assistance from the national
government with respect to solid waste management albeit within the framework
of national environmental and sanitation legislation. The Local Government
Code reinforces this policy as it gives the LGUs the responsibility for
their own waste collection and disposal system and increases the role of
the barangay in waste collection and enforcement.
Significantly, the National Solid Waste Management System Framework delineates the following policy objectives: 1 reduction of waste generated at source
Local Initiatives
In 1983, the Metro Manila Council for Women’s Balikatan Movement, Inc. (Balikatan) started organizing junk shop dealers in San Juan, Metro Manila using the original concept of the Cash-for-Trash program, that is, to buy recyclable items as part of their aim to protect the environment. The Balikatan campaigned for waste separation at household level, started to organize the junkshops, and linked them with residential communities to make the collection of recyclabe more efficient. It acted as guarantor in behalf of the junkshops so that lending institutions would provide them credit for working capital. It also popularized the term “Eco Aide” which refers to scavengers and push cart collectors, thereby highlighting their role in ecological care. At the start of the project, Balikatan had the cooperation of the municipal government of San Juan. Upon instruction of the Mayor, community assemblies were convened for each of the 21 barangays (local districts) of San Juan to promote the concept of waste segregation and the benefits that it will offer to households. A permission from a government waste utility company was obtained for the use of its vacant lots as junkyard or collection center. Now, Balikatan operate in other municipalities of Metro Manila. The group has started to organize the junkshops into cooperatives to avail of government subsidies and credit facilities and enable them to get better deals with bigger junkshops and recyclers and even formal institutions. Through the intercession of Balikatan and other groups, other government support had started to pour in. Other NGOs have joined in. The Recycling Movement of the Philippines (RMP) has bee vigorously campaigning for the Zero Waste Management (ZWM) concept since many years back. According to them, ZWM is an ecological approach to waste management applicable in the community and household level, whereby biodegradable waste is composed while non-biodegradable waste are either sold to junk dealers and recyclers or are recycled to produce innovate and useful products like placemats, hats and bags from paper of plastic wastes. They are tireless in giving ZWM seminars to communities, schools, local governments, NGO’s and other institutions. With funding from generous donors, they printed thousand of educational materials, like leaflets, posters and brochures. With similar objectives, the International Resource Recovery and Recycling Network (IRREN) is working closely with local government, the Metro Manila Development Authority and some donor agencies to promote waste segregation and recycling. The Green Forum Philippine (GFP) and the Earth Savers Movement (ESM) have both developed a manual for waste management to promote waste segregation, reduction, reuse and recycling. GFP is also advocating to the “Balik Bayong” concept to minimize the use of plastic shopping bags. The EXM has included, among other things, in their manual the step-by-step process of composting and paper recycling. The Muntinlupa Development Foundation (MDF) had recently started to collect recyclable household solid waste of a big high income community in their municipality. MDF brings the recyclable direct to the junk dealers. The Good Shepherd Convent, as a policy, practices waste segregation in their compound. Pushcart collectors are being utilized to pick up the recyclables. The Miriam PEACE (Peace Education and Awareness Campaign for the Environment), a project of Miriam College, has similar objective to attain zero-waste in the campus. It has persuaded the school administrator to manage the garbage properly and inculcate to the students the three R’s waste management, that is, reduce-reuse-recycle. Pushcarts collectors are mobilized to pick recyclable. Moreover, they have a one-hour radio program on environment as part of their awareness educational campaign. The Ayala Foundation, Inc. campaigns for
change of name of junk dealers to “waste managers” . Business and civic
organizations have been willing donors to community based waste management
drives. The Rotary Club of Makati has helped Barangay Pitogo in Makati
in their community cleanliness and resource recovery though junk dealers
(Balik Gamit) campaign.
2.
Component of Solid Waste Management Plan
Institutional
Framework
Within six (6) from the completion of the
national solid waste management status report under Sec. 14 of RA 9003,
the Commission created under Sec. 4 of RA 9003 shall, with public
participation, formulate and implement a National Solid Waste Management
Framework. Such framework shall consider and include:
Components
of Solid Waste Plan
City or Municipal PROFILE The plan shall indicate the following background information on the city or municipality and its component barangays, covering important highlights of the distinct geographic and other conditions: 1 Estimated population of each baronage within the city or municipality and population projection for a 10-year period; 2 Illustration or map of the city/municipality, indicating locations of residential, commercial and industrial centers, and agricultural area, as well as dumpsites, landfills and other solid waste facilities; 3 Estimated solid waste generation and projection by source such as residential, market, commercial, industrial, construction/demolition, street waste, agricultural, agora-industrial, institutional, other wastes; and 4 Inventory of existing waste disposal
and other solid waste facilities and capacities.
Waste Characterization For the initial source reduction and recycling
element of a local waste management plan, the LGU waste characterization
component shall identify the constituent materials which comprise the solid
waste generated within the jurisdiction of the LGU. The information
shall be representative f the solid waste generated and disposed of within
that area. The constituent materials shall be identified by volume,
percentage in weight or its volumetric equivalent, material type, and source
of generation which includes residential, commercial, industrial, governmental,
or other sources. Future revisions of waste characterization studies
shall identify the constituent materials which comprise the solid waste
disposed of a permitted disposal facilities.
Collection and Transfer The plan shall take into account the geographic subdivisions to define the coverage of he solid waste collection area in every baronage. The barangay shall be responsible for ensuring that a 100% collection efficiency from residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural sources, where necessary within is area of coverage, is achieved. Toward this end, the plan shall define and identify the specific strategies and activities to be undertaken by its component barangay, taking into account the following concerns: 1 Availability and provision of properly designed containers or receptacles in selected collection points for the temporary storage of solid waste while awaiting collection and transfer to processing sites or to final disposal sites; 2 Segregation of different types of solid waste for re-use, recycling and composting; 3 Hauling and transfer of solid waste from source or collection points to processing sites or final disposal sites; 4 Issuance and enforcement of ordinances to effectively implement a collection system in the barangay; and 5 Provision of properly trained officers and workers to handle solid waste disposal. The plan shall define and specify the methods
and systems for the transfer of solid waste from specific collection points
to solid waste management facilities.
Processing The plan shall define the methods and the
facilities required to process the solid waste, including the us of intermediate
treatment facilities for composting, recycling, conversion and other waste
processing technologies may also be considered provided that such technologies
conform with internationally acceptable and other standards set in other
laws and regulations.
SOURCE REDUCTION The source reduction component hall include a program and implementation schedule which shows the methods by which the LGU will, in combination with the recycling and composting component reduce a sufficient amount of solid waste disposed of in accordance with the diversion requirements of Sec. 20 of RA 9003. The source reduction component shall describe
the following:
The LGU source reduction component shall
include the evaluation and identification of rate structures and fees for
the purpose of reducing the amount of waste generated, and other source
reduction strategies, including but not limited to, programs and economic
incentives provided under Sec. 45 of RA 9003 to reduce the use of non-recyclable
materials, replace disposable materials and products with reusable materials
and products, reduce packaging, and increase the efficiency of the use
of paper, cardboard, glass, metal, and other materials. The waste
reduction activities of the community shall also take into account, among
others, local capability, economic viability, technical requirements, social
concerns, disposition of residual waste and environmental impact:
Provided, that, projection of future facilities needed and estimated cost
shall be incorporated in the plan.
