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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Open burning is the act of creating small fires we light in a barrel, or right on the

ground. It is also defined as the burning of a bonfire, vegetation debris fire or other fire in

an outdoor location where fuel burned is not contained in an incinerator, outdoor fireplace,

barbecue grill or barbecue pit. Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9003

(Ecological Solid Waste Management Act 2004) define open burning as thermal

destruction of wastes by means of direct exposure to fire.

In the Philippine Law as stated in Section 48 of Republic Act. 9003 otherwise

known as Solid Waste Management Act and the Clean Air Act of 1999, open burning or

pagsisiga is prohibited in the Philippines. In Section 13, Rule XXV of RA 8749

Implementing Rules and Regulations no person shall be allowed to burn any materials in

any quantities which shall cause the emission of toxic and poisonous fumes. Open burning

releases loads of health damaging pollutants that are invisible to the naked eyes, including

particulate matter (PM), dioxins and furans, lead, mercury, and other heavy metals, carbon

dioxide and other greenhouse gases, halogenated carbons and volatile organic compounds.

The law states that burning of leaves and wastes is harmful and illegal. People found to

violate this law will be penalized with imprisonment of one to 15 days and a corresponding

fine of P300 to P1,000.

Open burning of backyard wastes such as dry leaves can lead to other diseases. The

smoke from leaf fires is made up of many tiny particles that can penetrate deep in to our
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lungs and cause the most health damage. Particulate matter (PM) can trigger asthma and

hearth attacks in some people. People living near the area can develop coughing, wheezing,

chest pain, and difficulty of breathing. The symptoms may appear a few days after

exposure. Leaf smoke contains many dangerous chemicals like carbon monoxide and

benzopyrene. Carbon monoxide is an invisible gas that results from incomplete

combustion, and burning leaf piles are ideal for creating carbon monoxide emission. It is

absorbed into the bloodstream through the lungs and combines with the red blood cells.

This reduces the amount of oxygen the red blood cells can absorb and supply to body

tissues. Unborn children, new born infants, smokers, the elderly and persons with heart and

chronic lung disease are more susceptible to carbon monoxide that the general population.

When expose to large amount of smoke, a person can collapse and die in a short span of

time. Patients with asthma, emphysema, lung disease, and heart disease are most

susceptible to the ill effects of leaf smoke. Some reports find an association between smoke

inhalation and cancer of the lungs, nose, and throat.

People burn leaves and wood to dispose of leaves and use wood as fuel for cooking.

Biomass burning is estimated to produce 40 percent of the carbon dioxide, 32 percent of

the carbon monoxide, and 50 percent of the cancer-causing poly-aromatic hydrocarbons.

According to the EPA, hydrocarbons are chemicals that can exist as both gases and solid

particles. Because leaves are often moist and burn without proper air circulation, they often

burn poorly, producing high levels of hydrocarbons. Some of these hydrocarbons, such as

aldehydes and ketones, cause irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. A substantial

portion of the hydrocarbons in leaf smoke consists of poly nuclear aromatic hydrocarbons,

some of which are known carcinogens.

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This study will be conducted to determine the factors affecting the implementation

of open burning among the residents in Barangay Consolacion in Agoo, La Union.

Definition of the Problem

This study specifically aims to answer the following questions:

General Problem

Is there a significant factor affecting the implementation of open burning in barangay

Consolacion, Agoo, La Union?

Specific Problem

1. What are the laws and ordinances implemented by the barangay Consolacion

regarding open burning?

2. What are advantage and disadvantage of open burning among barangays?

3. What are the factors affecting the implementation of open burning among the

residents in barangay Consolacion?

Objectives

The study aims to:

1. Determine the factors that affects the implementation of open burning in

Consolacion, Agoo, La Union.

2. Inform the residents the possible effects of open burning along with its

advantages and disadvantages.

3. Determine the most abundant or common wastes that are burnt in barangay

Consolacion, Agoo, La Union.

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Theoretical Framework

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

General Provisions

Section 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the "Ecological Solid Waste

Management Act of 2000."

