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

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

CHAPTER I
BASIC POLICIES

Article 1
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;

(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.

Article 2
Definition of Terms

Section 3. Definition of Terms - For the purposes of this Act:

(a) Agricultural waste shall refer to waste generated from planting or harvesting of crops,
trimming or pruning of plants and wastes or run-off materials from farms or fields;

(b) Bulky wastes shall refer to waste materials which cannot be appropriately placed in
separate containers because of either its bulky size, shape or other physical attributes.
These include large worn-out or broken household, commercial, and industrial items such as
furniture, lamps, bookcases, filing cabinets, and other similar items;

(c) Bureau shall refer to the Environmental Management Bureau;

(d) Buy-back center shall refer to a recycling center that purchases of otherwise accepts
recyclable materials from the public for the purpose of recycling such materials;

(e) Collection shall refer to the act of removing solid waste from the source or from a
communal storage point;

(f) Composting shall refer to the controlled decomposition of organic matter by micro-
organisms, mainly bacteria and fungi, into a humus-like product;

(g) Consumer electronics shall refer to special waste that includes worn-out, broken, and
other discarded items such as radios, stereos, and TV sets;

(h) Controlled dump shall refer to a disposal site at which solid waste is deposited in
accordance with the minimum prescribed standards of site operation;

(i) Department shall refer to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources;

(j) Disposal shall refer to the discharge, deposit, dumping, spilling, leaking or placing of any
solid waste into or in an land;

(k) Disposal site shall refer to a site where solid waste is finally discharged and deposited;

(l) Ecological solid waste management shall refer to the systematic administration of
activities which provide for segregation at source, segregated transportation, storage,
transfer, processing, treatment, and disposal of solid waste and all other waste management
activities which do not harm the environment;

(m) Environmentally acceptable shall refer to the quality of being re-usable, biodegradable or
compostable, recyclable and not toxic or hazardous to the environment;

(n) Generation shall refer to the act or process of producing solid waste;

(o) Generator shall refer to a person, natural or juridical, who last uses a material and makes
it available for disposal or recycling;

(p) Hazardous waste shall refer to solid waste management or combination of solid waste
which because of its quantity, concentration or physical, chemical or infectious
characteristics may:

(1) cause, or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in

serious irreversible, or incapacitating reversible, illness; or

(2) pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the

environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, or disposed of, or
otherwise managed;

(q) Leachate shall refer to the liquid produced when waste undergo decomposition, and
when water percolate through solid waste undergoing decomposition. It is contaminated
liquid that contains dissolved and suspended materials;

(r) Materials recovery facility - includes a solid waste transfer station or sorting station, drop-
off center, a composting facility, and a recycling facility;
(s) Municipal waste shall refer to wastes produced from activities within local government
units which include a combination of domestic, commercial, institutional and industrial wastes
and street litters;

(t) Open dump shall refer to a disposal area wherein the solid wastes are indiscriminately
thrown or disposed of without due planning and consideration for environmental and Health
standards;

(u) Opportunity to recycle shall refer to the act of providing a place for collecting source-
separated recyclable material, located either at a disposal site or at another location more
convenient to the population being served, and collection at least once a month of source-
separated recyclable material from collection service customers and to providing a public
education and promotion program that gives notice to each person of the opportunity to
recycle and encourage source separation of recyclable material;

(v) Person(s) shall refer to any being, natural or judicial, susceptible of rights and obligations,
or of being the subject of legal relations;

(w) Post-consumer material shall refer only to those materials or products generated by a
business or consumer which have served their intended end use, and which have been
separated or diverted from solid waste for the purpose of being collected, processed and
used as a raw material in the manufacturing of recycled product, excluding materials and by-
products generated from, and by-products generated from, and commonly used within an
original manufacturing process, such as mill scrap;

(x) Receptacles shall refer to individual containers used for the source separation and the
collection of recyclable materials;

(y) Recovered material shall refer to material and by products that have been recovered or
diverted from solid waste for the purpose of being collected, processed and used as a raw
material in the manufacture of a recycled product;

(z) Recyclable material shall refer to any waste material retrieved from the waste stream and
free from contamination that can still be converted into suitable beneficial use or for other
purposes, including, but not limited to, newspaper, ferrous scrap metal, non-ferrous scrap
metal, used oil, corrugated cardboard, aluminum, glass, office paper, tin cans and other
materials as may be determined by the Commission;

(aa) Recycled material shall refer to post-consumer material that has been recycled and
returned to the economy;

