MANAGEMENT OF WASTE DISPOSAL AT CONTROLLED DUMPSITE OF PANABO

CITY

A CASE STUDY

____________________________________

A Thesis Submitted to the

College of Science and Technology Education

University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines

Cagayan de Oro City

And Faculty of the Institute of Management Governance and Continuing Studies

Davao del Norte State College

Panabo City

In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree of

Master in Public Administration (MPA)

GERALDIN PAMISARAN CABANG

 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

We are now confronting the massive volume of solid waste that people generate

daily and globally. Every person is a potential generator of waste and thus a contributor

to this problem. Waste is generated by, and from different sectors; domestic,

commercial, industry and others, Oaklley & Masden (1984).

Waste management at a global scale, attention is mostly focused on establishing

improved waste management system in developing countries, such as collecting and

delivering waste to designated locations under a municipality’s authority and

international cooperation as mentioned by Mc Cornack (2012).

Solid waste management has attracted attention due to the risks posed by open

dumpsites for solid wastes. Trash slides have caused deaths and injuries to the people

living nearby the open dumpsites. In some places as Cairo in Egyt and Metro Manila in

the Philippines, informal settlers around the open dumpsites earned a living by

scavenging for reusable wastes, United Nations Volunteers and PHILSSA (1996).

Evidence also shows that the sources of wastes and waste management

practices are among the factors contributing to increase green house gas (GHG) that in

turn, causes climate change with its various adverse effects such as floods, drought,

among others, Mc Michael, Hanes, Sloof and Kovats (1996: 23-25, Inter Agency

Committee on Climate Change (1999:26-27).

Most problems of every country like Norway, Philippines and Nepal is the

unplanned urbanization that resulted in various environmental problems. Deteriorating

air quality, polluted rivers, open sewerage, piled up garbage and open dumping sites,

inadequate water supply and poor sanitation. Scavengers are working informally at

open dump and waste transport depot on their own risk. Asante (1997).
 In India, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) have helped in civic

campaigning, arranging for door-to-door collection of waste as well as assisting in the

establishment of cooperatives for “rag pickers” Joardar, (2000:329). NGOs especially

those that have environmental orientation need to be supported to mobilize the

community to participate in solid waste management as a sustainable measure.

In selected Asian countries, legislation of national policy, (JEC 178), Cointreau

(1986) has specifically been directed at solid waste management, China, Law on the

Prevention and Control of Solid Wastes, Indonesia, Government Regulation No. 19 of

1994 on Management of Hazardous and Toxic Wastes, Amended by Government

Regulation 12 of 1995, Japan, Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Law, South Korea

Waste Management Act, Malaysia, Environmental Quality regulations, Thailand,

Hazardous Substance Act, Taiwan Waste Disposal Act, Philippines, Ecological Solid

Waste Management Act (RA 9003).

The DENR-Environmental Management Bureau, Solid Waste Management for

Local Governments, Haan, Hans, Christian, et. al. 1998, cited that most comprehensive

piece of legislation dealing with this problem is Republic Act (RA) 9003, known as the

Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. It assigns the primary task of

implementation and enforcement to LGUs. It emphasizes the importance of minimizing

waste using techniques such as recycling, resource recovery, reuse and composting.

The provisions covered by the law incorporate the fundamental system of solid waste

management and techniques to handle the functional elements of ESWM, i.e.

generation, collection, storage, processing, transfer and transport and final disposal are

mandated and currently initiated as a tool for resource recovery, final disposal sites

should form part of the overall ecological solid waste management planning with

considerations to residues from various intermediate waste treatment and processes as

stated by Solid Waste Management Options and Solutions at Local

Level(Copyright@2003)
 Open Dumpsites are generally sited in vacant lots, usually adjacent to residential

areas where there are low-lying marshy lands, often done as a way of reclaiming the

area for future development. In terms of safety, the deposited area may have such

uncontrolled settlement due to the on-going decomposition of wastes. Controlled Dump

is a first step in the progression from open dumping. As stipulated in Section 37, RA

9003, Controlled Dump Facilities shall only be allowed to operate for a period of five (5)

years, inclusive of the 3-year conversion period. In doing so, there is no significant

investment required in the capital cost or equipment purchases, but rather its

enhancements will concentrate primarily on improvements to operational and

management issues. The wastes undergo compaction, soil cover is applied, fires not

permitted and buffer zones provided, among others. Lardinois, Inge and Furedy, et.al

(1999).

