WATER POLLUTION

MANILA, Philippines – Plastic bags are the most common type of garbage found in Manila Bay, according to a waste audit conducted by environmental groups on Thursday, July 3, International Plastic Bag-Free Day.

The audit, organized by groups like EcoWaste Coalition, Greenpeace and Mother Earth Foundation, collected 1,594 liters of garbage, 23.2% of which were found to be plastic bags. Plastics in general topped the list. Of the total, 61.9% of the waste were made of plastic. Coming in second place as top pollutants were plastic wrappers which comprised 18.8% of the collected trash.

Nearly 2.2 million metric tons of of organic pollution are produced annually by domestic (48 percent), agricultural (37 percent), and industrial (15 percent) sectors. In the four water-critical regions, water pollution is dominated by domestic and industrial sources. Untreated wastewater affects health by spreading disease-causing bacteria and viruses, makes water unfit for drinking and recreational use, threatens biodiversity, and deteriorates overall quality of life. Known diseases caused by poor water include gastro-enteritis, diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, and more recently, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The number of water-related health outbreaks including deaths reported in newspapers is going up. However, awareness regarding the need for improved sanitation and water pollution control, reflected by the willingness-to-pay and connection to a sewerage system where they are easily available, is very low.

The annual economic losses caused by water pollution are estimated at Php67 Billion (US$1.3 billion). These include Php3 billion for health, Php17 billion for fisheries production, and Php47 for tourism. Losses due to environmental damage in pollution, the Philippines has many water-related laws, but their enforcement is weak and beset with problems that include: inadequate resources, poor database, and weak cooperation among different agencies and Local Government Units (LGUs). A Clean Water Act is now being deliberated in the Congress..

Water Resources

The country is endowed with rich natural resources, including water, which are essential for the country’s economic development and in meeting its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Water resources of the Philippines include inland freshwater (rivers, lakes, and groundwater), and marine (bay, coastal, and oceanic waters). Overall, there is sufficient water but not enough in highly populated areas, especially during dry season.

The green groups categorized the garbage into 12 types:

• Plastic bags

• Composites or plastic wrappers

• Polystyrenes (like styrofoam, print cartridges, coat hangers, DVD cases)

• Plastic bottles

• Hard plastics

• Rubbers

• Metals and cans

• Glass

• Hazardous wastes

• Diapers and napkins

• Biodegradables

• Other discards