Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Introduction

According to Bernard & Mildred (2015), solid waste management is a growing

concern and to effectively manage solid waste is a major challenge for any country.

It remains inadequate in most of the cities of developing countries, where a

significant of the population do not have access to a waste collection service and

only a fraction of the generated waste is collected. Management of solid waste in the

Philippines has long been a responsibility of the Local Government Units (LGUs) in

the country since the enactment of Republic Act 9003, also known as the Ecological

Solid Waste Management Act of 2002. Yet, there are still barangays that fail to

comply with the mandate of the government regarding proper waste disposal.

In the absence of effective and efficient solid waste management systems,

residents in barangays resort to bad environmental practices to get rid of their waste.

The waste generated from various human activities can result to health hazards and

have a negative impact to the environment. Thus, it is expected that damage to the

environment and adverse two health effects would persist, and even more risks shall

arise, unless appropriate measures immediately implemented by the local

government.

There are factors influencing improper waste disposal among households.

Solid waste management is not solely the responsibility of the government in

developing countries; but, it is also the responsibility of the residents (Igbinomwanhia

& Ohwovoriole, 2012). The low level of environmental consciousness of the

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residents is partly responsible for the difficulties encountered in implementing

and enforcing environmental laws and policy, particularly, laws on cleanliness

and sanitation. The common observation is that people are apathetic and indifferent

toward waste issues (Bennagen, Nepomuceno, & Covar, 2002).

The situation that I chose in my topic is the problem in the impact of the

improper waste disposal in Barangay Santiago. Based in my interview/survey, most

of the residents in Barangay Santiago incinerate, this way of disposal is not eco-

friendly and can affect the barangay itself and the people can inhale the emission of

smoke. This way of waste disposal can also lead to a number of diseases especially

respiratory diseases, such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. Burning trash can

be also dangerous if not been supervised, fire can spread and burn nearby trees,

wood houses and can harm animals. This way of disposal contributes so much in

worldwide known global warming as burning waste leads to air pollution since

greenhouse gases have been released. This situation currently evident in the whole

world, these problems should be managed because it can cause global warming and

climate change that can harm the people of future generation.

The related issued on the project is the worldwide problem in the pollution in

air and land. In where the problems in air pollution are burning of trashes that can

results in releasing too much greenhouse gases in the air that can easily destroy the

layers of the atmosphere, second is the problem in land pollution if we don’t have a

healthy soil that can be used for planting plants or trees due to the chemicals that

already killed the fertility of the soil due to the harmful chemicals that comes from the

garbage’s the world will suffer from lacking of filtered soil. With this two related issue

that might happen in the community of Barangay Santiago the people in the

community will suffer in term of their primary source of their income which is farming.

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Because if atmosphere total broken the grains or plants the farmers are growing will

die easily because of too much concentration of heat from the plants. While in the

lacking of live soil or fertile soil the farmers in the community will have problems to

grow their plants because there are no more soils to be plant on due to harmful

chemicals that killed the soil.

The general objective of my study is simple, it is for the barangay to know how

to properly dispose and manage their waste, to find alternative ways in eliminating

their garbage and to ensure that the community will maintain the cleanliness in

Barangay Santiago. This study mainly focuses on how the practices of the people in

the community can deeply affect, not just our nature but also their health. With my

research, which is the compost pit with shredder, this will help reduce the carbon

footprint and smoke pollution present in the barangay. This is to guarantee that the

community will bring an end to incinerating their garbage.

The specific objectives of the project are to obtain the cleanliness and

orderliness of the barangay, to promote ecological awareness to the residences in

the barangay, to provide the compost pit in order to solve the problem of uncollected

waste, to enhance proper waste disposal and segregation as a key to prevent the

problem on where to put their waste, to promote cooperation among Barangay

Santiago residents for community development and improvement, to teach the

residents to observe proper waste segregation and removal and to enrich the soil

condition which can also help on their main source of income which is farm or

agricultural.

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Factors that Causes Improper Waste Disposal

In the study of Mamady (March 8, 2016), improper waste disposal happens

due to the community residents who had poor knowledge and unsafe behavior in

relation to waste management. The answers of the respondents about the reasons

and factors that causes improper waste disposal mainly focused on three themes:

insufficient funds, absence of garbage trucks, lack of awareness and knowledge, and

lack of discipline.

Insufficient funds caused by is the most affecting factor as to why the

barangay is having difficulty to create and implement projects that will solve the

issues in the barangay. Poor cash flow management is the most significant factor

that leads to a project's delay followed by late payment, insufficient financial

resources and financial market instability (Hamzah, Roshana, & Wong, August,

2009).