RECYCLING The recycling component shall include a program and implementation schedule which shows the methods by which the LGU shall, in combination with the source reduction and composting components, reduce a sufficient amount of solid waste disposed of in accordance with the diversion requirements set in Sec. 20 of RA 9003. The LGU recycling component shall describe the following: 1 the types of materials to be recycled under the programs; 2 the methods for determining the categories of solid wastes o be diverted from disposal at a disposal facility through recycling; and 3 new facilities and expansion of existing facilities needed t implement the recycling component. The LGU recycling component shall describe methods for developing the markets for recycled materials, including, but not limited to, an evaluation of the feasibility of procurement preferences for the purchase of recycled products. Each LGU may determine and grant a price preference to encourage the purchase of recycled products. The five-year strategy for collecting, processing, marketing and selling the designated recyclable materials shall take into account persons engaged in the business of recycling or persons otherwise providing recycling services before the effectivity of RA 9003. Such strategy may be based upon the results of the waste composition analysis performed pursuant to RA 9003 or information obtained in the course of past collection of solid waste by the local government unit, and may include recommendations with respect to increasing the number of materials designated for recycling pursuant to RA 9003. The LGU recycling component shall evaluate industrial, commercial, residential, agricultural, governmental, and other curbside, mobile, drop-off, and buy-buck recycling programs, manual and automated materials recovery facilities, zoning, building code changes and rate structures which encourage recycling of materials. The Solid Waste Management Plan shall indicate the specific measures to be undertaken to meet the waste diversion specified under Sec. 20 of this Act. Recommended revisions to the building ordinances, requiring new-constructed buildings and buildings undergoing specified alterations to contain storage space, devices or mechanisms that facilitate source separation and storage of designated recyclable materials to enable the local government unit to efficiently collect, process, market and sell the designated materials. Such recommendations shall include, but shall not be limited to separate chutes to facilitate source separation in multi-family dwellings, storage areas that conform to fire and safety regulations, and specialized storage containers. The Solid Waste Management Plan shall indicate
the specific measures to be undertaken to meet the recycling goals pursuant
to the objectives of RA 9003.
COMPOSTING The composting component shall include a program and implementation schedule which shows the methods by which the LGU shall, in combination with the source reduction and recycling components, reduce a sufficient amount of solid waste disposed of within its jurisdiction to comply with the division requirements of Sec. 20 of RA 9003. The LGU composting component shall describe the following: 1 the types of materials which will be composted under the programs; 2 the methods for determining the categories of solid wastes to be diverted from disposal at a disposal facility through composting; and 3 new facilities, and expansion of existing
Facilities needed to implement the composting component.
FINAL DISPOSAL The solid waste facility component shall include, but shall not be limited to, a projection of the amount of disposal capacity needed to accommodate the solid waste generated, reduced by the following: 1 Implementation of source reduction, recycling, and composting programs required or through implementation of other waste diversion activities pursuant to Sec. 20 of RA 9003; 2 Any permitted disposal facility which will be available during the 10-year planning period; and 3 All disposal capacity which has been secured through an agreement which another LGU, or through an agreement with a solid waste enterprise. The plan shall identify existing and proposed disposal sites and waste management facilities in the city or municipality or in other areas. The plan shall specify the strategies for the efficient disposal of waste through existing disposal facilities and the identification of prospective sites for future use. The selection and development of disposal sites shall be made on the basis of internationally accepted standards and on the guidelines set in Sec. 41 of RA 9003. Strategies shall be included to improve said existing sites to reduce adverse impact on health and the environment, and to extend life span and capacity. The plan shall clearly define projections for future disposal site requirements and the estimated cost for these efforts. Open dumpsites shall not be allowed as
final disposal sites. If an open dump site is existing within the
city or municipality, the plan shall make provisions for its closure or
eventual phase out within the period specified under the framework and
pursuant to the provisions under Sec. 37 of RA 9003. As an alternative,
sanitary landfill sites shall be developed and operated as a final disposal
site for solid and, eventually, residual wastes of a municipality or city
or a cluster of municipalities and/or cities. Sanitary landfills
shall be designed and operated in accordance with the guidelines set under
Secs. 40 and 41 of RA 9003.
EDUCATION AND PUBLIC INFORMATION The education and public information component shall describe how the LGU will educate and inform its citizens about the source reduction, recycling, and composting programs. The plan shall make provisions to ensure that information on waste collection services, solid waste management and related health and environmental concerns are widely disseminated among the public. This shall be undertaken through the print and broadcast media and other government agencies in the municipality. The DECS and the Commission on Higher Education
shall ensure that waste management shall be incorporated in the curriculum
of primary, secondary and college students.
SPECIAL WASTE The special waste component shall include
existing waste handling and disposal practices for special wastes or household
hazardous wastes, and the identification of current and proposed programs
to ensure the proper handling, re-use, and long-term disposal of special
wastes.
RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS AND FUNDING The funding component includes identification
and description of projects costs, revenues, and revenue sources the LGU
will use to implement all components of the LGU solid waste management
plan.
PRIVATIZATION OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PROJECTS The plan shall likewise indicate specific
measures to promote the participation of the private sector in the management
of solid wastes, particularly in the generation and development of the
essential technologies for solid waste management. Specific projects
or component activities of the plan which may be offered as private sector
investment activity shall be identified and promoted as such. Appropriate
incentives for private sector sector involvement in solid waste management
shall likewise be established and provided for in the plan, in consonance
with Sec. 45 hereof and other existing laws, policies and regulations;
and
INCENTIVE PROGRAMS A program providing for incentives, cash
or otherwise, which shall encourage the participation of concerned sectors
shall likewise be included in the plan.
3.
Proposed Solid Waste Management System
Vision IMAGINE A WORLD in which there is no waste. Materials we no longer need are immediately purchased as valuable resources for new businesses. Tin, steel, glass, and plastic beverage and food containers are all washed and refilled locally, to be returned directly to store shelves. Those that cannot be refilled are ground, melted, and remanufactured into new containers. Fabrics are reused or recycled. Refrigerators, stoves, and other white good products are disassembled. their mechanical parts rebuilt, and their remaining hulks reformed into new products. Automobiles never die. They are fixed, refurbished, and turned around to run on the road again. Foodscraps, leaves, and all organics wastes from manufacturing processes are composted and sold as valuable nutrient-rich soil conditioners. Spent tires and other rubber products are reconstituted into new rubber products. No landfills! No municipal solid
waste incinerators ! No open burning dumps! Instead, resource
recovery parks; business parks in every community which employ local people
to make the everyday products we need in our daily lives. The depletion
of our natural resources has slowed and the world is turning the corner
to balance supply with demand.
Proposed Guiding Principles on Solid Waste Policy Formulation The proposed system is based primarily:
(1) precautionary principle, (2) polluter pays principle and the
(3) principle of cooperation. They may also be used, without further
adaptation, as the basis for the legal changes needed in order to pursue
sustainability.
Precautionary Principle The precautionary principle, in essence
it states environmental risks and damage avoided as far as possible from
the very outset, that they should not occur or develop in the first place.
Polluter Pays Principle According to the polluter pays principle,
cost for environmental remediation and compensatory measures must be borne
by the party or parties responsible for causing the damage. The object
is to internalize the external costs of environmental protection by allocating
them to the individual agents. The cost allocating principle prevents
too wide a gap opening up between the private and social costs of economic
activities such as consumption and production, and thus avoids the misdirection
of capital flows and reductions in economic performance. Regardless
whether internalization of externalities is achieved by regulations, charges,
liability regulations, can be effective in reducing the consumption of
natural resources to a sustainable level.
Principle of Cooperation The principle of cooperation relates to
the framework within which objectives are pursued. It emphasizes
that environmental protection is a matter for which not only the state
is responsible, and that the latter cannot achieve environmental protection
by merely imposing it as an obligation on industry and society. On
the contrary – what is needed is an approach that is based on maximum division
of labor, cooperation and consensus. One core aspect is that decisions
are based on all actors being informed to the same high degree. Another
is that the purpose of the principle is to reach acceptance of environmental
measures among all those involved or affected. Examples environmental
commitments by sectors of industry (“voluntary commitments”).