(bb) Recycling shall refer to the treating of used or waste materials through a process of
making them suitable for beneficial use and for other purposes, and includes any process by
which solid waste materials are transformed into new products in such a manner that the
original product may lose their identity, and which maybe used as raw materials for the
production of other goods or services: Provided, That the collection, segregation and re-use
of previously used packaging material shall be deemed recycling under this Act;

(cc) Resource conversation shall refer to the reduction of the amount of solid waste that are
generated or the reduction of overall resource consumption, and utilization of recovered
resources;

(dd) Resources recovery shall refer to the collection, extraction or recovery of recyclable
materials from the waste stream for the purpose of recycling, generating energy or producing
a product suitable for beneficial use: Provided, That such resource recovery facilities exclude
incineration;

(ee) Re-use shall refer to the process of recovering materials intended for the same or
different purpose without the alteration of physical and chemical characteristics;

(ff) Sanitary landfill shall refer to a waste disposal site designed, constructed, operated and
maintained in a manner that exerts engineering control over significant potential environment
impacts arising from the development and operation of the facility;
 (gg) Schedule of Compliance shall refer to an enforceable sequence of actions or operations
to be accomplished within a stipulated time frame leading to compliance with a limitation,
prohibition or standard set forth in this Act or any rule of regulation issued pursuant thereto;

(hh) Secretary landfill shall refer to the Secretary of the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources;

(ii) Segregation shall refer to a solid waste management practice of separating different
materials found in solid waste in order to promote recycling and re-use of resources and to
reduce the volume of waste for collection and disposal;

(jj) Segregation at source shall refer to a solid waste management practice of separating, at
the point of origin, different materials found in solid waste in order to promote recycling and
re-use of resources and to reduce the volume of waste for collection and disposal;

(kk) Solid waste shall refer to all discarded household, commercial waste, non-hazardous
institutional and industrial waste, street sweepings, construction debris, agricultural waste,
and other non-hazardous/non-toxic solid waste.

Unless specifically noted otherwise, the term "solid waste" as used in this Act shall not
include:

(1) Waste identified or listed as hazardous waste of a solid, liquid, contained gaseous
or semisolid form which may cause or contribute to an increase in mortality or in
serious or incapacitating reversible illness, or acute/chronic effect on the health of
persons and other organisms;

(2) Infectious waste from hospitals such as equipment, instruments, utensils, and
fomites of a disposable nature from patients who are suspected to have or have
been diagnosed as having communicable diseases and must therefore be isolated
as required by public health agencies, laboratory wastes such as pathological
specimens (i.e. all tissues, specimens of blood elements, excreta, and secretions
obtained from patients or laboratory animals) and disposable fomites that may harbor
or transmit pathogenic organisms, and surgical operating room pathologic materials
from outpatient areas and emergency rooms; and

(3) Waste resulting from mining activities, including contaminated soil and debris.

(ll) Solid waste management shall refer to the discipline associated with the control of
generation, storage, collection, transfer and transport, processing, and disposal of solid
wastes in a manner that is in accord with the best principles of public health, economics,
engineering, conservation, aesthetics, and other environmental considerations, and that is
also responsive to public attitudes;

(mm) Solid waste managemen

There are many places in the country where the

Ecological Solid Waste Management Law (EWSM) Law
(RA 9003) is not being followed by LGUs
nationwide. The Law was authored by Senator Loren
Legarda. As the Senator said: “For 15 years now, we
have the Ecological Social Waste Management Law,
RA 9003”… “The measure aims to create a clean and
healthy environment using system of solid waste
management that starts with segregation of garbage
at its source, segregated transportation, processing,
treatment and proper disposal of solid waste. I
emphasize on recycling so that less garbage is
actually brought to the sanitary landfill and those
brought to the final disposal site are effectively
maintained,” said Legarda.
There are many places in the country where the
Ecological Solid Waste Management Law (EWSM) Law
(RA 9003) is not being followed by LGUs
nationwide. The Law was authored by Senator Loren
Legarda. As the Senator said: “For 15 years now, we
have the Ecological Social Waste Management Law,
RA 9003”… “The measure aims to create a clean and
healthy environment using system of solid waste
management that starts with segregation of garbage
at its source, segregated transportation, processing,
treatment and proper disposal of solid waste. I
emphasize on recycling so that less garbage is
actually brought to the sanitary landfill and those
brought to the final disposal site are effectively
maintained,” said Legarda.
Climate change is the current rapid warming of the Earth's climate caused by human activity. If
left unchecked (and current responses are doing little to halt it) it poses an unprecedented threat
to human civilisation and the ecosystems on this planet.

What does it mean to say the climate is changing?