Some of the people provided that there is no truck collecting their garbage’s

the reason why they cannot properly dispose and manage their wastes. According to

Brasch (2017), in a study in Cobb County, a mountain of garbage in the area is

growing because there aren’t enough garbage trucks to haul trash to landfills and

there were no alternative ways introduced to the residents of the area. Absence of

garbage trucks should be immediately resolved or given an alternative to avoid

garbage dump in an area and prevent incineration as a way of waste disposal which

is harmful to the environment in other places like Barangay Santiago.

Additionally, lack of discipline and knowledge about waste disposal and

management greatly affects the respondents’ view of the importance of practicing

waste disposal and management. From a case study on the “Knowledge, Attitudes,

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Awareness Status and Behavior Concerning Solid Waste Management” (Desa, Kadir

& Yusoof, 2010), explained that the lack of awareness and knowledge among

Malaysian community about solid waste management (SWM) issues, and being

ignorant about the effect of that improper SWM has definitely worsened the problem.

People should be aware, disciplined, and knowledgeable about the problems

existing within their area to be able to formulate a solution or alternative regarding

their problem and to prevent the situation from getting worse.

Learning the possible reasons and factors of why the problems exist is

significant to formulate a solution or alternative to their problem. Identifying genuine

solutions to a problem means knowing what the real causes of the problem are.

Taking action without identifying what factors contribute to the problem can result in

misdirected efforts, and that wastes time and resources. However, by thoroughly

studying the cause of the problem, you can build ownership, that is, by experiencing

the problem you will understand it better, and be motivated to deal with it (Lopez,

2018).

Conceptual Framework

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE

 Lack of garbage disposal  Application of the

 Absence of garbage Project Proposal

trucks  Compos pit

Figure 1.1

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 The issue that is currently evident in Barangay Santiago was their waste

disposal and absence of garbage truck. So I came up with the research project that

can help in eliminating their waste disposal and the absence of garbage truck by

building a compost pit with a shredder to help them dispose their waste easily and

properly. To make that possible, first I was interviewed 15 of the residents in our

Barangay Santiago to get the information that they needed to make a simple solution

to the problem. In line with this they also evaluate the cleanliness of the barangay to

think of what is needed to be done and what actions should they do.

After getting the details, I already have the input or the proposed plan/project.

I have the idea of a compost pit with a shredder to help it decompose easily and help

the environment to have healthy soil for a living. After creating the proposal of the

project, I coordinate with the barangay officials for them to know if the project will be

approved and be supported. If my project proposal is approved by the barangay

officials, then I will start the steps/methods from the time table that is included in the

proposal. With the use of the seminar for the people in the community of Barangay

Santiago they will have a deeper understand of the project which is the compost pit

with shredder and what the benefits of this project to the environment are.

In the first box which is input, it is indicated that the main problem to be solved

which are lack of garbage disposal and absence of garbage trucks. In the second

box which is process, it is indicated that the researchers observed and analyzed the

problem before searching for possible solutions. In the third box which is output, it is

indicated that proposals will be done, in this case the compost pit.

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Statements of the Problem

The objective of this study is to let the residents of Barangay Santiago know

how to properly dispose their garbage and to raise awareness of the disadvantages

of improper waste disposal. This study also aims to:

1. Determine factors affecting the resident’s way of waste disposal,

2. Identify methods used by the residents in disposing their waste and;

3. Understand ways and importance of proper waste disposal.

Hypotheses

H0: There is no impact of improper waste disposal.

H1: There is an impact of improper waste disposal.

Significance of the Study

This study is designed to provide the following sector opportunities and a

participative implementation of Building a waste-free community through composting

in Barangay Santiago, Gingoog City. I observed, the problem of the community is

they don’t have a place where to throw their garbage properly. To help this problem, I

came up with this project proposal, the residents of the said place is expected to have

a compost pit that will help them segregate their waste properly. The compost pit that

will be constructed will have a shredder to make the waste decompose faster than the

7
usual compost pit. With the assistance of the barangay officials the project will be

maintained and will help to convince people to support the said project. With this

proposal, the study will not only benefit the people living in Barangay Santiago but

also the environment itself. One of a possible effect of the project is it can enrich the

fertility of the soil that can result to other positive outcomes.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

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

Barangay Santiago, specifically the improper waste disposal which is the most

evident. This includes the study of different ways of waste disposal observed in the

barangay, the analysis of why the residents in Barangay Santiago do this that causes

the problem and what could be the effects of their lack in proper waste disposal to

the environment and to their health.