Waste Minimization
Options
Introduction Waste Minimization involves a broad range of methods to reduce the use of resources and/or divert them from disposal. No one sector of society can fully “implement” waste minimization. It relies on a partnership and can serve as the means by which attitude and behavioral changes are made. This part of the paper will cover the highest three components of the waste minimization hierarchy: (Consumption) Reduction, (Product and Packaging) Re-use and (Material) Recycling. Solving the waste crisis from an ecologically sustainable development (ESD) will require that these three components strategy be fully exploited. Only with maximum reduction, should resource recovery, waste treatment and disposal be considered. Generally, there are three means
of implementing waste minimization – education, pricing strategies, and
regulation. It is beyond the scope of this overview to detail such implementation
plans.
Consumption Reduction Precycling Education, ie education focussed on waste avoidance, include the following messages: - waste minimization means more than recycling; - reduction and re-use are more effective than recycling; - the personal and public benefits of reducing waste are significant. “Earth Works” a community based education
program on waste minimization and home composting should be established
which involves resourcing members of the local community peer educators
and to establish local waste reduction programs. In exchange for
training on waste reduction, composting and communication, the participants
agree to conduct “outreach” in their local community. Many earthworks
participants learn to achieved significant reduction in waste and can pass
on knowledge and skills to thousands of people.
Product Ban If a product or materials can not be easily re-used or recycled then it is a candidate for banning, such as: - Non-refillable beverage containers - Non-degradable shopping bags - Multi-layer juice containers Bans can also be placed on the disposal of items to increase recycling and keep materials out of disposal. - Mercury - Lead-acid batteries, tyres, appliances,
batteries, glass and plastic containers.
Mandatory Source Separation Once a waste minimization program/system is in place, those items to which banned from the mixed waste stream. Number of created ways in: · households rewarded, none of the
prohibited items in their garbage bin;
Differential Pricing Differential pricing for recyclables, demolition
materials, and green waste.
Waste Characterization
Introduction Knowledge of the physical composition of solid waste is very valuable in evaluating alternative components of solid waste management system for a given community. The composition of solid waste to be managed will affect the selection and operating of handling, equipment and facilities, feasibility of resource, energy recovery, analysis and design of disposal facilities and evaluation of alternative processing options. The components typically present in Solid Waste in the Philippines are given below: Table 1: Average Composition of Solid
Waste in the Philippines
Source: Censoer, Townsend and Associates
1988 Waste Characterization Study
A. Decomposable
VOLUME Decomposables consist mainly of yard and
field waste, fines and inerts and food waste. These wastes account
for 57.4% of the Average Composition of Solid Waste in the Philippines.
The Composting PROCESS Composting is a means of recycling yard waste. The process can divert significant amounts of waste away from landfills. Composting is an aerobic (oxygen dependent) process that involves the action of microorganisms (mainly bacteria and fungi) on biodegradable material. Organic materials (yard waste) are placed in a pile or windrow (elongated pile), where decomposition occurs. The decomposition is caused by bacteria and fungi, which use the organic material as a food source. The metabolic activity of these organisms changes the chemical composition of the pile, generates heat, and reduces the volume of the organic material. When the readily biodegradable food supply is depleted, heat generation slows and the pile cools. Compost or “humus”, a dark crumbly material that is uniform in texture, is produced from the carbon content of yard waste while water and carbon dioxide dissipates into the atmosphere. The amount of time needed to produce humus varies from about to three to eighteen months, depending on the degree of processing used and the climate of the composting area. “Humus” can be mixed with soil to improve its texture, air circulation, and drainage. The four factors affecting the composting process are moisture, oxygen, nutrients, and temperature. Proper moisture levels optimize the decomposition process. The moisture content of composting pile should be maintained at 40-60%. Too much or too little moisture slows down the composting process, especially in its early stages. Oxygen content is another important factor because composting is an oxygen dependent (aerobic) process. Nutrients also play an important role in composting. Nutrients levels can be defined in terms of the nitrogen to carbon ratio; the higher the ratio, the faster the decomposition. Other naturally occurring nutrients, such as potassium and phosphorous, also will encourage decomposition. Finally, temperature has a significant effect on the compost process. The naturally rising temperatures of a compost pile has the positive impact of killing large amounts of disease carrying agents (pathogens) that may be present in the pile. Too much heat, however, can be detrimental to the composting process. Compost pile temperatures ranging between 132-140 degrees Fahrenheit (56-60 degrees Celsius) will optimize the decomposition process. Although composting is mostly a natural
process, the factors affecting it can be controlled. Moisture can
be added to a compost pile if needed. Temperature can be controlled
by periodically turning a compost pile over. Nutrients can be added
to a compost pile to foster decomposition. Composting can be performed
and controlled in the backyards of the homeowners or at centralized composting
facilities operated by municipalities and private companies.
Backyard Composting Backyard composting is a simple procedure. A compost pile can be set up in the corner of a yard with just a few supplies. A backyard compost pile should be built on a level area about three square feet. This area should be clear of sod and grass and out of direct sunlight. A composting bin can be built from chicken wire, scrap wood, or cinder blocks. Some space should be left in the bin so that air can reach the pile. Having a removable side on the bin makes it easier to tend the pile. Next, place coarse brush at the bottom of the bin to allow air to circulate. Add leaves, grass, and weeds to the pile. These yard wastes also can be layered with soil. Keeping the soil moist (but not too moist) and turning it every few weeks helps speed up the decomposition process. In most climates, the compost is done in three to six months, depending on the weather. This humus can be used for a variety of gardening projects. Compost can be used to enhance soil texture,
increase the air and water absorbency of soil, suppress weed growth, reduce
erosion, and increase soil fertility.
Centralized Composting As municipalities respond to their waste management problems, centralized composting facilities are becoming more common. Centralized composting technologies vary and can be broken down into four levels: minimal, low, intermediate, and high. Minimal Technology The minimal technology composting methods involves forming large windrows (usually twelve feet high by twenty four feet wide) and turning once a year with a front –end loader. Infrequent turning allows considerable odors to develop and slow the decomposition process. Minimum technology composting facilities require large or isolated land tracts so that neighboring land uses are not affected by the odors. composting at this level takes one to three years to complete. the obvious advantage to the minimal approach is that it is relatively inexpensive and requires little attention. Low-Level Technology Low-level technology utilizes smaller windrows 9six feet high and twelve to fourteen feet wide) and requires more frequent turning than the minimal approach, thus limiting odors. In the low-level process, two piles can be combined after the first “burst” of microbial activity (approximately one month). Combining piles frees up area for the formation of new piles. After approximately ten months and additional windrow turning, the piles are formed into curing piles where the final composting stage take place. Low-level technology is relatively inexpensive because only a few steps are required. This process takes between sixteen to eighteen months and does not use as much land as the minimal technology approach. Intermediate-Level Technology Intermediate-level composting is similar to the low-level approach except that windrow turning machines are used weekly. Capital and operating costs are higher at this level but the advantages of this approach can be attractive to large facilities-greater volume reductions are achieved and the composting process takes a rapid three to six months. High-Level Technology The high technology approach uses forced
aeration to optimize composting conditions. At this level, a blower
controlled by a temperature feedback system is used. When the temperature
of a compost pile reaches a predetermined level, the blower turns on, cooling
the pile and removing water vapor. This method maintains optimal
temperatures and aerates the pile. Forced aeration takes around two
to three weeks, at which time the blowers are removed and the piles are
periodically turned. The composting process at this level takes about
a year. The advantage to this system is that it allows for the formation
of larger windrows without creating anaerobic conditions (lack of air circulation)
or odor problems. The disadvantage of this system is that it uses
expensive equipment.
