Air is a precious resource that most of us take for granted.

Air supplies us with oxygen, which is

essential for our bodies to live. Without it, we would die within minutes

air quality

The term
means the state of the air around us. Good air quality refers to
clean, clear, unpolluted air. Clean air is essential to maintaining the delicate balance of life on this
planet not just for humans, but wildlife, vegetation, water and soil.

Ambient Air Quality

Ambient air quality refers to the quality of outdoor air in our surrounding environment. It is typically
measured near ground level, away from direct sources of pollution.

Indoor Quality
Air pollution isn't only an outdoor problem. The air in enclosed spaces, such as home, schools or
workplaces, can also be polluted, from pollutants that have seeped in from the outdoors and pollutants
emitted from indoor sources.

Republic Act No. 8749

June 23, 1999
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL POLICY
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Solid waste means any garbage, refuse, sludge from a wastewater treatment plant,
water supply treatment plant, or air pollution control facility and other discarded
materials includingsolid, liquid, semi-solid, or contained gaseous material, resulting
from industrial, commercial, mining and agricultural operations,
Types of solid waste
Solid waste can be classified into different types depending on their source:
a) Household waste is generally classified as municipal waste,
b) Industrial waste as hazardous waste, and
c) Biomedical waste or hospital waste as infectious waste
Garbage: the four broad categories
Organic waste: kitchen waste, vegetables, flowers, leaves, fruits.
Toxic waste: old medicines, paints, chemicals, bulbs, spray cans, fertilizer and pesticide
containers, batteries, shoe polish.
Recyclable: paper, glass, metals, plastics.
Soiled: hospital waste such as cloth soiled with blood and other body fluids.
REPUBLIC ACT 9003 January 26, 2001
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR AN ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, CREATING
THE NECESSARY INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS AND INCENTIVES, DECLARING CERTAIN ACTS

PROHIBITED AND PROVIDING PENALTIES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
Methods of disposal 3 - Recycling 1 - Landfill 2 Incineration
Landfill - The disposal of refuse and other waste material by burying it and covering it over with soil.
Sanitary Landfills
Incineration Incineration is a disposal method in which solid organic wastes are subjected to combustion so as to convert them into residue and
gaseous products. This method is useful for disposal of residue of both solid waste management and solid residue from waste water management.

Recycling is a resource recovery practice that refers to the collection and reuse of waste materials
such as empty beverage containers. The materials from which the items are made can be
reprocessed into new products.
1. In that orderRECYCLE! REUSE! REDUCE! How can we shrink the waste stream
so we dont have to rely on disposal methods?
2. 16. REDUCE Buy foods with less packaging Bring your own bags for carrying groceries- no
paper OR plastic Bring your own bottles/cups Look for products that use fewer toxins If
choosing between glass, metal or plastic- choose glass or metal Preferred Hierarchy: No
packaging Minimal packaging Reusable packaging Recyclable packaging Compost your yard
waste & kitchen scraps If using plastic use photodegradable or biodegradable plastic Cons:
Dont go away completely May add toxins to soil Never decompose in sanitary landfill People
may think littering is OK
3. 17. Preferred over recycling because material doesnt have to be reprocessed Donate
clothing/toys to charities that will sell them for money Some areas provide money to return
bottles for refilling Salvage parts (doors, stained glass) from old buildings Auto parts
sold thru junkyards- demanufacturing Reuse/resell things that are still good REUSE
4. 18. Cut waste volumes Makes one think about waste they produce Reduces pollution
Producing aluminum from scrap instead of bauxite ore cuts energy need by 95%
Lowers demand for raw resources- less deforestation, mining Saves water, energy, raw
materials, land space Benefits: Plastic recycling is down 50% b/c so many people
consume these bottles on the go. Plastic recyclables can be contaminated by one PVC
bottle in a truckload Problems: Recycle tires into rubberized road surfacing Recycle
glass into other glass products Reprocessing of discarded materials into new, useful
products. RECYCLE & Reduces litter problemsreduce pressure on landfills
5. 19. Reusing items decreases the use of matter and energy resources and reduces pollution
and natural capital degradation; recycling does so to a lesser degree.Why Is Reusing and
Recycling Materials So Important?

3.2.3 Secondary treatment

The objective of secondary treatment is the further treatment of the effluent from primary
treatment to remove the residual organics and suspended solids. In most cases, secondary
treatment follows primary treatment and involves the removal of biodegradable dissolved and
colloidal organic matter using aerobic biological treatment processes. Aerobic biological
treatment (see Box) is performed in the presence of oxygen by aerobic microorganisms
(principally bacteria) that metabolize the organic matter in the wastewater, thereby producing
more microorganisms and inorganic end-products (principally CO2, NH3, and H2O). Several
aerobic biological processes are used for secondary treatment differing primarily in the manner
in which oxygen is supplied to the microorganisms and in the rate at which organisms
metabolize the organic matter.

he type of litter we generate and the approximate time it takes to

degenerate
Type of litter

Approximate time it takes to

degenerate the litter

Organic waste such as vegetable and

fruit peels, leftover foodstuff, etc.

a week or two.

Paper

1030 days

Cotton cloth

25 months

Wood

1015 years

Woolen items

1 year

Tin, aluminium, and other metal items

such as cans

100500 years

Plastic bags

one million years?

Glass bottles

undetermined