PAOMBONG HIGH SCHOOL, INC.

School Year 2023-2024

Lesson 8: Waste Generation and Management

Learning Competencies:

1. Identifies human activities such as farming, construction of structures, and waste disposal that affect
the quality and quantity of soil.
2. Gives ways of conserving and protecting the soil for the future generation
3. Describes how people generate different types of waste (solid, liquid, and gaseous) as they make use of
various materials and resources in everyday life
4. Explains how different types of waste affect people’s health and the environment

READ AND LEARN

Human Activities Affecting the Quality and Quantity of Soil

1. Farming - agriculture alters the natural cycling of nutrients in soil. Intensive cultivation and harvesting of crops
for human or animal consumption can effectively mine the soil of plant nutrients.
Excessive cultivation, for example, can wreck the structure of some soils so that they are no longer
capable of holding enough moisture for growing plants. Salinization, or the accumulation of salts in the topsoil,
can also have a deleterious effect on soil productivity and crop yields. In order to maintain soil fertility for sufficient
crop yields, soil amendments are typically required.

2. Construction of structures - Urban development activities can cause rapid soil degradation and
sedimentation. Soil erosion and sedimentation from construction sites can be significant in quantity and in the
impact on off-site resources such as streams. Erosion, which produces sediments, is accelerated when soil is
disturbed, left bare, and exposed to rainfall. Construction activities, such as grading and filling, reduce soil quality
on construction sites.

3. Waste disposal – disposal of hazardous chemicals that get into the soil can harm plants when they take up
the contamination through their roots. Thus, soil will lose its fertility. Moreover, the presence of excess chemicals
will increase the alkalinity or acidity of soil thus degrading the soil quality; this will in turn cause soil erosion. If
humans eat plants and animals that have been in contact with such polluted soils, there can be negative impact
on their health as well.

The effect of human activities on soil can be mitigated through sustainable soil management, such as
increasing organic matter content, keeping the soil surface vegetated, avoiding excessive tillage, using nutrients
wisely, promoting crops rotation, reducing erosion, and preventing soil compaction.

1. Increasing soil organic matter - The addition of new organic matter is important in
improving and maintaining soil quality. It also improves soil structure and enhances
water and nutrient-holding capacity.

2. Keeping the soil covered and vegetated – Ground cover and vegetation protects the
soil. It also provides habitats for larger soil organisms and can improve water
availability. The soil can be covered by leaving crop residue on the surface or by
planting cover crops.

3. Avoiding excessive tillage – Tillage is done to loosen surface soil and break up soil
structure. Reducing it minimizes the loss of organic matter and protects the soil surface
from further erosion.

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 PAOMBONG HIGH SCHOOL, INC.
School Year 2023-2024
4. Managing pests and nutrients efficiently – Efficient pests and nutrient management requires regular testing
and monitoring of soil conditions and pests, along with the application of only the necessary chemicals at the
right time and place.
5. Promoting crop rotation – Changing vegetation across landscape over time allows the soil to recover, as
different plants contribute in a unique way to soil structure and composition. It also increases the diversity of
plants as well as the other organisms in the area.
6. Reducing erosion and preventing soil compaction – Erosion can be prevented by keeping the ground covered
and vegetated, and by channelling excess surface water runoff. Soil compaction can be prevented by restricting
human activities to designated areas and pathways.

Environment refers to everything that surrounds a living organism, including physical factors such as air,
water, and soil and biological factors such as living organisms – flora and fauna. An ecosystem is a community
of organisms interacting with each other and with the abiotic or nonliving components of the environment. As a
result of this dynamic interaction, energy is exchanged and the cycling of important nutrients is facilitated.

TAKE A LOOK

Four Different Types of Waste Generated by Humans

One of the ways humans affect the environment is generation of waste. If not managed properly, these
wastes will pollute and affect the environment.
1. Liquid waste - Liquid waste is commonly found both in households as well as in industries. This waste
includes dirty water, organic liquids, wash water, waste detergents and even rainwater. Waste water may also
contain organic substances and nutrients that are of value to agriculture, or may be hazardous due to the
chemicals or pathogens it contains like liquid waste blood from hospitals.
2. Solid waste - Solid waste is generally made up of objects or particles that accumulate on the site where they
are produced. According to the National Solid Waste Management Commission, a single Metro Manila resident
generates 0.7kg of solid waste, which is more than twice higher than the global average of 0.3kg each person
per day. Various types of solid waste are produced through mining, agricultural, industrial, and
municipal/domestic activities.

1. Municipal waste includes materials that people in a community no longer want

because they are broken, spoiled, or no longer useful. These types of waste
come from households, commercial establishments, institutions, and some
industrial sources.

2. Agricultural waste is a common form of waste derived from farming and poultry.
Most agricultural waste is organic and is used for soil-enhancing activities. Other
materials are burned as a source of energy. Too much agricultural waste in the
form of fertilizers is deposited into bodies of water which can cause
eutrophication.

3. Industrial solid waste comes from industrial sources other than mining. It
includes a variety of materials such as demolition waste, scraps from
manufacturing processes, and ash from combustion. If they are classified as
hazardous, disposal requires special landfills for their isolation and treatment.

4. Mining waste is generated in three ways. In most mining operations, large

amounts of rock and soil are removed to extract the valuable ores and the waste
materials are left outside the mining site. In milling operations, the grinding and
sorting of materials produce solid waste called tailings, which are dumped and
stored in ponds near the milling site. Lastly, water that is pumped from mines
flows from piles of waste rock or tailings that contain hazardous materials.
Solid waste can include a variety of items found in your household along with commercial and industrial
locations.
● Plastic waste – This consists of bags, containers, jars, bottles and many other products that can be found
in your household. Plastic is not biodegradable, but many types of plastic can be recycled.