Home Composting PROMOTION and EDUCATION Home composting has the potential to have
a significant reduction in the average household’s waste. Barangay Councils
aside from providing promotion and education, may offer compost bins at
wholesale price to residents.
COLLECTION Garden Organics Collection The technologies for municipal scale mulching and composting are well established. The process of establishing a network of collection centers garden organics, pricing policies should encourage source separation. Household Organics Collection A separate collection provided for household kitchen organics. Separate collections kitchen organics and garden materials allows the two materials recycled in different way: kitchen organics for biogas production while garden materials for composting. Collection of kitchen organics is a two
stage process – material collected small container/bag in the kitchen,
emptied into an outside container every few days. Sealable containers/bags
used in kitchens to control odors single use biodegradable/compostable
bags often used to avoid the need for washing collection containers.
However, it will be easiest to collect
garden materials and kitchen organics together.
LIMITATIONS As with the recycling of other MSW components, composting has limitations. If excessively moist or insufficiently aerated, composting piles will become anaerobic produce foul odors. Composting facilities can use a significant amount of land and take a long time to produce a final product. Composting also may be expensive. Collection costs can run as high as $80 per ton and processing costs can go up to $23 per ton. Generally, composting facilities charge yard waste depositors a fee to cover costs. Regardless of the technology used, composting can reduce yard waste volume by 50% to 85%. With its ability to divert a large amount of yard wastes away from landfills, composting can, under the right conditions, be an important component of a municipal waste management plan. From the high technology of plastics separation
to the basic biological processes of composting, advances in materials
separation and processing is giving recycling the chance to become an important
element of local waste management plans. Recycling’s
scientific and technological improvements are providing communities with
the options necessary to design waste management programs that are tailored
to their needs and priorities. However, no matter how technologically
advanced a municipal recycling program is, it must have the support of
strong established markets.
B. Non-Decomposable
VOLUME Non-composable waste consists of
the remaining 42.6% of the solid waste stream from the household.
STRATEGY The proposed solid waste management system
for non-decomposables places increased emphasis on waste avoidance by initiating
major changes in trends into consumption pattern on a household level and
the consumption of raw materials on industry. Basically whoever,
produces, markets and consumes the goods is responsible for the avoidance,
recovery and environmentally sound disposal of waste occurring. Thus,
the proposal represents the consistent implementation of the polluter pays
principle.
HEIRARCHY A hierarchy is waste management can be
used to rank actions within the community. The waste hierarchy refers
to an ordered sequence of initiatives that can be used to identify steps
in addressing amount of waste produced by society. The basic paradigm
is called the four “r-s” including reduce, recover, but more comprehensive
hierarchy is shown below.
Waste Avoidance Waste Avoidance refers to the complete removal of some materials from the waste stream and changes to production process. Example of waste avoidance could be the removal of unnecessary packaging from product and change to reduce material consumption. The environmental impact of many products can be reduced during the design process. Environmental approach to the design process includes: · choice of materials
Waste Reduction Waste reduction refers to changes to a
product or process that reduces the amount of waste produced in situations
where it is not viable to avoid the production of some waste. The introduction
of waste impacts includes a flow on effect through the product life cycle.
Reuse Waste can be minimized by encouraging the
use of materials and products that can be reused with processing.
Many of these initiatives replace disposal alternatives. The use
of waste materials as raw material for another process is another way of
reusing materials. Reuse initiative could bring about durable packaging,
product reuse and material reuse
Recycling Recycling is the process of converting
products back into their constituent raw materials and then as raw materials
into new articles. The different properties of various materials
determine their stability. In some cases recycling reduces the quality
of material possible produce the same articles that provided the to materials.
But, a key element in the recycling program is the availability of suitable
markets.
Waste Treatment/Disposal After all avenues for waste minimization
have been exhausted, there will be some requiring waste treatment and disposal.
POLICIES and STRATEGIES
Environmental Compatibility The Solid Waste Management System should
be within the context of resource conservation, environmental protection
and health and sustainable development.
Polluter Pays Principle The philosophy of making those who produce packages and products responsible for collection, recycling and disposal is called the produce pays principle. By shifting the financial responsibility of waste from local governments to industry, the proposal aims to provide industry with an incentive to make less wasteful packages and products. This new responsibility give industry a powerful stimulus to incorporated waste management consideration into the design and materials selection process. Enterprises will be obliged to prepare:
if their waste production exceeds a certain
volume. Such concepts and analysis contain information about the
type, amount, and final whereabouts of the waste-producer’s waste, and
about measure planned or taken to prevent, recover and dispose of the waste.
Consequently, they are tools for internal company planning and supervision
that enable companies to optimize their waste management.
The New Term Waste A strategy based on the “polluter pays”
principle cannot be geared towards end-of-the-pipe measure to dispose of
existing waste. Responsibility must be transferred to the beginning
of the process. It must be geared towards the principle of waste
prevention in environmental protection and makes its approach where the
waste arises.
Packaging Ordinance The Packaging Ordinance requires that industry, not the public waste management system, take back, reuse and/or recycle one-way packaging on the market, It divides packaging into three main categories: 1 transport packaging which are the packaging used to ship goods to retailers (creates, pallets, corrugated containers) The transport packaging regulations is aimed at the developmetn of new reusable shipping container system for various products such as modular pieces, leased to manufacturers, with a longer life expectancy and can be recycled into new reusable containers. 2 Secondary which are additional packaging design to facilitate self-service sales, to advertise and market the product (outer boxes, foils, blister packs) The Packaging Ordinance requirement that stores provide bins for discarding secondary packaging should prompt retailers to pressure suppliers to reduce their materials. Changes should include eliminating outer boxes, blister packs and wrappings. This is aimed at reducing secondary packaging. 3 Primary which is the basic package that contain the product (soup can, jam jar, soap powder box) The Packaging Ordinance is aimed to prompt consumer product manufacturers to modify their primary packages. Changes include reducing the size of boxes, selling liquid and powdered products in concentrated form, using refill bags or bottles for cleaning products and replacing packaging made of mixed materials with single-material packaging. The Packaging Ordinance will require manufacturers and distributors to take back transport packaging and called for retailers to install bins so that customers could leave secondary packaging in the stores. The ordinance also require that customers could also return primary packages to retailers and mandatory deposit could be imposed on containers such as for beverages, washing and cleansing agents and water based paints. The Packaging Ordinance will provide for
an exemption if industry would implement an alternative, privately financed
plan that could meet specified goals for collecting and sorting packaging
materials and for refilling containers.
Eco Labeling The sale of environmentally sound products can be encouraged in the Philippines by a system of product labeling which bear the environmental symbol which is to be awarded by an independent jury (NGOs) in accordance with strict and regularly updated criteria. The criteria for awarding should be drawn up for the different product groups. This provides the consumer the facility to look for the symbol in making the right purchasing decision when out shopping. An environmental label should be launched using an “orchid” as its symbol. The levying of charges to Producers-Suppliers-Distributors (PDS) – on a scale related to the type of packaging material used – is to be documented by a license label, which is printed on products. To this end, tons of used packaging may be identified and brought into recycling. In operating the ‘eco labelling’ system,
individual municipal collection and recovery systems established will be
financed by the waste packaging supply chain. Upon payment of license
fees, to the eco labelling scheme, the ‘Green Dot’ mark can be attached
to the product packaging. License fees are based upon factors such
as turnover, material type, packaging weight/volume etc.
