CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Waste problem in the Philippines are worsening for years. Accordingly, about

35,000 tons of municipal solid waste are generated by the Philippines daily, and more

than, 8,600 tons per day in Metro Manila alone. Most of the Municipal waste materials

collected is dumped on open wasteland or low-lying areas even near creeks, forest,

rivers, ponds and other ecological sensitive regions. The National Solid Waste

Management Commission shows that there are 677 open dumpsites, 343 controlled

dumps, and 21 landfills in the country. These shows that improper waste disposal is

occurring massively throughout the country.

Moreover, inappropriate dumping of waste in Batangas province most populated

resulted to a long struggle with solid waste issues ranging from open dumping and

burning of garbage. One of the contributions in this continuing problem are the schools.

They produce waste everyday like file papers, food wrappers and food left over.

Although schools have policies implemented regarding waste management, garbage

are still enormously piling day by day.

Waste disposal is the removing and destroying or storing damaged, used or other

unwanted domestic, agricultural or industrial products and substances. It includes

burning, burial at landfill sites or at sea, and recycling.

This kind of problem is some thing that can be prevented and lessened. Since

students are the main contributor of waste in schools, the researchers aim to know their
awareness regarding proper waste disposal. Through this, different recommendations

can be implemented in order to degrade the cause of improper dumping of waste.

Statement of the Problem

This research aim to know the awareness of junior high school students of Sta.

Teresa College regarding proper waste disposal. Specifically, the questions aim to

answer the following:

1. What is the level of awareness of junior high school students in Sta.

Teresa College regarding proper waste disposal?

2. How does junior high school students of Sta. Teresa College manage their

wastes?

3. What are the advantages of being aware on the proper waste disposal?

4. What are the policies, programs, and projects currently implemented by

the school for proper waste disposal?

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will redound to the benefits of the school administrators,

students, school, researchers, and the future researchers in the following ways:

School administrators. This study would help the school administrators to know

what policies and regulations they will implement when it comes to proper waste

management.

Students. This study would help the students to know the proper ways of

disposing their own wastes.

 School. This study would embolden every members of the school to take the

responsibility of their own wastes.

Researchers. This study would help the currents researchers corroborate their

purpose and objective in this study.

Future researchers. The outcome of this study would help the future researchers

as their basis of their study and additional literature for their future observations.

Scope and Limitation

This study was conducted to determine the awareness of the Junior High School

students of Sta. Teresa College on proper waste disposal. The aspects look into how

the Grade 7 – 10 students manage their wastes.

This study was limited to those Grade 7 – 10 students to help them manage their

waste properly.

The findings of this study were based by the responses from questionnaires that

were answered by 30 students each grade level from the junior high school department

that has a total of 120 students to be an instrument of an experiment and observation to

come up with this result.

This study was delimited on outside school premises and other grade levels. This

study only focuses on Grade 7 – 10 students of Sta. Teresa College.

Definition of Terms

To facilitate understanding of this study, the following terms are defined

conceptually and operationally.

 Awareness. In this study, it refers to having relevant knowledge and

understanding on proper waste disposal.

Waste. In this study, it refers to things that are no longer useful or wanted and

that have been thrown out improperly by the people.

Waste Disposal. In this study, it refers to the way people discard their garbage

and managing waste materials.