It also covers the suggested project that I have proposed an answer to the

problem. Additionally, risk management and planning, project work plan, and detailed

budget requirement of the project is discussed.

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

the solution to the problem which is the compost pit with a movable shredder and

mixer attached to the cover of the compost pit. It will not discuss and/or elaborate the

other problems in the barangay - aside from the improper waste disposal - nor

discuss a different way to deal with the said problem of the study. Although these

factors may affect the study, I opted to exclude these factors from the study because

8
I chose to focus on the simplest way to deal with the most evident problem in the

Barangay Santiago.

Theoretical Framework

Figure 2.2

This study employs E. Pongrácz, P. S. Phillips, and R. L. Keiski’s Theory on

Waste Management (2004) which discusses the conceptual analysis of waste,

activity upon waste, and a holistic view of the goals of waste management. The

Theory of Waste Management is a unified body of knowledge about waste and

waste management, and it is founded on the expectation that waste management is

to prevent waste to cause harm to human health and the environment and promote

resource use optimization.

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 Waste management is affected by two main reasons which are waste

disposal and waste segregation. Without these two, we cannot properly manage or

control the pile of waste in the community. Waste disposal is affected by application

of the self-sufficient principle and discipline. Waste segregation is also affected by

discipline and waste control. These two are affected by discipline because without

discipline the people cannot manage things successfully and properly.

Definition of Terms

Waste- are unwanted or unusable materials. Waste is any substance which is

discarded after primary use, or is worthless, defective and of no use. A by-product by

contrast is a joint product of relatively minor economic value.

Waste Segregation- dividing waste into dry and wet. Dry waste includes wood and

related products, metals and glass.

Waste Management- includes the activities and actions required to

manage waste from its inception to its final disposal.

Disposal- the action or process of throwing away or getting rid of something.

Compost pit- is used for preparing compost. Compost is rich in nutrients. It is used in

gardening, landscape etc. Creating compost pit at home requires kitchen waste,

leaves grass etc.

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 Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Solid Waste Management

According to Iyyanki Muralikrishna and Valli Manickam from ResearchGate

(December, 2017), “Without an effective and efficient waste management program,

the waste generated from various human activities, both industrial and domestic, can

result in health hazards and have a negative impact on the environment.”. An

effective and efficient waste management program is a way for an area to have a

clean and safe environment. The researchers have formulated a way to accomplish

the aim of Iyyanki Muralikrishna and Valli Manickam.

Treatments and disposal methods depends on the type of problem that any

community has. Residents or any responsible citizen of the community are able to

conduct an appropriate solution for the sake of their environment. Based on their

research, it is also said that various human activity can result a negative impact that

can also cause health hazards to the residents. Proper discipline and awareness of

residents is needed. Nowadays, the main problem of everybody about solid waste

management is the lack of discipline of some people that causes growing rate of

garbage problems that also affects air pollution, water and soil contamination, floods

and excessive breeding of rodents and vermin.

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 However, Taguti, Francoso, Viera (2017) claimed that, “Biodegradable

materials are substituting the conventional materials in many different applications.

Among these, an important class is the biodegradable polymers, also known as

ecofriendly polymers mainly due to their ability to erode fast by composting without

any toxic effect.” Solid waste management can be done in different eco-friendly

ways. Some of these are: Creating less waste through reusing, rehoming for waste

removal and refining footprint example is using plastic bags from mall and using it

again instead of throwing it away, as well as plastic cups that can be used as pot of

plants or people could try and sell the reusable products. Another way is composting

as waste removal, where in waste can be put in compost pit, will decompose, and

eventually turn into fertilizer. Also, food waste can be fed to farm animals like cows,

pigs and goats rather than throwing it.

Composting

Composting and vermicomposting are examples of ecofriendly ways of solid

waste management that can turn biodegradable wastes into fertilizer, that nourishes

the soil condition (Barthod, Rumpel, Dignac 2017). Composting is valuable as potting

media and soil conditioner as they increase plant available nutrient contents from the

wastes, while decreasing leaching, and heavy metal mobility. It can also reduce the

carbon footprint from the human activities that produce greenhouse gases emissions

during waste degradation.

Organic household waste containing food remnants (citrus fruit and vegetable

peels, fat, dairy products, etc.) can determine what can be composted in home

gardens (Neugebauer, Sołowiej, April 2017). Compost pit can be done into different

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ways, in a pit dug in the ground and in a container and can be placed in the backyard

and a vacant lot. It can also be beneficial to everyone in the area.