Promoting Refillables The strategy to promote Refillables and Reuse involves six principles: 1 zero waste as an ideal This is an ideal to strive toward and to motivate continual development. 2 increased environmental protection through the implementation of the 3Rs Hierarchy A strategy developed in accordance with the 3Rs heirarchy: first reduce, then reuse, then recycle, and as a last resort, dispose will minimize environmental protection. 3 full producer responsibility This means that producers pay the full economic and environmental cost of their products over the life-cycle. The municipal property tax system will not subsidize producers. This principle applies to a return to producer system or other curbside system. 4 Regulations This will also require mechanisms for ensuring compliance (e.g. through effective and efficient monitoring and enforcement). 5 a convenient system for consumers to return products to producers Point of sale provides a means of shared responsibility in the recovery items. In this way it can be a more efficient form of recovery than, say, curbside recycling. Point of sale return can apply to a wide range of products and packaging including batteries, paint tins, other hazardous items, beverage and other containers. Refundable deposits are used as means of achieving a high level of recovery. In Europe, deposits of 50c per container have higher return rates and greater re-use of containers. 6 fair and equitable treatment of all producers This applies to all producers, whether
domestic or foreign, whether involved in the take-back system or financial
contribution to an existing program.
Components The refillable strategy has seven major
components:
1. Regulations Refillable systems provide an environmentally sound packaging alternative, create jobs, and should be promoted through regulations. Regulations are needed to ensure effective compliance and enforcement. The regulations should be design to bring about producer and consumer behaviors that lead to the achievement of progressively higher levels of refillable. Regulations on refillable should: · lead to the elimination
of non-refillable beverage containers over the long term
Regulations should be used to establish
a framework for industry self-governance as well as government enforcement.
For example, producers may be required to enter into a contract with the
local government unit, in order to be able to sell non-refillable quotas.
The contract specifies the non-refillable quotas to be met and the independent
audits to be carried out by the producers to very company performance.
2. Deposit-Return System Deposit-Return System have proven to be a highly effective way for producers to recover the products purchased by consumers. Producers must recover very high levels of used product in order to have a successful reuse system. Since deposit-return systems achieve a higher recovery rate that curbside programs, a deposit return system is a necessary component to any reuse system. Deposit-return systems are fairer than curbside programs because only the users pay. Only consumers who purchase the product pay the deposit. They can redeem the deposit when the empty container is returned. A deposit system is not subsidized by municipal tax dollars. Deposit-return systems also reduce litter. Products that are particularly well suited to a deposit-return system are those that: · can be reused
Deposit systems around the world collect a wide variety of materials. The following are examples: · In California, containers for
beer and malt beverages, soft-drinks, wine and distilled spirit coolers,
carbonated mineral water and soda waster. Since the deposit law in
1986, there has been a 75% reduction in beverage container component of
roadside litter.
3. Start with Beverage Containers Initially, the regulation should require a deposit-return system on all beverage containers. This is a good place to start because: · Beverage containers are easily
identified, recognized and plentiful.
4. Convenient Return to Retail Deposit-return systems are convenient, especially if based on return-to-retail. This allows for one-stop shopping saving energy and time, and minimizing air pollution impacts. Since a retail outlet is a major point of purchase, it is reasonable that a retail outlet should be a major point of return. Therefore, a deposit-return system should be base don returning used products to the place where they were sold. Retailers must be properly compensation for the service they provide. The retailer sets the selling price of the product to cover the retailer’s costs as well as to include profit. In order to ensure a fair system for the retailer, the principle of cost internalization and compensation should be embedded in the return system. This means that retailers should receive a fair compensation from the producer for accepting and sorting the returned products. At a minimum, the handling fees paid by the producer should fully cover these costs to the retailer. Technology has made it easier for retailers to handle and store the used containers. Today machines that automatically wash and refill empty bottles and reverse vending machines make it convenient for retailers to handle them. To be effective and efficient, a return-to-retail
program must encourage high level of consumer participation. In order
to encourage this participation, the deposit must be set high enough to
encourage consumers to store the use product properly (avoid breakage and
contamination) and to take used products back to the retailer.
5. Curbside Collection System A deposit-return system is fully compatible with a curbside program. Not only are the two systems compatible, but when both system can be used together, total recovery rates and recycling rates are higher and overall diversion costs are lower. According to studies, deposit refund systems working together with curbside recycling programs provide the best solution. Deposit systems collect more of their targeted materials than do curbside programs, while curbside programs can target a wider range of materials. Deposit system may remove sources of revenue from curbside programs but they also reduce operating costs of curbside programs. Studies show that a greater diversion of solid waste from disposal at a lower cost per tonne could be achieved if both deposit refund and curbside collection programs were in place. Curbside collection is well suited to the remaining materials not covered by a deposit –return system. For example, the collection of fibre, yard wastes and food waste are appropriate for curbside collection. Over time as producers become more sophisticated about the design and operation of their product-take-back systems and as more products are recovered by such systems, the number and types of products collected at the curb are likely to change. Eventually, we are likely to be left with products collected at the curb that are most difficult to collect through a deposit-return system and/or harder to reuse or recycle. The municipal tax system should not subsidize the curbside collection. Instead the producers should take full responsibility for the economic and environmental impacts of their products and packaging collected in a municipal curbside program. Producers should also be responsible for the cost so disposal services. A curbside program with appropriate materials
going into it and paid for by the producers who use the system will protect
municipalities from being overly dependent on one material, from price
fluctuations in scrap materials and form producers’ packaging choices.
6. Education: Product Take Back Re-use Education for both the producer and consumer on product take-back and reuse is essential. It helps producers to stay on top of trends, benefit from experience eof others and identify new opportunities for improving the product design and the take-back system from both environmental and business perspectives. Public education on these issues will improve
consumer-buying decisions in favor of products that can be returned and
reused. This is likely to lead to pressure on producers to design
their products for disassembly, remanufacturing and reuse.
7. Consultation Methods for Meeting Refillable Targets Consultation should lead to the identification of refillable targets such as: · Revising existing Container Regulations
to make them enforceable
Recycling This section concentrates on the science and technology behind the recycling of major constituents of the non-decomposable municipal solid waste stream: paper, plastic, glass and metals. First, however, we need to define recycling and review the concept of integrated solid waste management. Recycling Defined. For purposes of this paper, recycling is the collection, reprocessing, marketing and use of materials that were diverted or recovered form the solid waste stream. Recyclables are materials that have useful physical and chemical properties after serving their original purpose and that can be reused or remanufactured into new products. Integrated Solid Waste Management. It is important to understand that no single waste management approach will serve as a panacea for a waste management dilemma. Recycling has limitations. When used improperly, recycling can be costly, wasteful of energy, and harmful to the environment and human health. When combined with other waste management techniques, however, recycling can play a key role in helping a community decrease the amount of waste requiring disposal. Municipalities should be encouraged to use a complementary mix of waste management tactics to effectively handle their solid waste. This mix of tactics is referred to as Integrated Waste Management. Collection, Separation and Sorting of
Recyclables-Critical Steps. Regardless of the materials
involved, most recyclables are diverted from the municipal solid waste
stream and sorted by type. Recycling program s is design according
to the needs and priorities of the communities. Consequently, communities
should offer a mix of strategies for collecting and sorting recyclable.
These strategies range from simple drop off centers and curb side pick-up
programs to the use of large scale, centralized processing facilities.
Municipal recycling programs heavily rely on citizen participation.
Sorting, Drop-Off Programs, Curbside Pick-Up Each type of recyclable material is processed
differently; therefore, sorting is a critical step. A drop-off center
program is a method of collecting recyclable materials in which the materials
are taken by individuals to collection centers. Local collection
centers often provide separate areas or bins with compartments for aluminum
and steel cans, glass bottles and jars, plastic containers and newspapers.
Curbside collection programs involve collecting recyclable materials at
the curb, often from special containers and taking these materials to various
processing facilities.