Sanitary Landfill is a disposal site designed, constructed, operated and

maintained in a manner that exerts engineering control over significant potential

environmental impacts arising from the development and operation of the facility as

stipulated by International Technology Center, Book 1 of Technical Publication Series.

n.p.,1996. The basic operational controls include the following: leachate collection and

treatment systems, landfill gas management, waste compaction, application of soil

cover, all-weather primary and access roads, trained labor force, and a ban on waste

pickers, among others. Site design is based on Hydrogeological considerations while

site preparation includes the provisions on surface run-off control and containing earth

movements. The biological, physical and chemical changes occurring between layers of

landfill play important roles in the process of transformation and stabilization of the

waste.

Thus, as an “Agro-industrial Gateway to the World”, Panabo City is considered to

be the hub of a major agro-economic activities which anchors on producing a high-

quality standards agricultural crops, especially on banana industries. This will be

manifested by a larger percentage on the current total land area utilization of the city
classified as agro-industrial and agricultural zone. In concurrence to the wastes

composition generated daily by the city, an organic wastes or biodegradable wastes

materials takes a bigger pie as stipulated by Comprehensive Land Use Plan (2009-

2019, vol. 1)

On the current scenario of the of the City’s Solid Wastes, the latest census

conducted in CY 2010 revealed a total population of 174,364 and a total number of

households of 39,526. The total urban area accounts to 68,446 with total household of

15,031.

Sixty percent (60%) of the population in Panabo is settled in the urban area.

Among the eleven urban barangays, Barangay New Visayas ranked first with a total

population of 15,979. Aside from a banana plantation within the Barangay area, its high

population is attributed to the presence of small and medium scale banana growers

located in the nearby barangays like Datu Abdul and Southern Davao. It is also joined

by large urban barangays, San Francisco and Gredu where facilities and academic

institutions are available. It is also proximate to commercial establishment where major

economic activities offer opportunities for a living, as stipulated by Comprehensive Land

Use Plan (2009-2019, vol. 1).

The Panabo City uses controlled & alternative system of waste disposal.

Although certain efforts were made to convert the said dump into a sanitary landfill

facility, its operation will remain to be open/controlled dumping. Private sectors had

taken the lead in material recovery initiative in the City. Non-Government Organizations

(NGOs) and cooperatives undertake material recovery activities right in the dumpsite

area. Scraps, papers, corrugated boxes, plastics and other recyclable wastes have

become the main source of livelihood of the scavengers. In 2004, the City already

received a Notice to Proceed (NTP) from Environment Management Bureau (EMB-XI)

Region XI for Controlled Dumping Operation and the Issuance of Authority to Close

(ATC) on October 2007 for closure of controlled dump operation as stated by Ecological

Solid Waste Management Plan (2014-2023)

 The controlled dumpsite of Panabo City is located at Purok 3, Barangay New

Malitbog with 6.0 hectares and sub-divide to disposal area 1 and disposal area 2 upon

closure and rehabilitation per compliance to RA 9003. Legislation of City Ordinance 28-

05 or the Solid Wastes Management Program ordinance of the City of Panabo, Drafting

of Dumpsite Closure & Rehabilitation” master plan, Intensified Solid Waste

Management Information Education Campaign, Strictly implemented and enforced the

provision of RA 9003 and City Ordinance 28-05 particularly segregation of wastes and

policy of “No Segregation, No Collection”, Controlled and Organized the scavengers

and their wastes material recovery activities and Rehabilitation & improvement of the

area by constructing necessary facilities as required by law, as stated by Ecological

Solid Waste Management Plan (2014-2023). Based on this presumption, this thesis

discuss, how effective the management, policy and practices of waste disposal at

Controlled Dumpsite of Panabo City.

Purpose of the Study:

The purpose of this case study is to provide data in management, practices,

policy and programs of waste disposal at controlled dumpsite of Panabo City.

Research Questions

To facilitate the attainment of the abovementioned purpose of the study, the

researcher was guided with the subsequent research questions as follows:

1. What are the practices in managing waste disposal control dumpsite in Panabo

City?

