Environmental Sanitation involves activities aimed at improving or
maintaining the standard of basic environmental conditions which include
efficient; safe animal, human & industrial waste disposal and adequate
housing in clean and safe surroundings. In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Sustainable Developmental Goal (SDG) 6 aims to provide access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all while SDG 12 aims to reduce waste generation through reduction, recycling and reusing as one of their targets respectively.
Solid waste
management is one of the basic essential services provided by the government to
keep the community clean. However, among the remote provinces, the service is
not much of a concern which has led to unsanitary living conditions impacting
the general welfare of the people.
The Municipality
of Sergio Osmeña, Zamboanga Del Norte Province is one of several places which
has no proper sanitary landfills for its municipal wastes. Its dumpsite is
located in Barangay Venus where different types of unsegregated wastes are
thrown, and collection of garbages had no schedule. The Municipal Environment
and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) with the local council, which are tasked
to manage the solid management in the barangay and the municipality as a whole,
have been implementing their projects but with no urgency.
The
ADZU-SOM students envisioned a community who cooperates and participates
actively in maintaining an effective and sustainable environmental sanitation
programs on solid waste management. Initially, the group conducted a 3 – day Waste Analysis and Characterization Study
(WACS), followed by a community assembly to discuss the problem on solid waste
management and schemes of solution to address it. The results of the WACS was
discussed with the Barangay council and key personnel of the community like the
MENRO, Municipal Sanitary Inspector, Purok leaders, and local organizations. A Barangay Solid Waste Management Committee
(BSWMC) was organized before the implementation for easy mobilization of
activities. Seven (7) functional Materials
Recovery Facilities (MRFs) were constructed as the main projects of the
team. Four (4) corn-shaped Bottle
Recovery Facilities were also constructed as a novel infrastructure in the
barangay. Series of health education on proper waste segregation and pit composting
were done through lectures, audiovisual presentations and distribution of
pamphlets and booklets. Recycling activities were also conducted primarily
among students of Venus Elementary School (VES) and through the Christmas tree
–making contest during the Disco sa Pasko
in the barangay.
For the programs
to become sustainable, the team coordinated with the Local Government Unit
(LGU) and DOST – Dipolog for the procurement of a plastic shredder, densifier
and a bioreactor for the ecological sanitation park also located at the
barangay. The Municipality of Sergio Osmena is the first among the
municipalities under the first district to procure the said items. As an
initiative to address biodegradable wastes, the residents were also mobilized
to construct clusters of compost pits.
Formulation of a
garbage collection scheme and coordination with a local junkshop was initiated.
This is to address the disposal of PET bottles from the Bottle Recovery
Facilities located in each purok
centers of the barangay. Social contracts between twenty-three (23) storeowners
and local junkshop collector was done for the disposal of recyclable items. Informative
signages were installed on different strategic areas with posters on each sari-sari stores and laminated stickers
on each household to signify those who practice proper waste segregation. Finally,
strengthening of an existing barangay ordinance on waste disposal and an
additional barangay ordinance on the use of eco bags during market days play a
huge part in sustaining the programs in solid waste management.