Material Recovery Facilities (MFR’s) Material Recovery Facilities (MFR’s) accept
resident source separated and mixed recyclables from curbside collection
programs and drop-off centers. Using people and machines, these facilities
can separate process, and market recyclable materials.
Processing Recyclables. Paper, plastics,
glass, metals and yard trimmings have unique properties and each is recycled
differently. This section describes how these materials are processed
into raw materials for remanufacture, discusses the recycling limitation
presented by each materials and review some of the new products that are
developed from these recyclables.
PAPER Recycling 10.2% of the National Solid Waste Stream consist of paper and paperboard. Paper materials consumed accounting for 32% of the Nation’s landfill space by volume. SOURCES of Recovered
Paper
Paper Recycling PROCESS Once collected recyclable paper is baled and sent to paper mills equipped for recycling. First the papers must be separated and de-inked. To do this, the paper is mixed with water in a large vat called a hydropulper. A hydropulper operates like a blender, agitating the paper and water into pulp-a slurry of individual fibers. As the pulp is agitated, inks and other non fibrous materials are pulled away from the paper fibers. The inks are flushed away with water and removed before discharge. Next, the pulp passes through different sized screens. Screens separate the paper fibers from contaminants, such as staples, paper clips, dirt, and plastics. After the pulp is cleaned, the pulp
is sprayed onto a large flat screen. At this stage some of the water
is removed by a vacuum, and the fibers begin to form a mat. This
mat is pressed and dried as it travels through a series of rollers
and heated cylinders. The pressed, dried paper is then wound into
large rolls for shipment.
Flotation de-inking uses the glossy
paper’s clays to help remove inks. In a floatation system, air bubbles
are forced upward from the bottom of a hydropulper to agitate the mixture
of paper and water.
Recycled pulp can be turned into
finished materials other than rolls of paper. For instance, cereal
boxes, are made from 100% recycled fiber. Food boxes made from recycled
paper can be identified by a grey or brown interior. Other major
products which use recycled fiber include tissue and toweling products,
egg cartons, news print, and wall board for insulation and construction.
LIMITATIONS Paper can be recycled several times,
but the mechanical action paper recycling damages and shortens paper fibers
each time they go through the process. While many paper products
are made with 100% recycled fibers, in the aggregate, paper production
requires a mixture of recycled and virgin fibers. Almost all grades
of paper can be recycled, but certain grades of recycled paper are more
suitable for certain end-products. For example, old news papers are
used predominantly to make new newsprint and paperboard packaging.
Newspapers can be recycled back into newsprint a maximum of six to eight
times.
GLASS Recycling 1.9% of the National Solid Waste Stream consist of glass. Separation and Processing The first step in glass recycling is color separation. If new glass were made from a mixture of colored glass, it would have a dark, mottled color, which is unacceptable to food and beverage packagers. Color separation of post-consumers glass containers is done by hand at a recycling facility or at the glass manufacturing plant. Automated color separation systems have been developed, but none exist commercially at this time. Manual color separation is done most effectively by sorting unbroken containers. At drop off recycling sites, three separate bins usually are provided for the three colors common in glass packaging; flint (clear), green, and amber. Other glass, such as window glass and glassware, is not acceptable for recycling because it is chemically different from container glass. Once the glass is sorted by color, a magnet is used to remove steel caps and lids. These metals may cause bottle defects and can damage glassmaking furnaces. After caps and lids are removed, glass bottles and jars enter a crusher, a machine that grinds the glass into a gravel like material called cullet. Crushing loosens any paper labels from the containers which are then removed by suction or screening processes. Next, the cullet is mixed with sand and other raw materials and melted in a glassmaking furnace. The molten glass is then poured into machines that mold into new bottles and jars. Glass can be melted over and over without degrading its properties. Products Made From Recycled Glass Although color sorted glass is used primarily in the production of new containers, there are some secondary uses for recyclable glass. Other uses include glass fiber insulation, construction aggregate, water main insulation, and road surfacing applications. The glass fiber industry will only use high quality cullet, and only some manufacturers will use post-consumer material. The construction, building, and road surfacing users, however, will readily accept low quality, mixed colored cullet. An aggregate of glass and asphalt is called
glassphalt. Glassphalt has been used in Baltimore, Maryland since
1971, and about 60% of Baltimore’s streets are composed of glassphalt.
It is estimated that up to 40% of asphalt paving mix can be replaced with
glass with no loss of strength.
LIMITATIONS There are three factors that hinder the efficient recycling of glass containers: contaminant removal, color sorting, and the low cost of virgin materials. Contaminants can prevent efficient glass container recycling. In glass production, such contaminant include: non-container glass, which is chemically different from container glass; mixed color cullet; ceramics; metals; and stones and dirt. If these contaminants are not removed during the processing phase of glassmaking, they will appear in the new containers. More importantly, metals, ceramics, and stones will damage glass making furnaces. Glass furnaces run continuously, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, for approximately five years. Their capacity can be as high as 250 tons a day, or about 89,000 tons a year. Shutting down and cleaning a glass furnace is a major operation and, on the average, a glass manufacturer experiences about ten days of furnace down time a year. Contaminants do not present a major problem to glass recyclers because suppliers usually take the time to remove them. In an effort to improve the efficiency of contaminant removal, several glass processors are testing automated ceramic sorting systems and nonferrous metal detectors. Sorting post-consumer glass by color
also presents a limitation. As long as glass containers must be sorted
by hand, this critical step will remain time consuming and expensive.
A number of glass companies are experimenting with an organic coating
process that would eliminate the need to color separate. This process
involves coating flint (clear bottles with an organic stain that would
burn off in a glass furnace. Finally, the recycling of post-consumer
glass containers can be limited by the very low cost of raw materials used
to make glass, such as sand and limestone.
METALS Recycling 3.3% of the National Solid Waste Stream consist of metals. Aluminum and steel are the chief sources of recyclable metals. Aluminum The largest single source of scrap aluminum is beverage cans. The recycling of aluminum cans is the success story of the recycling industry. Other sources of household aluminum scrap include foil, foil pie plates and frozen dinner trays, lawn furniture, building siding, gutters, and frames for windows and doors. Aluminum can relatively simple process. In the first stage, the cans are baled into biscuits of 25 pounds or more for shipment to a remelting facility. At the facility, the cans are shredded by a machine called a nammermill. next, the shredded aluminum is heated to burn off the labels on the outside of the cans and the polymer lining on the inside. The aluminum is then melted in a furnace. Finally the molten aluminum is cast into rectangular blocks called ingots, which are later rolled into sheets for new cans. Aluminum may be melted over and over without degrading, and it is possible to make an aluminum can entirely of recycled material, although this is not commonly done. New cans likely will be produced from a mixture of recycled aluminum, can manufacturing scrap, and primary aluminum. On the average, an aluminum can has a recycled content of approximately 50%. It takes as little as 90 days for an aluminum can to be manufactured, used, and recycled back into a new can. Steel Recyclable steel mostly comes from junked cars, broken-down heavy machinery, and structural beams from demolished buildings. Steel cans make up most of the steel found in household trash. There are two types of steel cans: the common tin can, which is actually a steel can coated with a thin layer of tin; and the tin-free steel (TFS) can with a chromium wash. An example of a TFS can is a tuna can, which has a darker, burnished finish. Steel food and beverage cans made up less than 2% of the total MSW generation by weight in 1990. According to the Steel Recycling Institute, the 1992 recycling rate for steel cans was 40.9%. Domestically produced steel cans contain an average of 25% recycled steel. The recycling process for steel is similar to that aluminum. The steel cans are crushed by a machine called abaler. Shredders are used for shredding automobiles, white goods (appliances) and other steel scrap. The baled or shredded steel is melted in a basic oxygen furnace (BOF) or an electric arc furnace (EAF). Melting burns off any paint or organic residue that may be on the scrap metal. Steel produced in a BOF is mostly for flat rolled products such as can sheet, appliance sheet, an automobile sheet. Steel made in an EAF is typically for heavy shapes, including structurals (such as I-beams), reinforcing bar, angle iron, nails, and wire. Steel will not degrade no matter how many times it is melted. Although aluminum and steel are the recyclable
metals most commonly found in household trash, other post-consumer metals
are being recycled. Scrap copper is recycled from old appliances
and telephone cables. Old automobiles provide palladium from catalytic
converters and lead from batteries. Gold and platinum are being recovered
from old electronic devices.