2. What predicament has been encountered in managing the waste disposal at

controlled dumpsite?

3. What strategies have been deployed in overcoming the challenges encountered?

4. What lessons are might be able to be best showed?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this research is to provide baseline data for the local government

units, academe, and other institutions for the management of waste disposal in their

respective municipality and cities. The practices, legislation and policy formulated may

be adopted for the local government unit as a tool for their guidance for the

implementation of Solid Waste Management. Specifically, the findings of this study will

help in viewing the management of waste disposal in policies and practices by the

implementers and the community.

Furthermore, the result of this study could help the local officials to implement

priority programs and trainings in recyclable materials to alleviate the living condition of

scavengers at controlled dumpsite of Panabo City.

THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Theoretical Framework

The study anchored on the researcher will explain the theoretical frameworks

that applied in this research: Most studies on waste management are similarly focused

on the execution of waste management; that is to say, why the management was

introduced, how the management is implemented, who is engaged in it, and what the

management accomplishes (Davies, 2008; Karousakis, 2009; Minervini, 2013; Karre,

2013; Corvellec and Hultman, 2013; Schouten, Martin and Tillotson, 2015; Gustafsson,

Hjelmgren and Czarniawska, 2015). There is also a tendency to employ the

comparative method to show the differences in performance, development, outcomes

and obstacles in waste governance, Campos, 2013; Taherzadeh and Rajendran, 2015.
Scope and Limitation

This study covered the management of waste disposal at controlled

dumpsite of Panabo City. The data gathering will be on July to August 2018.

This study is limited to the management and method practice of waste

disposal at controlled dumpsite of Panabo City. Qualitative information will

be use in this study. The study will be conducted at Brgy. New Malitbog,

Panabo City.
Definition of Terms

Waste. A substances or objects, which are dispose of or are intended to be disposed or

are required to be disposed of by the provisions of national law. It is also refers to “an

item material or substance you as an individual consider useless at a given time and

place.

Municipal waste. Wastes from domestic, commercial, institutional, municipal and

industrial sources, but excluding excreta, except when it is mixed with solid waste.

Solid Waste. It is also called garbage, trash, rubbish or junk, as organic and inorganic

waste materials produced by households, commercial, institutional and industrial

activities that have lost value in the sight of the initial user.

(Solid) Waste Management Practices. Waste management to the collection,

transportation, processing, recycling or disposal of waste materials. It ought to be

appreciated that waste management practices differ for developed and developing

countries, for urban and rural areas, and for residential and industrial producers

Waste Segregation. This involves sorting garbage or waste into separate containers in

our homes so that recyclable item can be sold, waste from the kitchen and the garden

can be made into compost, and the remaining garbage (called “residual waste” are sent

to the landfill

Recycling. Reduces the use of new resources, in a way contributing to sustainable

development. Materials like paper, glass, steel, plastic and aluminium can recycled by

reuse.

Landfill. This presents a safer alternative to uncontrolled dumping of solid waste. It is

very clear that poor waste disposal can dangerous to human life as well as the

environment. A standard landfill is designed in a way that it can protect ground water

from contamination and also avoids fires that would break out as result of methane

emission.
 Chapter II

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This research study is a qualitative method research based on data gathered by

key informant interviews are qualitative in-depth interviews with people who know what

is going on in the community. The purpose of key informant interviews will be the seven

(7) implementers, to collect information from a wide range of people-including

community leaders, professionals, and implementers who have firsthand knowledge

about the community Carter & Beaulieu (1992). These implementers experts, with their

particular knowledge and understanding, can provide insight on the nature of problems

and give recommendations for solutions on how the management and practices of

waste disposal at Controlled Dumpsite of Panabo City is effective.

The goal of this research was not to find out “how much” waste is handled by

different waste treatment methods in the current waste management each year, but

rather to discover the quality of the waste management and practices. How the

management is implemented and by whom: whether this management is effective and

what kind of practices can be made to make management more effective. According, to

Britten (1999) it is suitable for this research to employ a qualitative research method.