Benefits and Long Term Effects of Composting

Compost is one of the important organic amendments that can be used in

attaining sustainability in soil and in the environment. The analysis made by US

Environmental

Protection Agency of the impact of compost production and use in

greenhouse gas (GHG) makes use of modeling programs that are currently used for

understanding soil carbon balances. The study reveals that compost can have

minimal effect on some emissions related to compost manufacture and some

potential sequestration associated with end use (Brown 2017). Compost pit can

control the carbon footprint that an area can produce. It can also limit the negative

ways on disposing garbage that can pollute the environment like burning of the

garbage.

Related Studies

Improper waste disposal is one of the existing problems that the Philippines is

facing right now with difficulty as humans are the root of this problem. There are

several studies conducted throughout the past years that deduced the importance of

proper waste disposal in the community and the effects of improper disposal of the

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waste to the community, environment, and the health of the residents. All of these

are introduced in this section.

According to Khylle Tumala (January 2015) from her study in the effects of

improper waste disposal in the Philippines, “Improper waste disposal is one of the

biggest environmental issues here in the Philippines. It caused bigger problems that

affect not only the environment but also the health and life of the people. This

problem may be resolve or it will remain problem to the country in the next few

years”. A law in the Philippines approved by the Office on the President on January

26, 2001 was created in response to the rapidly growing rate of garbage problems in

the country caused by improper waste disposal. Unfortunately, even though there is

a law, improper waste disposal in the Philippines was ranked 3rd as top source of

water contamination in a study on February 2015.

Waste disposal is different from waste management. Proper waste disposal is

needed to properly execute waste management. Waste Management refers to the

recycling, processing, transport, assortment, and monitoring of waste products. The

waste products are mainly of three types: solid, liquid or in gas state. Solid waste

commonly is known as non-biodegradable waste (UKEssays, 2015). Their study

centered on the waste hierarchy or 3R’s – reduce, reuse, recycle – and explored

waste management as a concept and effect of waste disposal. Without properly

executing waste disposal, difficulty in waste management also emerge. It is also

proven that human activities and lack of discipline are the main reason of improper

waste disposal that makes the problem difficult to resolve.

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One of the significant studies that can also be applied to this research is the

“Environmental Impacts of Improper Solid Waste Management in Developing

Countries:

A Research Study of Rawalpindi City” (Ejaz, Akhtar, Nisar & Ali Naeem,

2010), which discussed and highlighted the main causes of improper solid waste

management in developing countries like improper ways of waste disposal. An

inefficient municipal solid waste management system may create serious negative

environmental impacts like infectious diseases, land and water pollution, obstruction

of drains and loss of biodiversity.

Furthermore, Marianne and Fred Sandford (2015) also claimed that improper

hazardous waste disposal doesn’t just contaminate soil and the local water supply,

but it can also pollute the air. An area with a reputation for a toxic environment can

also be susceptible to lower property values, so not following proper disposal

procedures can even affect the cost of houses' properties. Long term execution of

improper waste disposal of municipal wastes can affect soil and water properties and

productivity. It also produces lethal gases such as carbon monoxide and methane

gas.

Disposal of refuse without proper supervision often amounts damage to the

environment and ultimately to the human body system. A public health physician,

Professor Akin Osibogun, justified that improperly disposed refuse has both direct

and indirect health effects to humans which were observed in the study of how

improper waste disposal damages health (Obama, 2015). Excessive breeding of

rodents and vermin like rats, cockroaches, mosquitoes, and flies are the direct health

15
effects caused by improper disposal as those vermin transmit diseases like

leptospirosis, lassa fever and salmonellosis from rats; malaria from mosquitoes,

shigellosis and diarrheal diseases from flies. Indirect health effects, on the other

hand, include the contamination of water and soil from leachate – a very harmful

liquid mixture of chemicals that forms as water flows from a contaminated area.

Another study, which is about effects of improper garbage disposal (Boehlke,

2017), also implied that humans are not the only ones who are affected but also

animals. As water can be contaminated, marine life is also in danger. When wastes

cluster and form algal bloom, it can suffocate and contaminate everything near it –

may it be a habitat which includes corals or an organism like fishes, mollusks, etc.