LIMITATIONS Aluminum and steel cans often are contaminated
by dirt, moisture, glass, non-container aluminum, and plastic. These
problems are not insumountable by any means; suppliers must simply take
the time to remove these contaminants.
PLASTICS Recycling 9.8% of the National Solid Waste
Stream consist of plastics. In 1988, plastics accounted for 8.3%
by weight.
Thermoplastics and Thermosets Plastics can be divided into two categories: thermoplastics and thermosets. Thermoplastics are characterized by their ability to soften and melt at elevated temperatures and to harden when cooled. this flexibility allows thermoplastics to be melted and reformed many times. Thermosetting plastics are formed when plastic undergoes a chemical reaction which shapes its final geometrical configuration. Thermoset plastic can not be reformed by softening and remolding because it will not melt. The Complexity and Diversity of Plastics The complexity and diversity of plastics have attributed to the material’s success, yet these same characteristics have been keeping the recycling rate of post-consumer plastics low. The variety of resins used in plastics cannot be recycled interchangeably, since they all have different physical and chemical properties, and they all react differently to reheating. Indiscriminate mixing of resins, even different grades of the same resin, generally has serious adverse consequences for the material’s properties. Recyclable plastics also must be sorted by color. Mixing different colored resins will produce a mottled material which is undesirable to may manufacturers. These characteristics make the sorting and separation of polymers a critical step in the post-consumer recycling process. Keep in mind that there are many important reasons why packaging is designed in certain ways. In addition to considering the importance of recyclability, manufacturers must weight important factors such as food safety, tamper evidence, and shelf life. Sorting and Separation of Plastics Recyclables Although only six polymers are commonly found in the municipal solid waste stream, they can be troublesome to identify, and sorting them by type can be difficult. To complicate matters, some plastic packaging consists of more than one type of resin. These materials must be separated before the plastic recyclable can be processed. In response to these circumstances, some interesting sorting and separation systems have been developed which promises to improve efficiency and viability of plastics recycling. Manual Sorting Most plastic sorting processes focus on rigid containers and depend on handpicking out of a mixture of recyclables. This process is simple for easily identifiable containers such as PET soft drink bottles or HDPE milk jugs, but more difficult for the variety of other plastic containers. To facilitate the manual sorting of plastics, legislation requiring plastic containers to be labeled by resin type can be proposed such as voluntary coding systems. This system recommends that bottles be coded with a symbol that identifies the type of plastic used. The code consists of numbers within the “chasing arrows” triangle, with alphanumeric designations under the symbol. Six codes correspond to the most prevalent packaging resins, plus a seventh category for “other”. Laws can be passed requiring plastic containers to be stamped with the identification code. However, the code does not necessarily mean that the container is made from recycled material or that the container will be recycled. This coding system only identifies plastics by type to expedite manual sorting at a recycling facility and to help residents separate this plastic waste. Even with the help of the coding system, manual separation can be time consuming and expensive. Additionally, many plastic containers contain more than one material, so once plastics are separated from the waste stream by type, they must undergo further polymer separation. New Sorting and Separation Systems for Plastics To improve plastics’ recycling efficiency, recycling facilities are beginning to use new automated and chemical processes for sorting and separating batches of commingled post-consumer plastics. The three new sorting and separation systems being used on a limited commercial scale are: 1 x-ray and light sensor sorting,
X-ray andLight Sensor Sorting This system uses a conveyor belt to carry a mix of plastic bottles through a screening device. This device, which resembles the luggage screening security machines used by airports, projects a mild x-ray at the bottles. Most plastic resins consist of carbon and hydrogen atoms, which do not scatter x-rays. But the polymer polyvinyl chloride (PVC), used in some vegetable oil bottles and water bottles, also contains chlorine atoms, which do scatter x-rays. When the screening device detects scattered x-rays, it triggers an air compressor which expels a burst of air that knocks the PVC bottles off the conveyor. Further along the line a beam of visible light hits the bottles. More visible light passes through the clear plastic bottles of PET through cloudy milk jugs or colored detergent bottles of HDPE. Again, the screening device detects these differences in light intensity and triggers the burst of air that separates the bottles. Air Classification, Flotation and Density This new polymer separation method incorporates an air classifier, a sink-float tank, and an electrostatic separator. The first part of this process involves chipping and grinding post consumer plastic containers into chips of approximately a quarter in inch in size. These ground plastic ships are fed into an air classifier, a mechanical device which sues air currents to separate the mixed material according to size, density, and aerodynamic drag of the places. In an air classification system, fine materials such as paper label fragments are removed. Next, the chips go to a wash tank where a heated detergent solution dissolves adhesives and disperses paper fibers. The chips are then completely cleansed of syrup residues, dirt, and other impurities by washing and rinsing. Once cleaned, the mixed plastic chips are fed into a large, waster-filled sink-float tank. This tank operates on the fact that light-weight polymers, such as HDPE, tend to float and heavier polymers, such as PVC and PET, tend to sink. After being separated by density, the lighter plastic chips are skimmed from the top of the tank, and the heavier PET chips, along with pieces of aluminum, pour out the bottom. The last step of this automated system separates PET chips from aluminum. Once the PET and aluminum are removed from the floatation tank, the materials pass through an electrostatic separator. This separator utilizes the electrical conductivity of aluminum and the lack of such conductivity in PET. At the separation stage, a dried PET/aluminum mixture is subjected to a charge while rotating on a metallic drum. The poorly conducting PET holds the charge and clings to the drum, while the aluminum loses its charge nad drops off the drum and into a collection bin. Finally, the PET chips are brushed off the drum and collected. Methanolysis: Purifying Plastics Components Until recently, post-consumer plastics recycling was limited to the secondary level. HDPE Milk jugs and PET soda bottles, for example, were rarely recycled back to their original use. Instead, these plastics were usually (and still are) recycled into products that have less stringent specifications than the original items. Just a few years ago, primary or “closed loop” recycling of plastics (the use of recycled materials to make the same or similar products) was difficult not only because plastics degrade during formulation, but because there is a possibility that they may contain contaminants. In the last five years, however, important advancements have been made which have facilitated the primary recycling of plastic packaging, particularly PET soft-drink bottles. The main reason for the improvement is that several companies are now using a process called methanolysis. This depolymerization process reduces old plastics to their original ingredients by applying heat ad pressure to them in the presence of methanol. This combination causes the polymer chains to break down, leaving pure monomers which are purified and repolymerized into new resin. Not only does methanolysis generate new resin that is indistinguishable from virgin materials, its reactions also destroy contaminants. This chemical process can now be used to make food containers from recycled plastic, thus closing the loop on the recycling of many plastic containers. PET soda bottles are now regularly recycled back into new bottles. Hoechst Celanese, for instance, makes Coca-Cola bottles containing 25% recycled PET recovered from methanolysis. Products Plastics’ recycling process differ only at the front end. Once cleaned and separated, plastic flakes and pellets can be formed in the same type of equipment used for virgin resins. In addition to being used in new soft-drink bottles, recycled PET resins can be made into carpet fiber, industrial strapping, fiberfill for sleeping bags and many other recycled products. Recycled HDPE resins can be reformed into a variety of products including trash cans, grocery bags, plastic lumber, and inner layers of new plastic bottles. As automated and chemical sorting and separation systems improve and become more commonplace, so will the recycling of plastics. Limitations Color separation is an important step in plastics recycling, especially if the recycled resins are going to be used by manufacturers of food containers. None of the above plastic sorting and separation processes sort plastics by color. For the most part, color sorting of plastic recyclables is done by hand; however, an automated system has been developed which sorts plastic chips by color. This system is expected to be commercialized soon. Another limitation to the recycling of PET and HDPE containers is their high volume-to-weight ratio, which can raise transportation costs. Some collection trucks are now equipped with on board densification (compaction) systems which reduce the volume of collected containers. Markets, Marketing and Marketing Development Recycling to be effective must be viewed as a business venture, subject to the free market law of supply and demand. These experts believe that a recycling operation should be cost competitive with other waste management options, and stress that markets, marketing and market development play key roles in any successful recycling program. Markets A market is a customer or group of customers who is willing and able to accept the product or commodity that is being offered. A recycling market refers to those customers who accept the recyclables that are separated from the municipal solid waste stream or are processed at a materials recovery facility. There are three ways to consider recycling markets: 1 by activity or service performed,
