ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT refers 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

Ecological Solid Waste Management should start at

the household level.Management of waste
materials in the householdsare normally carried out by the
servants and often thehousewives. Thus, they must
be well-informed about properwaste handling and
management.
SOLID WASTE refers to all
discarded household,
commercial waste, nonhazardous
institutional and
industrial waste, street
sweeping, construction
debris, agricultural waste
and other non-hazardous
and non-toxic solid waste
A. COMPOSTABLE WASTES. Compostable wastes are biodegradable wastes
such as food waste, garden waste, animal waste and human waste. They undergo
biological degradation under controlled conditions and can be turned into compost
(soil conditioner or organic fertilizer) by mixing them with soil, water, air and
biological additives/activators
(optional).
Examples are:
· Fruit and vegetable peelings
· Leftover foods
· Vegetable trims
· Fish/fowl/meat/animal entrails
· Soft shells
· Seeds
· Leaves
· Flowers
· Twigs
· Branches
· Stems
B. RECYCLABLE WASTES. Recyclable materials refer to
any waste
material retrieved from the waste stream and free from
contamination that
can still be converted into suitable beneficial use. These
may be
transformed into new products in such a manner that
the original products
may lose their identity.
Examples are:
 · Newspaper
 · Ferrous scrap metal
 · Non-ferrous scrap metal
 · Corrugated cardboard
 · Aluminum
 · Glass
 · Office paper
 · Tin cans
C. RESIDUAL WASTES. Residual wastes are solid waste materials that are
non-compostable and non-recyclable. It should be disposed ecologically
through a long-term disposal facility or sanitary landfill.
Examples are:
· Sanitary napkins
· Disposable diapers
· Worn-out rugs
· Cartons which contain a plastic lining usually
used for milk and juice containers
· Ceramics
· Candy wrappers/sachets
· Other soiled materials that cannot be composted and recycled
D. SPECIAL WASTES. Special wastes refer to household hazardous
wastes.
Examples are:
· Paints
· Thinners
· Household batteries
· Lead-acid batteries
· Spray Canisters
· BulkyWastes such as:
· Large worn-out or broken furniture
· Lamps
· Bookcases
· Filing Cabinets
· Consumer Electronics which refer to worn-out, broken and other
discarded items such as
· Radios
· Stereos
· TV sets
· White Goods which refer to large worn-out or broken household
appliances such as:
· Stoves
· Refrigerators
· Dishwashers
· Clothes Washers
· Dryers
· Oil
· Tires
 AVOIDANCE
* Avoid disposable goods such as
throwaway razors, pens, diapers,
etc.
* Eliminate household toxic waste
from the garbage stream
* Avoid products that are made
from non-renewable resources
REDUCE*
* Reduce the amount of
unnecessary packaging.
* Adopt practices that reduce waste
toxicity
REUSE*
* Consider reusable products.
* Maintain and repair durable
products.
* Reuse bags, containers, and
other items.
* Borrow, rent, or share items used
infrequently.
* Sell or donate goods instead of
throwing them out.
RECYCLE*
* Choose recyclable products and
containers and recycle them.
* Select products made from
recyclable materials.
* Compost yard trimmings, food
scraps and other biodegradable
wastes.
* Do not burn.
APPROACHES TO ECOLOGICAL SOLID
WASTE MANAGEMENT
 1.Segregation of wastes at source.
 All the members of the household
 must be informed how to segregate
 wastes into compostable,
nonrecyclable,
 recyclable and special
 or hazardous waste.
 2.There must be a separate
container
 for each type of waste. Segregated
 recyclables must be properly
 cleaned before storing them in
 their respective containers.
 3.The use of special collection
schedules
 and/or separate trucks or haulers must
 be required for specific types of wastes
 4.Recyclable wastes materials should
 be taken to the Materials Recovery
 Facility (MRF) in every barangay or
 cluster of barangays where they are
 received, sorted, processed and stored
 efficiently and in an environmentally
 sound manner. Compostable wastes
 on the other hand, should be composted
 either in the backyard or the community
 composting site. Hazardous wastes are
 further screened and sent to appropriate
 hazardous waste treatment and disposal
 plants.
 5.The residual wastes or the non-recyclable
 and non-compostable wastes shall be
 transferred to a long-term storage
 or disposal facility or sanitary landfill.