However, a study in Ecuador which centered around the development of

organic fertilizers from food market waste and urban gardening by composting (Jara-

Samaniego, Pérez-Murcia, Bustamante, Paredes, & Pérez-Espinosa, 2017) can

reduce the effects of improper waste disposal and even prevent the pile up of

wastes. Biodegradable wastes can be used for agricultural purposes because of the

high concentration that can be found on organic matters and nutrients contents of

the wastes like in food market and urban gardening wastes that can be managed

and recycled through composting obtaining end products like compost or fertilizer.

Ways of Waste Disposal

There are different ways of how the respondents dispose their wastes. The

residents provided various ways of waste disposal in Barangay Santiago and their

knowledge about waste disposal. They dispose their trashes burning the garbage’s.

16
This type of waste disposal is harmful to the environment because of the carbon

footprint produced by the incineration of trashes and burning produces particulate

matter that are solid compounds and are suspended in the air (Hayes, 2016).

Proper waste disposal is significant to achieve proper waste management

which is beneficial to the environment and people’s health. Through proper waste

management, there will be a great reduction of landfills present in the surroundings

and can be beneficial to people’s health (Garbage Disposal, Recycling, 2017) as it

prevents the airborne pathogens from being transmitted when the air is clean and no

medium for pathogens. Waste management or Waste disposal can be defined as the

activities and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal

(Rinkesh, 2018). This includes amongst other things, collection, transport, treatment

and disposal of waste together with monitoring and regulation. It also encompasses

the legal and regulatory framework that relates to waste management encompassing

guidance on recycling which is used for recovering energy and earning money.

Waste material disposed is managed to avoid its adverse effect over human health

and environment. Likewise, proper waste management is needed for it is beneficial

to people’s health, the environment, and for the society’s economy.

According to Iyyanki Muralikrishna and Valli Manickam from ResearchGate

(December, 2017), “Without an effective and efficient waste management program,

the waste generated from various human activities, both industrial and domestic, can

result in health hazards and have a negative impact on the environment”. An

effective and efficient waste management program is a way for an area to have a

clean and safe environment.

Possible Solutions of the Problem

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 According to the residents of Barangay Santiago, one of the most evident

problems that are happening in the barangay is the improper waste disposal of the

residents. They have no choice but to incinerate their garbage and this is causing air

pollution that increases the barangay’s carbon footprint. From the interview that the

group conducted, they have perceived that the barangay did not attempt to solve the

said problem.

Organic wastes, such as food waste and yard waste, make up 25 to 50% of

what people throw away. While you may not be able to compost all of the organic

waste you generate, composting can significantly cut down on your overall trash.

When we throw away yard and food waste, it decomposes in a landfill and releases

methane gas, a potent greenhouse gas. While most landfills have technology to

capture much of this methane, eliminating the gas at its source is even better.

(Resource Recovery & Waste Management Division, 2017)

The project ‘composting’ is to help the residents of Barangay Santiago to

properly dispose waste and to stop their current way of waste disposal. The project

is a big help to restore or replace worn-out or contaminated soils for gardens. Also,

composting can help to reduce the amount of waste that needs to be disposed of.

Composting is better than burning the garbage, in composting the soil will also

benefit, it makes the soil fertile and rich.

Composting can affect Barangay Santiago for a long time in terms of

environmental and economic. In environmental, composting can enrich the nutrients

of the soil which can help in their agriculture. In economic, composting can help their

agriculture be more efficient which their primary source of income is. In cultural

terms, it can change their accustomed way of waste removal which is the

18
incinerating of the waste that can destroy the ozone layer to composting that is low-

cost way of waste segregation and can also give nutrients to the soil.

One of the possible solutions is recycling. Wastes like bottles, papers and

plastic can be recycled instead of throwing it in corners of the street. It’ll help to

convert the waste materials into products which can be reused of anyone living in the

barangay example is a plastic bottle which they can use as a pot for the plants in the

barangay. Another one is having a compost pit in their own backyard. Residents can

throw all their organic waste in the compost pit which they can also use as a fertilizer

after waiting for a several time of decomposing. Just like what other residents said,

they’re burning all their waste in their backyard instead of throwing it anywhere.

Residents can also separate biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste; it

is important to separate the two. Biodegradable can use as fertilizers while the no

biodegradable can be recycled and can be used again. In short the most effective

solutions of the problem are applying the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Proper

knowledge is important in every resident for them to apply and to contribute properly

in solving their waste disposal problem. This is why the researcher planned on

putting three trash bins near the compost pit that separate plastic, glass bottles and

cans.