Focus groups are basically group interviews Bryman, 2004; Leedy and Ormrod,

(2005). However, focus groups can be differentiated from group interviews. According to

Bryman (2004), while focus groups concentrate on a particular theme, group interviews

may take on a wider span, and that group interviews are done for purposes of saving

time by interviewing a number of peoples simultaneously. He continues to note that the

purpose of focus groups is to understand how people discuss an issue as “members of

a group” Bryman, (2004:346). In the focus group, attention is put on how the

participants interact with each other than with the interviewer and it is from the

interaction of the participants that data emerge, Cohen, Manion & Morrison, (2000). In
this study, focus groups will be done for the 10 scavengers at controlled dumpsite at

Brgy. New Malitbog, Panabo City. This will be intended to complement the qualitative

data that was collected through focus groups interview method.

Locale of the Study

The study will be conducted at Waste Disposal Controlled Dumpsite at Purok 3,

Brgy. New Malitbog, located at west part of Panabo City, Davao del Norte, Philippines.

New Malitbog, is a Rural Barangay Category with the legal basis of Republic Act 3590

and it was created on January 9, 1970 with 851 hectares of land area and 7 Puroks.

The total population is 3694 people and 812 households.

The Waste Disposal Area, Figure 1, has development Plan of 40,000 sq.m.

which is sub-divide into disposal area -1 and disposal area- 2, upon closure and

rehabilitation per compliance to Republic Act 9003. The private sectors had taken the

lead in material recovery initiative in the City. Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)

and cooperatives undertake material recovery activities right in the dumpsite area. The

recyclable wastes have become the main source of livelihood of the scavengers.
Figure 1
 Key informant Interviews are qualitative in-depth interviews with people who

know what is going on in the community. It is commonly practiced tool for gathering data

in social science. It is used widely because of its strength and yields much information.

As a research method, interview offers diverse details and insights that do not appear in

quantitative materials (May, 2001; Robson, 2011). It enables a researcher to grasp

fruitful data such as personal opinions or the personal experiences of the interviewees.

Focus groups are basically group interviews (Bryman, 2004; Leedy and Ormrod, 2005).

However, focus groups can be differentiated from group interviews. According to

Bryman (2004), while focus groups concentrate on a particular theme, group interviews

may take on a wider span, and that group interviews are done for purposes of saving

time by interviewing a number of people simultaneously. He continues to note that the

purpose of focus groups is to understand how people discuss an issue as “members of

a group” (Bryman, 2004:346). In the focus group, attention is put on how the

participants interact with each other than with the interviewer and it is from the

interaction of the participants that data emerge (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000). In

this study, focus groups were done for the category of scavengers at controlled

dumpsite of Panabo City. This was intended to complement the qualitative data that

was collected through semi-structured interview method.

Once the qualitative data will be collect, a rigorous analysis will be undertaken.

Qualitative data, including taped and written data will be compiled and transcribe. All

additional notes, comments will be including in the data collection.

Research Instrument

The primary instrument to draw the data of this study will be interview guide

questionnaire, for the seven (7) implementers, for the practices and legislation of policy,

which made use for management of waste disposal at controlled dumpsite of Panabo

City. It will be supplemented by actual interview. Then, focus group discussion for 10
scavengers. The interview help to establish the truth of the responses, hence validity

for the research result.

Data Collection Procedures

Permission for the conduct of the study from the concerned authorities will be

sought by the researcher. Once all prerequisites will be compiled, distribution and

retrieval of questionnaire were done personally with the help of the enforcers from City

Environment Office.

Numbers of key informants/implementers will be interview in order to identify the

management and policies of waste disposal at controlled dumpsite of Panabo City. The

topics and issues to be covered in the interviews will be specified for the outline of this

study. The Focus Group interviews will be conducted from the field survey on the 10

scavengers at controlled dumpsite at Brgy. New Malitbog, Panabo City. This study uses

questionnaires for the interviews with the respondents to obtain information. It will carry

out in the month of July to August, 2018.

Data Analysis Procedure

Once the qualitative data will be collected, a rigorous analysis will be undertaken.

Qualitative data, including taped and written data, will be compiled and transcribe. All

additional notes, comments about body language or expressions will be included in the

data collection.

All the tapes will be listen various times in order to capture all the details that

encompass the focus groups and key informants interviews. Most of the data will be

translate for the information.