Activity or service markets can be divided into the categories of intermediate markets and end-user markets. Intermediate markets are made up of collectors, haulers and processors of recyclables. End-user markets consists of manufacturers who use the recyclables to make new products. Paper mills, glass factories, metal smelters, and plastic fabrication plants are examples of end-user markets. Geographic markets are categorized into domestic and export markets. Domestic markets may be local, regional or national in scope. Export markets are those recycled markets located beyond the Philippines. The “Pacific Rim” countries, for instance, are a major market for American recyclables. Finally, markets can be classified by recyclables collected from communities are paper, metals, glass, plastics and yard wastes. Marketing Marketing is another important concept that decision makers must consider when planning a recycling program. Marketing is the process of identifying recycling markets and arranging for the acceptance of recyclable materials. Before recycling can become a useful component of an integrated waste management plan, outlets for collected recyclables must be found, agreements with materials brokers and end users should be secured, and buyer specifications must be met. When communities consider adding recycling to their integrated waste management plan, they must understand that they are no longer working with trash or waste. They are offering commodities or raw materials which must meet industry specifications. Industry needs a reliable, adequate supply of high quality materials on a consistent basis. When developing a marketing plan for recyclables, decision makers must consider some major forces that drive the recycling market. These forces are: supply, demand, quality, substitutability, handling costs and transportation costs. Supply The quantity of a recyclable material available to a market is critically important. Recyclables serve as raw material feedstock for industry. Even if a recyclable is of superior quality, no market will exist for it if there was not enough of the material for the industry to use. Industry often hesitates to use recyclables because the supply of these materials has the reputation of being unreliable. Suppliers of virgin materials, on the other hand, can usually assure their customers of reliable, adequate stock. Situations have occurred, however, when markets have been overwhelmed by too much material. It is unfortunate, for instance, when a community has to landfill the recyclables they have collected because markets will not accept the materials. Demand Demand goes hand-in-hand with supply. Before collecting recyclables, a community must be sure that industry will need them as process feedstocks. If an industry has an adequate supply of raw materials (recycled or virgin) in stock or under contract, it will not accept any more, regardless of the price, quantity, or quality of the supply being offered. However, if an industry needs a particular raw material, and the demand is not being met, the market for quality recyclables can be strong. Quality and Sustainability Post Consumer recyclables must meet end-user specifications. Since recyclable materials must compete with virgin raw materials in the marketplace, they should be of high enough quality to act as substitutes for virgin materials. Handling and Processing Costs Some recyclables may present technical and financial obstacles to communities and industry. For instance, communities may not have the resources to market certain recyclables. Additionally, some industries may find that it is less costly to use virgin materials. Communities should consider a reyclable’s handling costs before incorporating it into a recycling plan. Transportation Costs Municipalities need to consider the distance
to markets and the associated transportation cost when planning a recycling
program. Plastics again provide a good example for demonstrating
the importance of transportation costs. PET soda bottles and HDPE
milk jugs are lightweight, whoever, even after crushing these containers
to reduce volume, the value of the recovered material may be less than
the cost of transporting and processing it. Generally, the closer
the markets are to the source of the recyclables, the lower transportation
costs will be. Local markets for recyclables should be developed
and maintained.
Market Development
Government procurement of recycled products
is an example of a market development program. To complement their
role, many governments have started buying products made from recycled
materials. Because government is so large, its purchasing decision
can have an enormous effect on the marketplace. By encouraging its
procurement offices to purchase products made from recycled materials,
government can help strengthen and expand domestic markets for recyclables,
create markets where none existed before, and help make recycled products
more competitive.
Recycling Laws Municipalities should enact recycling legislation
that establish minimum recovery rates for recyclables. Such laws
may help ensure that large amounts of recyclable materials will be collected,
thus sending a message to the industry that a consistent supply of raw
materials will be available.
Minimum Content Standards Municipalities may enact laws that require
a minimum content of recyclables be used in the manufacture of certain
products. Minimum content standards may help to ensure manufacturers that
there will be a market for their recycled products.
Conclusion Recycling does not have limitations and
will not solve singlehandedly the Nation’s Waste Management problems.
To optimize recycling’s effectiveness, communities must coordinate the
process with some or all of the other components of the integrated waste
management concept. When used properly within a well planned, integrated
waste management system, recycling will divert substantial amounts of trash
away from landfills and incinerators. Recycling also can conserve
natural resources and can sometimes provide an economic boost to communities
and industry.
Institutional Curb Side Collection: Cooperatives and Small Scale Enterprises Informal sector entrepreneurs and workers frequently lack the technologies to optimize their recycling methods and to deal with new waste materials. They are also denied the assistance of financing. Waste picking is abhorred almost universally, but very little is done to assist waste pickers. Environmental improvement must encompass assistance to such small industries in view of their potential of small enterprises to contribute to waste reduction. Cooperatives and small-scale enterprises
that buy and sell recyclable materials have hand some success in part of
Latin America. They have beneficial and social impact. Cooperatives
usually achieve stability in cities where the decline of informal networks
of waste buyers and traders has left gaps in recovery systems.
Cooperative Organizations can help waste
pickers to become buyers of source-separated materials. NGOs can assist
waste pickers develop simple cleaning and processing techniques which improve
the prices that pickers obtain from them and can reduce the health hazards
to which pickers are exposed.
Recommendations The current Solid Waste Management Act,
Republic Act 9003 still addresses the present waste management dilemma
on an “end of the pipe” scenario, or in other words, after waste arisings.
To this end, this proposal strives to control the solid waste problem,
particularly the non-decomposable part of the waste stream, before
the products and packaging are introduced in the environment.
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Lovely Carillo
Joy Ferrolino
Vanessa Pastor
Diyan Miranda
Alan Tapic
Sharon Saracin
Carolyn Larena
Mylene Ferrazzini
References
1 Caps News
- Integrated Waste Management in the Phiilippines
www.caps.ph/news/news2.html
2 The Philippines
and Global Agenda 21
www.ecouncil.ac.cr/rio/national/reports/asia/philippi.htm
3 Policy Analysis:
Wasting Resouces to Reduce Waste; Recycling in New Jersey
www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-202.html
4 Waste Minimization
Options
Homepages.tig.com.au
5 WED Conference
Paper
www.iboro.ac.uk/departments/cv/wedc/papers/lapid/html
6 Caps News
- Integrated Waste Management in the Phiilippines
www.caps.ph/news/news2.html