The project’s nature is that it is an ‘Environmental Prototype’. The project is a

compost pit that can enrich the fertility of the soil and will help the resident’s source

of living which is the agriculture. This type of waste segregation is low cost and

ecofriendly since it only uses land space and it doesn’t need fire and other harmful

substance that can affect the environment. Composting is also easy to main, besides

the group will provide a cover to avoid excessive water caused by rain, the group will

19
also provide fence to avoid accidents that can harm especially children and animals

and also trash bin for the non-biodegradable such as paper, bottles and cans. A

seminar will be conducted to inform the residents the guidelines and tips on how to

effectively use the compost pit that will sustain the effectiveness of the compost pit

for longer time. The group will also provide a shredder since grind waste is faster to

decompose than the normal size of waste that will be thrown on the compost pit.

Once the project was implemented an evaluator will evaluate and provide status.

This project will require shovel, organic materials, masonry lining and fertilizer

as said on the group’s reference but in this case, the group chose not to spend too

much money so they replaced masonry lining with bamboo sticks and cover. Instead

of using shovel since this is a large project the group have decided that they should

hire some workers, hopefully with equipment, to dig up. For the shredder, we will

need electric string trimmer, plywood, hardware cloth and deck screws. In addition to

this project, the group will device* a cover with a detachable mixer to reduce the

diffusion of the pit’s odor, this is also for the convenience for those who will mix the

pit’s contents regularly.

There are three main processes in accomplishing our project. First, the

residents must put their biodegradable wastes in the shredder to help speed up the

decomposition process for composting while the non-biodegradable will be placed in

the provided trash cans beside the compost pit. Next, the biodegradable wastes will

be dumped in the compost pit. Lastly, the compost pit should be covered up and will

be mixed up for maintenance.

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 Chapter III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents and clarifies all the details of the procedures followed in

conducting the study. This chapter includes the discussions of the design of the

research, description of research instrument to be use, description of the locale of

the study, steps in collecting data and methods of analyzing and interpreting the

data.

Searching for valid reliable sources of data and information for this study was

a challenge for the researcher. The researcher looked for several articles, theses

and research works in order to gather information and conducted sampling in order

to acquire the data required for this study “The Impact of the Improper Waste

Disposal in Barangay Santiago.”

Research Design

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 This research utilized a type of qualitative research that determines the

problems of Barangay Santiago in regards to proper waste disposal. In this study,

some of the residents was interviewed about their current lifestyle and the problems

that they are encountering. A case study is a process that focuses on people’s

specific problems that they are currently experiencing. Through these experiences,

the researcher would provide an innovative and a convenient solution to resolve or

address the problem being targeted.

Sources of Data

The researcher gather data by the means of survey which served as a guide

for conducting an interview that was given to the residents. The survey includes the

basic question that includes the information, lifestyle, source of income and family

background in line with this the given questionnaire holds the confidentiality of the

respondents, it also included in the questionnaires about their problem with their

barangay. This data that have been gathered contributes on the researcher on

coming up of the possible solutions to solve the problem. Second is that some of the

gathered information from the community of Barangay Santiago is from some reliable

online sites that gives more information from the said community like the land area

and the number of population, and on finding ways on how to have some solution on

the problems that the interviewees told to the interviewers from the questions to the

survey.

Respondents of the Study

The respondents of this study entitled “The Improper Waste Disposal in

Barangay Santiago, Gingoog City”, are the 15 residents of Barangay Santiago. Most

22
of the interviewee’s age ranges are 25 to 63 years old. Age affects the study as the

older respondents are more experienced and more exposed to the culture and

lifestyle in Barangay Santiago. The interviewees are men and women and this data

can affect the result because women stay at their household more often and they are

more aware of the changes that occur on the community.

Research Locale

Barangay Santiago is located in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental. According to

National Statistics Authority (NSA), as of 2015, its population as determined by the

2015 Census was 2,928. This represented 2.35% of the total population of Gingoog

City. The common livelihood on Barangay Santiago are mainly poultry and

agricultural. The place is observed with a clean and green environment, a rural

place.

However, there are also some problems observed in the barangay that the

researcher wanted to point out. There were no proper ways in the barangay to

dispose their wastes as there were no garbage truck in the area. A large number of

young people that is out school youth are also noted.

Research Tools and Instruments

The researcher conducted an interview last June 4, 2021 to the residents in

Barangay Santiago to know the issues or problems present in the community. In this

interview, I will asked the respondents first that I will make a documentation to the

answers of the residents on some common questions when it comes on how they

dispose their trashes. Some of the question listed in the survey questionnaire were

about their weekly budget, their expenses, family background, knowledge about

23
waste disposal and the appliances that they are using. The researcher approached

the people by saying some simple introduction and explaining the purpose of the

research. The respondents welcomed the researcher with a smile and answer the

questions honestly.