First, 'climate' is very different from 'weather'. Weather changes by the hour and, especially in
the UK, naturally varies widely between years. We know the climate is changing because,
averaged out over longer periods, the global mean temperature has been consistently rising,
across land and sea. It is now about 0.8C above pre-industrial times.

The below graph shows global temperatures from 1860 to 2015. The data used came from the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For more information, click here.
The world has been experiencing changes in climates, affecting millions of lives. Already, there
has been the bleaching of coral reefs, the sea ice volume in the Arctic has been reaching new
lows, an increase in the number of natural disasters worldwide (such as wildifres, droughts,
floods) and the mass migration of species. For more information, you can read more about the
current effects of climate change here.
What is the greenhouse effect?
Certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere (water vapour, CO2, methane and others) allow
sunlight to pass through, but then stop the heat from escaping back out into space - much like
glass in a greenhouse. Without this, our planet would be uninhabitable to most forms of life.
However, by changing the balance of gases in the atmosphere, humans have increased the
greenhouse effect, causing the rising temperatures we now see.

Where do greenhouse gases come from?

As explained above, these gases exist naturally in our atmosphere. The most significant
increases are in carbon dioxide (there is now over a third more CO2 in our atmosphere than
there was before the industrial revolution) and methane. Methane is a more potent greenhouse
gas, but it only remains in the atmosphere for about a decade. Carbon dioxide lasts for about
100 years or more, so even if we stopped emissions from human activities altogether, the planet
would continue to warm up from the gases already emitted. The main causes of increased CO2
in the atmosphere are burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas), and deforestation and other
changes in land use that release stored CO2 and methane.

Climate change brings about a range of effects, many of them related to global warming. Most
of these effects are negative and have devastating environmental, economic and social
consequences.

There is controversy over how fast the earth is warming up. Some scientists estimate that
atmospheric temperatures could rise by 1.4° - 5.8°C in the next 100 years. Others believe that
they will rise more slowly. Globally, scientists believe temperatures have already risen by 0.8°C
, even more in sensitive polar regions.

Whatever the causes and timescale, the effects of global warming are very serious.

The planet is warming, from North Pole to South Pole, and everywhere in between.

The heat is not only melting glaciers and sea ice, it’s also shifting precipitation patterns and
setting animals on the move.

There are many documented effects of climate change, at local and global levels. These can be
broadly grouped into environmental, economic and social effects.
1.
2. Global warming on this scale would lead to many negative effects at a global and
local level.

3. Ice is melting worldwide, especially at the Earth’s poles. This includes mountain
glaciers, ice sheets covering west Antarctica and Greenland, and Arctic sea ice.

4. Sea levels may rise by as much as between 18 and 59 centimeters by the end of
the century and continued melting at the poles could add between 10 to 20
centimeters to already rising waters.

5. An increase in sea temperatures causes the water to expand, compounding the

problem of flooding.

6. This means coastal land is at risk, especially land on deltas.

7. Low-lying land is threatened, therefore the lives of 80 million people across the
globe will be threatened, including the Shetland Islands in Scotland, Bangladesh
and Japan

8. Sea defences will be under more stress.

Extreme weather conditions

A flooded view of a Welsh village

Hurricanes and other storms are likely to become stronger and more frequent as global warming
takes effect.

Precipitation (rain and snowfall) has increased across the globe on average and may continue to
rise.

Climate change can increase the frequency of heat waves, floods and drought conditions around
the world. Europe and the UK would likely experience hotter summers.

On 5 December 2013, England's east coast experienced the worst tidal surge in 60 years. This
followed a night of storms in Scotland. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency issued
more than a dozen flood warnings.

The Environment Agency confirmed the North Sea tidal surge was the worst since January 1953.
This extreme weather could be the result of climate change.

Floods and droughts will become more common. Rainfall in Ethiopia where droughts are already
common, could decline by 10 per cent over the next 50 years. This could lead to increased
desertification.

Altered habitats
Climate change also affects animals and plants as the world experiences further changes in
rainfall and temperature.
Forecasts show that 30 per cent of land-based bird species could become extinct if temperatures
continue to rise. Climate change will also have a negative impact on plants, insect species and on
parts of the world's rainforests.

Some butterflies, foxes, and alpine plants have migrated to colder climates or to higher, cooler
areas.

Spruce bark beetles have boomed in Alaska thanks to 20 years of warm summers. The insects
have chewed up 4 million acres of spruce trees.

Researchers have tracked the decline of the Adélie penguins in Antarctica, where their numbers
have fallen from 32,000 breeding pairs to 11,000 in 30 years.

Species that depend on one another may become out of sync. For example, plants could bloom
earlier than their pollinating insects become active.