The process use for the analysis of qualitative data was content analysis.

Content analysis refers to the procedure that condenses the information collected and

makes it systematically comparable by a coding scheme, Berg, (1998). Therefore, all

the translate data will read various times over, and an open coding procedure will be
use. Berg (1998,pp.240) explains that open coding means reading “the document line

by line and word by word to determine the concepts and categories that fit the data” As

a consequences various issues related to determinant factors were identified in the

data. According to Berg (1998) the theme is a more useful unit to analyse data.

On the other hand, focus groups will be edited every break of day to get the clear

transcription of the interviewees’ accounts. The notes will be then typed on the

computer, where after, emerging themes were identified and classification of the

emerging themes done. The classification was continuously edited in light of the

emerging data from interviews, so that the most relevant themes could be constructed.

When the final classification of the themes had been constructed, discussion of the

findings will be done and the data from documents will be review.
QUESTIONNAIRE FOR KEY INFORMANTS INTERVIEW

A. GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Age:

2. Gender:

3. Education:

4. Occupation:

B. GARBAGE RELATED QUESTION

1. What is the Solid Waste Management Program to increase public awareness?

2. What are the best practices on garbage collection in Panabo City?

3. Who should be responsible of the garbage in the community? The community itself

or the municipality?

4. What are the best practices of Panabo City to improve segregation of wastes

collection system?

5. What are the strategies applied to establish efficient and update garbage collection?

6. What are the technologies/skills to maximize recovery & diversion of recyclable

materials?

7. How did you strengthen & intensify enforcement in Solid Waste Management at

Panabo City?

8. Is there a legal basis to enforce the violation?

9. Do you think there is a garbage problem in Panabo City? Why? Explain.

10. How did you establish an integrated waste management facility in accordance with

RA 9003?

11. What are the policy and regulation impose on management of waste at controlled

dumpsite of Panabo City?

12. What are the best practices in managing waste disposal in Panabo City?

13. What predicament has been encountered in managing the waste disposal at

controlled dumpsite?
14. What are rules and regulation implemented by the Local Government Unit of

Panabo City to manage the scavenger’s at controlled dumpsite of Panabo City?

15. What strategies have been deployed in overcoming the challenges encountered?

Focus Group Guiding Questions:

ISSUES FOR DISCUSSION IN FOCUS GROUPS

Respondents’ Personal Information

Age: Sex M F Working Site

Work type:

Education: Normal Wage/Salary

Extra Income: Residual Site:

1. What was your previous occupation?

2. If not the same occupation, why did you change your occupation?

3. Since, when did you start this job?

4. How do you interred in this job? If someone wants to wants to work in this field,

how he/she can inter? (Process to interring in scavenging)

5. How long do you work each day, and in a week?

6. How is your economic condition now comparing to the past?

7. If you could not go to work, how do you manage your household expenses?

8. What type of materials and how much do you collect each day?

9. Who decides the price of good that you collect each day?

10. Do you know the price different between yours and wholesale buyers’ selling

price? If yes, how much differences are there in per kg of specific goods?

11. Do you think you are getting fair price of your collected goods?

Yes/No, describe how?

12. Do you get any other facilities from wholesale buyers, recycle companies,

municipality or from any other organization?

13. Where is the waste got from (what kind of places?)

14. How is the solid waste packaged, what is done about it before collection (how

much volume)

15. Where is the waste taken (is it disposed of at acceptable places?) How is the

solid waste treated at the waste disposal at controlled dumpsite?

16. What do you do to be safety in work? (Safety measures…)

17. Give your suggestion to make healthy working environment in your field of work?

18. Are you suffered from following infection?

Tetanus: Hepatitis A: Typhoid: Fatigue: Other:

19. Did you take following Vaccine?

Tetanus: Hepatitis A: Typhoid: Rabbis:

20. What support did the City Government of Panabo do in terms of medical?

21. What has been the role of the scavengers at waste disposal at controlled

dumpsite of Panabo City?

22. What more should be done by the City Government of Panabo, to alleviate the

income of the scavengers?

23. What are the policy/programs of Panabo City, employ in controlled dumpsite?

24. What are the problems did you encountered since you start scavenging at

controlled dumpsite of Panabo City?