Data Gathering Procedure

On the 4th day of June, the researcher went to Barangay Santiago which is

located in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental. I will approached the residents with

respect and kindness. I will choose 10 houses and interview every resident that is

living there. First, the researcher will tell them the purpose for conducting the

interview. The Interview/Survey Questions include their names, occupation, salary,

educational attainment and family members, including their age, marital status,

educational attainment and occupation. It is followed by questions about Barangay

Santiago residents about proper waste segregation and disposal. After answering

the survey form, the researcher will asked them if it's okay to take pictures with them

because it is needed in the documentation. The researcher ended the interview with

the words of thanksgiving for the opportunity to conduct an interview to them. The

interview per house lasted for about 5-15 minutes.

Ethical Consideration

In conducting this study, the researcher made sure that they observed some

proper ways of communicating with the respondents. The researcher made sure that

the residents were properly informed and participated willingly in the study. This

study showed no harm to the environment and to the locals, the researcher also

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value the security and confidentiality of the respondents. The gathered data will be

used and applied in the research, without exposing any gathered data outside the

project, and are reasonable, credible, and valid. The researcher will make sure to

maintain relationship with the respondents for the updates in the project.

Chapter 4

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter present the analysis and interpretation of data gathered from the

study. The data are presented in textual, graphical and tabular forms. Likewise, the

results are analyzed and interpreted according to the order of the objectives as

presented in the first chapter of the study.

Objective 1. Determine Factors Affecting the Resident’s Way of Waste

Disposal.

There are various factors contributing to improper waste management and

disposal. From the survey, the most contributing to the resident’s way of waste

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disposal/management are lack of proper waste management education and

awareness, lack of policy enforcement and responsibility, and inadequate service

and equipment.

One major factor affecting the residents’ way of waste disposal (incineration)

is the lack of education and awareness of effective waste management practices.

Most resort to incineration that greatly damage our environment so as the health of

the people around the community. The need to improve public awareness of, and

community participation in waste management is necessary to create sustainable

waste systems and to promote environmental citizenship amongst community

members.

Meanwhile, according to Gaborone (2001), even though citizens were aware

of recycling and other sustainable waste-management techniques, this does not

necessary translate into actual participation of recycling initiatives. They appear to

have not embraced waste management reforms amid their limited knowledge of such

activities (Bolaane, 2006). However, if prior knowledge of waste management was

met with new information, these community may be more willing to accept recycling

such as composting and implement changes.

In addition, another factor affecting waste disposal is lack of policy

enforcement and responsibility. Awareness alone cannot guaranty that the people

will participate in a pro-environmental activities such as recycling initiatives.

According to (Henry et al.., 2006), the lack of enforcement of policies and laws is a

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major institutional issue that greatly contributes to the mismanagement of solid waste

in the developing countries.

It is asserted in the 2005 UNEP Annual Report (cited in Periou, 2012), that in

many developing countries, the greatest impediments to efficient and

environmentally effective handling of solid waste are managerial rather than

technical. Improving the operational and management capabilities of individual and

institutions involved in SWM at the local level is therefore extremely important.

Furthermore, inadequate service and equipment also highly contribute to as

why people of Santiago, Gingoog City resort to waste incineration. In a municipal

solid waste-management system typical problems are: First, budgetary constraints,

not enough funds to support, provide services and equipment. Second, inadequate

service coverage and operational inefficiencies of services, minimal services and

programs to support recycling and other developmental activities this limits the

utilization of waste reduction activities such as recycling. Third, ineffective equipment

and inadequate landfill disposal, no garbage truck collector and no proper waste

land. These situational constraints prevents the possibility of responsible behaviors

even when the individuals are willing and determined to do so. In other words, if the

infrastructures isn’t in place citizens have very limited options to deal with their

waste.

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 Lack of Proper Waste
Management Education
and Awereness

FACTORS AFFECTING
WASTE DISPOSAL

Lack of Policy Enforcement Inadequate Service and

Figure 3.3. This diagram shows the factors affecting the resident’s way of

waste management in Barangay Santiago.

These findings was related to the findings of (Aini, 2002), that in order to

overcome the solid waste crisis, the conscience of the individual needs to be raised

through environmental awareness and concern, inculcation of sustainable

consumption practices and education on waste management.

Another findings of (Hoornweg et al..,2007) supported our findings and

pointed that infrastructural problems such as no garbage truck collector is the main

impediments to sustainable solid waste-management system; and should be the first

priority for municipalities to improve waste collection and disposal.