Ecosystems will change, for example some species will move farther north or become more
successful; others won’t be able to move and could become extinct.

Wildlife researchers have found that since the mid-1980s, with less ice on which to live and less
fish for food, polar bears have become considerably skinnier. They fear that if sea ice disappears,
polar bears could become extinct in the wild.

Economic effects of climate change

Climate change is also likely to affect global water availability in the future.

Hotter temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns will have an impact on global water
supplies. This will have an effect on global food production as there may be less water available
for agricultural purposes.

This scenario is already being played out in water stressed parts of the world like Africa and
Asia.

Crop yields are expected to decrease for all major world crops.

Agricultural land on the edge of deserts may becomes useless, through the process of
desertification.

Crops could be wiped out in low-lying areas, suffering from flooding. With less crops available
on the world market, prices are likely to increase.

There will also be a need for an additional use of energy resources for cooling needs.

Insurance costs may increase as insurers pay out more claims resulting from increasingly large or
common disasters.

Tourism problems are set to increase. There will be less snow in some mountain resorts.
Economies that rely on skiing as a form of income may suffer as the skiing season is reduced or
disappears through lack of snow.

More heat in other areas, such as the Mediterranean could result in desertification and increased
pressure on water supplies. This may put off some tourists from visiting and lead to increased
costs.
Social effects of climate change
People will migrate from areas suffering drought. Any that remain will be in danger of dying
from starvation and lack of water.

17 million people in Bangladesh alone will be threatened by flooding. As the world population
increases, more people will be living in cities located on the coast. More people will be affected
by coastal flooding as a result.

Increased emigration of those from poorer or low-lying countries to wealthier or safer countries
seeking better conditions.

Communities that use the melt water from glaciers may see this supply decrease. This is
especially the case in Asia.

Less fresh water will be available. If the Quelccaya Ice Cap in Peru continues to melt at its
current rate, it will be gone by 2100, leaving thousands of people who rely on it for drinking
water and electricity without a source of either.

Health
Climate change also has impacts on health. For example, increased flooding events may cause
water borne infectious diseases to spread, such as malaria carried by mosquitoes.

A rise in heat waves can cause deaths among the old and very young. The heat wave in 2003 is
estimated to have caused over 2,000 extra deaths in England and Wales and 35,000 deaths in
other parts of Europe like Italy, Spain and France. reseach by the London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine found that between 540 and 760 deaths could be attributed to the hot spell in
2013 in England and Wales.

Advantages of global warming

Although there are many negative effects of climate change, there are some advantages too.

The Arctic, Antarctic, Siberia and other frozen regions of the Earth may experience more plant
growth and milder climates.

The next ice age may be prevented from occurring. Many scientists believe that the planet is due
to enter the next ice age and enhanced global warming will prevent this.

The Northwest Passage through Canada's formerly icy north will be opened up to sea
transportation. This will make trade easier and cheaper.

There is likely to be fewer deaths or injuries due to cold weather, meaning populations may
grow.

Longer growing seasons could mean increased agricultural production in some local areas. This
is a benefit to places such as the UK as more crops could be grown, with the possibility of double
cropping.

Summary of effects
Impact on Effect Negative consequence Positive consequence

More money needed to

Malaria and cholera
fight disease, strain on
Health increase, due to No positive outcome
medical services, rise in
temperature increase
death rate

Spread of pests and Canadian Prairies could become

Shifting flora and fauna to
disease, alteration in crop major wheat growing belt. Areas
Vegetation different areas. Extinction
yields, may increase food able to grow different crops, for
of some species
shortages example, citrus fruits in the UK

More extreme climates in

inland locations. More
Weather Unknown at present Unknown at present
frequent and devastating
hurricanes

Sea temperatures increase, Changes in size of fish

Increase in fish stocks in certain
Ocean sea levels rise, shift in stocks and their location
areas
ocean currents will impact the fish industry

Reduced snow cover in Extended summer season in

Landscape some areas. Glaciers melt in Rise in sea levels some landscapes due to higher
Antarctica temperatures, increasing revenue

Reduction of wetland areas,

Great pressure on water Increased awareness of water
as precipitation is reduced.
Hydrology supplies. Problems for HEP conservation measures, less
In some places river
schemes and irrigation water wastage
flooding may increase

Reduction of areas suitable Increased population Forced movement of population

for human habitation, for densities increase from densely populated coastal
Population
example, lowland possibility of disease and areas, to less populated interior
Bangladesh malnutrition locations

Better forecasting needed

Location of jet stream may
to warn people of
alter. Depressions may shift More accurate weather
Climate approaching storms.
south, causing them to be forecasting developed
Insurance premiums will
more intense
increase