Garbage, garbage everywhere

The issue of increasing levels of garbage is not just a Philippine concern, but a global problem. Every nation is grappling with the question: What do we do with our garbage? Because of recent events, our perennial garbage problem is undergoing new scrutiny. Maybe this time, we will truly address this problem. But, as with many of our social ills, this is an issue compounded by years of neglect. On August 8, 1970 (“Pasig River and the Pollution Problem), we wrote: “Today, the Pasig is more of a sewer than a river . . . All city esteros to the Pasig are dead. In fact, some are not only dead — but buried.”

On December 9, 1969 (“All We Have is Garbage”), we wrote: “The truth is that we have gone backwards. Manila was one of the most sanitary cities in our part of the world. Now, it is one of the filthies . . . Yet, of all government functions, public health is the most important and it gives the greatest economic returns. No nation can be great with an unhealthy citizenry.” With the rising levels of garbage and standing water (as a result of overburdened sewage systems and missing estuaries), our citizenry’s health is in danger. The word of the future may well be epidemic. Diseases such as dengue are already a deadly problem. As we all know, the mosquitoes that spread dengue breed in stagnant water. Dengue used to be primarily a rainy season disease. But, as our seasons now seem to be based on more or less rain, could dengue become a year-wide concern? While dengue is the most common headline disease, we could easily see diseases such as dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever and others become more prevalent and virulent as our garbage problem continues.      

The solution of the past was to divert trash to newly opened landfills. This could be a potential solution if we had an adequate and efficient waste transfer system (organized garbage trucks, boats, trains and so forth). Even, then landfills are really only a short term solution. Eventually, they fill up and we have to move on to a new one. The only way to truly solve the garbage problem is to develop recycling and waste management programs. In this, we should look to other countries that have pioneered green solutions to the garbage problem. One area of energy production that is being carefully evaluated internationally is waste-to-energy; the most popular of which is anaerobic digestion. In this process, biodegradable organic material is broken down by microorganisms, the output from the process (gas) is then used to generate power. The United Nations Development Program notes it is one of the more useful technologies for municipal and small-scale energy supply.

The fact is the majority of trash that is produced in cities is either recyclable or compostable. Beyond the obvious public health and sanitation, flood-control and even beautification benefits, our garbage can be put to use. Through composting our agricultural industries will benefit from a new source of mineral rich soil. This soil can also be used in beautification projects in cities. As mentioned above, there are even technologies that can use garbage to generate power. Recycling programs will offer an alternative to the destruction of our virgin forests (another factor contributing to floods and mudslides). Reusing old lumber for new projects is a major part of recycling. We wonder how much old wood that can be easily reused is destroyed through neglect and oversight. Of course, illegally chopping down our forests for lumber is another matter altogether.

There needs to be an intersection between government and private citizens. Our government needs to develop recycling, anti-littering and garbage pickup programs that actually work. A clean country starts with a clean government. Our citizenry then need to take advantage of these services and stop dumping their trash wherever they please. To solve our garbage problem, everyone needs to be involved.