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Objective 2. Identify Methods used by the Residents of Barangay Santiago,

Gingoog City in Waste Disposal.

2.1 Recycling

2.2 Incineration (solid waste open burning)

2.3 Hog Feeding

2.4 Composting

2.5 Ploughing into the fields

Table 1.1 below shows the methods of waste disposal used by the residents’

of Barangay Santiago, Gingoog City. Out of the five methods, incineration of solid

waste was majorly used to disposed garbage, followed with hog feeding and

ploughing into the fields. Out of the fifteen (15) respondents, six (6) of them identified

their method used to waste disposed as incineration. While four (4) of them said to

be using method such as hog feeding and another four (4) used ploughing into the

fields to disposed their waste.

Incineration or open burning of solid waste was mainly used by the residents

because of the absence of garbage truck collector and proper waste landfill. The

residents was force to resort to open burning because it is the easiest way to dispose

their garbage. Open burning of waste is a process in which unwanted products,

byproducts and materials are incinerated, typically at low temperatures and in an

uncontrolled manner (Wikipedia, 2017).

Methods Used in Waste Disposal No. Respondents

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 Recycling 0
Incineration (solid waste open burning) 6
Hog feeding 4
Composting 1
Ploughing into the fields 4

Table 1.1 Number Distribution of Methods used in Waste Disposal (n=15).

The findings were supported by the results of (Haider, 2004), that most cities

with infrastructure problems used incineration or open burning to dispose their

waste. He also stated that “improper waste disposal of open burning produces

smokes that contains air pollutants. Exposure to these pollutants can worsen existing

heart and lung conditions and have other harmful effects, including premature

death.”

Hog feeding of waste in Barangay Santiago is more likely to happen because

the province is an agricultural sites. Most of their residents grow vegetables and

animals such as Hog, Goat, Chickens and Cow. Waste like excess foods or left over

are fed to the animals. The province also used ploughing into the ground to waste

disposed. Disposal by ploughing into the fields are commonly used in urban places

as a means of waste disposal (Carno, 2011).

Objective 3. Understand Ways and Importance of Proper Waste Disposal.

Proper waste disposal is beneficial to the environment. Without it, the land

and its underlying resources are prone to contamination and contamination can lead

to various diseases and other health concerns. It has been common practice to burn

waste at the landfill or in the backyard. However. Doing this contributes to heart

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diseases, respiratory illness, emphysema, and asthma. Open burning is also known

to cause air pollutant and destroys our environment.

In waste management, garbage is relocated to areas where it can be left,

incinerated, or disposed of in a matter that’s safe to the people and the environment.

Removal of wastes from public areas also contributes to the lessening of risks to

overall health, reduces infestation of pests, and decreases exposure to biological

hazards.

Knowing how to properly dispose of your waste can create a positive impact

on your health, your life, your community, and the environment. Best way to waste

management is by 3R’s Reuse, Reduce and Recycle.

The three R’s – reduce, reuse and recycle- all help to cut down on the amount

of waste we thrown away. They conserve natural resources, landfill space and

energy. Plus, the three R’s save land and money communities must use to dispose

of waste in landfills. Sitting a new landfill has become difficult and more expensive

due to environmental regulations and public opposition (Steinbeck, 2016).

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 REUSE REDUCE

RECYCLE

Figure 4.4 Ways to Properly Waste Management and Disposal.

REDUCE. The best way to manage waste is not to produce it. It can be done

by shopping carefully and only buying necessary means of life. For instance, avoid

disposable goods, such as paper plates, cups, napkins, razors, and lighters.

Throwaways contribute to the problem and cost more because they must be

replaced again and again.

REUSE. It makes economic and environmental sense to reuse products. For

instance, reusing products for the same purpose. Save paper and plastic bags, and

repair broken appliances, furniture and toys.

RECYCLE. Recycling is a series of steps that takes a used material and

processes, remanufactures, and sells it as a new product. Anyone can begin

recycling at home, for instance, buy products made from recycled materials.

Recycling can be done at home by giving new purpose to used or waste materials.

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 Barangay Santiago, Gingoog City is an urban rich to its agricultural products.

One way to solve the problem regarding waste disposal is by composting. Recycling

food and other organic waste into compost provides a range of environmental

benefits, including greenhouse gas emissions, recycling nutrients, and mitigating the

impact of drought (Hu, S., 2020). Composting is the natural process of recycling

organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can

enrich soil and plants.

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