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School Year 2023-2024
● Paper/card waste – This includes packaging materials, newspapers, cardboards and other products.
● Tins and metals – appliances, product packaging, paint cans
● Ceramics and glass – figurines, jalousie, wine or liquor bottles. Glass can be recycled indefinitely.

3. Organic waste - Organic waste is another common household. All food waste such as raw peelings and
stems, garden waste such as grass clippings, branches and leaves; manure and rotten meat are classified
as organic waste. Over time, organic waste is turned into manure by microorganisms. However, this does
not mean that you can dispose of them anywhere. Organic waste in landfills causes the release of
greenhouse gases like methane, so it must never be simply discarded with general waste.

4. Hazardous waste - These wastes cannot be disposed of in regular garbage. Any product which is labeled
warning, caution, poisonous, toxic, flammable, corrosive, reactive or explosive should be considered
hazardous. For example, buried wastes can filter down through the soil and contaminate groundwater.
Plumbing systems can be damaged when corrosive chemicals are put down the drain. Burning hazardous
wastes simply distributes them over a larger area and releases them into the air. Pouring hazardous liquids
on the ground can poison soil, plants, and water. Examples of these wastes are batteries, fluorescent bulbs,
electronic and small appliances, oil, gasoline, and auto fluids.

There are potential risks to the environment and health from improper handling of solid wastes. Direct
health risks concern mainly the workers in this field, who need to be protected, as far as possible, from contact
with wastes. There are also specific risks in handling wastes from hospitals and clinics. For the general public,
the main risks to health are indirect and arise from the breeding of disease vectors, primarily flies and rats.
Uncontrolled hazardous wastes from industries mixing up with municipal wastes create potential
risks to human health. Traffic accidents can result from toxic spilled wastes. There is specific danger of
concentration of heavy metals in the food chain, a problem that illustrates the relationship between
municipal solid wastes and liquid industrial effluents containing heavy metals discharged to a
drainage/sewerage system and /or open dumping sites of municipal solid wastes and the wastes discharged
thereby maintaining a vicious cycle including some other types of problems as follows:
● Chemical poisoning through chemical inhalation
● Cancer
● Congenital malformations
● Nausea and vomiting
● Mercury toxicity from eating fish with high levels of mercury
● Plastic found in oceans ingested by birds and aquatic animals
● Low birth weight
∙ Chemical poisoning through chemical
Uncollected waste can obstruct the storm

Methods of Waste Disposal

There are five basic techniques used in waste disposal. Wastes may be disposed of in a landfill, burned
through incineration, converted into mulch or compost, or they could be recycled.

1. Landfill is the cheapest and the most convenient place to dump waste. A typical soil waste landfill is
constructed above an impermeable clay layer that is lined with an impermeable membrane. Every deposit
of fresh garbage is covered with a layer of soil to prevent it from blowing around. However, the threat of
groundwater contamination reduces the use of this practice.
2. Incineration involves burning in a controlled manner using an incinerator. Incineration coupled with high-
temperature waste treatments are recognized as thermal treatments. During incineration, the waste
material being treated is converted into gas, particles, and heat. These products are later used to
generate electricity. These gases must be treated again to eradicate pollutants before they are released
to the atmosphere.
3. Mulch and compost method is one of the simplest methods to dispose of waste at homes. Composting
is the method of allowing natural processes of decomposition to transform organic materials into humus-
like material called compost.
4. Source reduction refers to the method of designing, manufacturing, purchasing, using, and reusing
materials so that the amount of waste or its toxicity is reduced.
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5. Recycling is the method of collecting throw-away materials and turning them into useful products.

The Resource Cycle

A resource cycle is the process involving the transformation of raw material into usable or consumable
product and its disposal. It starts with the extraction of resources and raw materials through mining, cultivating,
and/or harvesting. The extracted materials are then processed, transported, and manufactured into new
products to be delivered to or purchased by consumers. During these stages, waste can be generated. These
wastes affect the Earth’s subsystems – geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere – which provide
the resources and raw materials. Reducing the demand of resources, minimizing waste, and recycling and
reusing of materials may help balance the production of resources and disposal waste.
Waste Management
Waste management in homes, schools, communities, and
industries can be done using the waste management hierarchy
options. The most effective way to reduce waste is to reduce the waste
at the source. It involves durable products that can be used for a long
time and refraining from buying disposable products that lead to more
waste. The second option is to reuse and recycle solid waste to serve
another purpose. This includes reducing plastic bags, empty bottles,
and other disposable materials. Organic waste such as leftover food
and vegetable peelings can also be converted into compost for
planting through different techniques of biocomposting. The third
option is the treatment of waste to minimize its effect on the
environment. Only until all these options are exhausted and done,
should solid waste be disposed to properly designed and operated
waste disposal facilities.

ALWAYS REMEMBER

● An ecosystem is a community of organisms interacting with one another and with the abiotic component
of the environment.
● The type of solid waste includes municipal, agricultural, industrial, and mining wastes.
● The five basic techniques in waste disposal are landfill, incineration, mulching and composting, source
reduction, and recycling.
● A resource cycle is the process involving the transformation of raw materials into usable or consumable
products.

Sources:
● Ramos, J. (2016). Exploring Life Through Science 11. Quzeon City, Manila: Phoenix Publishing House,
Inc.
● https://www.slideshare.net/AilaCordero/human-activities-that-affect-the-quality-and-quantity-of-the-soil
● https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306150450_Impact_of_Solid_Waste_on_Health_and_The_En
vironment
● https://sg.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/37651/5/05_introduction.pdf
● K12 Learning Material

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