Section 2. Declaration of Policies - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to adopt a

systematic, comprehensive and ecological solid waste management program which shall:

(a) Ensure the protection of the public health and environment;

(b) Utilize environmentally-sound methods that maximize the utilization of valuable

resources and encourage resource conservation and recovery;

(c) Set guidelines and targets for solid waste avoidance and volume reduction through

source reduction and waste minimization measures, including composting, recycling, re-

use, recovery, green charcoal process, and others, before collection, treatment and disposal

in appropriate and environmentally sound solid waste management facilities in accordance

with ecologically sustainable development principles;

(d) Ensure the proper segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment and disposal of

solid waste through the formulation and adoption of the best environmental practice in

ecological waste management excluding incineration;

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(e) Promote national research and development programs for improved solid waste

management and resource conservation techniques, more effective institutional

arrangement and indigenous and improved methods of waste reduction, collection,

separation and recovery;

(f) Encourage greater private sector participation in solid waste management;

(g) Retain primary enforcement and responsibility of solid waste management with local

government units while establishing a cooperative effort among the national government,

other local government units, non- government organizations, and the private sector;

(h) Encourage cooperation and self-regulation among waste generators through the

application of market-based instruments;

(i) Institutionalize public participation in the development and implementation of national

and local integrated, comprehensive, and ecological waste management programs; and

(j) Strength the integration of ecological solid waste management and resource

conservation and recovery topics into the academic curricula of formal and non-formal

education in order to promote environmental awareness and action among the citizenry.
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Conceptual Framework

Input Process Output

Profile of Respondents
- Age
- Sex - through Factors affecting the
- Educational questionnaires and implementation of
Attainment interviews open burning in
Barangay Consolacion
- Occupation - through observations
Agoo La Union
- Years of residency
- Knowledge of open
burning

Figure 1
Paradigm of the Study

The paradigm of the study shown as in the diagram indicates the input, the profile

of the respondents as to age, sex, educational attainment, occupation, years of residency

in the barangay and knowledge about open burning. The process shows that the research

will be conducted with the use of questionnaires, also the respondents will be interviewed

and residential site will be observed. The output or result of these processes will

determine the factors that affects the implementation of open burning among the residents

of barangay Consolacion, Agoo, La Union.

Significance of the Study

Due to the production of waste each day, many residents in the Philippines are

conducting open burning or pagsisiga. Different wastes are being burned to lessen the

garbage of the residents in their backyards. The Department of Environment and Natural
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Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) is open to new

environment-friendly waste disposal technologies that can be alternatives to open burning

which is experts cited as source of emissions driving climate change, polluting the air and

jeopardizing peoples health.

The study will benefit the following:

Health and Environment. It will lessen the emission of health-damaging pollutants

that are invisible to the naked eyes, including particulate matter (PM), dioxins and furans,

lead, mercury, and other heavy metals, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases,

halogenated carbons, and volatile organic compounds.

To the residents. The study will contribute knowledge in search for the effects of

open burning in human health and environment, and also in search for the alternatives to

open burning that will help to stop the implementation of open burning.

To students and future researchers. This study will contribute knowledge in search

for the factors that affects the implementation of open burning among the residents of

barangay Consolacion, Agoo, La Union and also the alternatives that they can do to prevent

the residents from conducting open burning.

Scope and Limitations

The focus of the study is to determine the factors that affects the implementation of

open burning despite of the laws and penalties that is already implemented. It will be held

in Barangay Consolacion Agoo La Union where there is still an occurrence of open

burning.
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This study will also try to find alternatives to open burning to stop this continuous

problem of the barangay. However, the study will not cover the current health status of the

residents of the barangay despite its focus to determine the possible effect of open burning.

Definition of Terms

Open burning the burning of unwanted household materials or yard wastes where

smoke and other emissions are released directly to the air.

Combustion - a chemical process in which fuel reacts with an oxidant to produce heat.

Particulate matter - is the sum of all solid and liquid particles suspended in air many

of which are hazardous.

Dioxins - is a general term that describes a group of hundreds of chemicals that are

highly persistent in the environment.

Furan - a heterocyclic organic compound, consisting of a five-membered aromatic ring

with four carbon atoms and one oxygen.

Lead - is a chemical element with atomic number 82 and symbol Pb. It is a soft,

malleable, and heavy metal.

Mercury - is a chemical element with symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is

commonly known as quicksilver and was formerly named hydrargyrum.

Carbon Dioxide - a colorless and odorless gas that is vital to life on Earth. This

naturally occurring chemical compound is made up of a carbon atom covalently double

bonded to two oxygen atoms.

Carbon Monoxide - is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly less dense

than air.
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Halogenated Carbons - are chemicals in which one or more carbon atoms are linked

by covalent bonds with one or more halogen atoms (fluorine, chlorine, bromine or

iodine group 17) resulting in the formation of organofluorine compounds,

organochlorine compounds, organobromine compounds, and organoiodine

compounds.

Volatile Organic Compounds - sometimes referred to as VOCs, are organic

compounds that easily become vapors or gases. Along with carbon, they contain

elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, sulfur or nitrogen