The mandatory segregation of solid waste at the source targets all the households that reside in each community. This includes every member of the family, even the kids, who are able to do so. It also requires the active participation and involvement of the local government especially in the barangay-level. This practice was introduced already years ago, but the progress of it being adopted in the country is very slow. The effective implementation of this policy will positively impact the urban areas, particularly Metro Manila, that are heavily-populated and generate a great amount of waste compared to those in rural areas. Aside from its contribution to saving the Earth and conserving energy, it also reduces environmental pollution.
I see no disadvantages in the said policy, given that everyone will participate and do their tasks properly. In line with this, our barangay actually encourages proper waste segregation in each household, as well as in the schools and public places where they provide separate garbage bins for different types of wastes. I have personally observed that in our barangay, some households actually practice waste segregation at home and those in schools, but when the garbage truck and the collectors arrive, all wastes are tossed at the back of the truck with no proper segregation at all.
With the community relying heavily on the garbage collection by the government, this action defeats the purpose of the segregation of waste at the source. These mixed wastes will then be dumped at an open garbage site and may pose health risks to residents around the area. Although there are some sanitary landfills available around the country, an open dump site is still the more common disposal method.
Effective waste segregation at the source will lessen the wastes in landfills and increase the recycling rate in the Philippines. This produces a domino effect which will ultimately benefit all living beings in our country. Be that as it may, this policy will not be effective without strict implementation and actual taking of action.
References:
Magalang, A. (2013). Municipal Solid Waste Management in the Philippines. Environmental Science and Engineering, 281–297. doi:10.1007/978-981-4451-73-4_14
Bernardo, E. (2008). Solid-Waste Management Practices of Households in Manila, Philippines. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1140(1), 420–424. doi:10.1196/annals.1454.016