Pollution and Environmental Laws

Objectives

At the end of the session the students should be able to:

1.  Enumerate ways on how to prevent pollution.

2.   Cite and define the different types of pollution.

3.  Can cite and define some of the Philippine environmental laws concerning pollution control.

Pollution

•       Any alteration of the physical, chemical and  biological properties of water, air, and/or land  resources.

•       When harmful substances contaminate the  environment, it is called pollution.

•       Refers to the very bad condition of  environment in terms of quantity and quality.

I. Types of Pollution

•       Air Pollution

•       Water Pollution

•       Noise Pollution

•       Soil Pollution

A. Air Pollution

•   Any alteration of the physical, chemical and  biological properties of the atmospheric air.

Causes of Air Pollution

•       Industries.

•       Automobiles and Domestic fuels.

•       High Proportion of undesirable gases, such as sulphur  dioxide and carbonmonoxide.

•       Dust(e.g. cement dust, foundry dust and windblown solid  dust)

•       Mist.

•       Smoke.

•       Carbon black.

•       Aerosols.

Effects of Air Pollution

•       Global warming.

•       Ozone depletion(Ozone hole).

•       Acid Rain.

•       Various respiratory illnesses.

B. Water Pollution

•       Any alteration of the physical, chemical, biological  or radiological properties of a body of water  resulting in the impairment of its purity or quality.

Causes of Water Pollution

•       Sewage and wastewater.

•       Marine dumping

•       Industrial waste

•       Radioactive waste

•       Oil pollution

•       Underground storage leakage

•       Atmospheric deposition

•       Global warming

•       Eutrophication

Effects of Water Pollution

•       Diseases like Cholera.

•       Malaria.

•       Typhoid (spread during   the rainy season).

•       Aquatic life gets destroy.

C. Noise Pollution

•       is the excessive sound that causes hearing loss,  stress, fatigue, irritability, tension, headaches,  and high blood pressure.

Causes of Noise Pollution

•       Traffic Noise.

•       Aircraft Noise.

•       Noise from construction and civil engineering  works.

•       Noise from the Industries.

•       Noise from other sources.

Effects of Noise Pollution

•       Hearing loss

•       High blood pressure.

•       Stress.

•       Sleep disturbance.

•       Color  blindness.

D. Soil Pollution

•   is chiefly caused by chemicals in pesticides,  such as poisons that are used to kill agricultural  pests like insects and herbicides that are used to  get rid of weeds.

•   Soil pollution results from:

-       Unhealthy methods of soil management.

-       Harmful irrigation methods.

Causes of Soil Pollution

•       Mining, Erosion and quarrying.

•       Household Garbage.

•       Urbanization and Concentration of Population.

•       Municipal Solid Waste.

•       Industrial Waste and Hazardous Waste.

•       Uncontrolled Land Treatment.

•       Burning open dumps and forestfires.

•       Deforestation.

Effects of Soil Pollution

•       The Land Cannot use to buildhouses.

•       Man cannot be farming.

•       Ground water will getsAffected.

•       Death of the animals that inhabit the land

Pollution Prevention

LETS SEE WHAT WE CAN DO as an individual to prevent Pollution…

•   Stop smoking or at least follow the “No Smoking” sign.

•   Use unleaded gasoline in your cars.

•   Keep your car properly maintained to keep it in good running condition to avoid smoke emissions.

•   Share a ride or engage in car pooling.

•   Instead of using your cars, choose to walk or ride a bicycle whenever possible. With this eco-friendly practice, you will also be healthier and happier by staying fit.

•   Never use open fires to dispose of wastes.

•   Adopt the 3Rs of solid waste management: reduce, reuse and recycle.

•   Inorganic materials such as metals, glass and plastic; also organic materials like paper, can be reclaimed and recycled.

•   Do not cause loud noises and unwanted sounds to avoid noise pollution.

Environmental Law: Pollution Control

P.D. 389 (P.D. 705) – The Forestry Reform  Code

- codifies, updates and raises forestry laws in  the country. It emphasizes the sustainable  utilization of forest resources.

P.D. 704 – Preservation of optimum  productivity of fishery resources through  conservation and protection.

P.D. 1219 – Providing for the protection of  coral ecosystems.

P.D. 1067 – Water Code of the Philippines

- adopts adequate measures to conserve and regulate the  use of water in commercial, industrial and residential  areas. It also provides other policy guidelines on water  quality and management of water resources.

P.D. 463 – Amended the Mining Act of 1936. Requires  all mining leaseholders to comply with Pollution Control  Laws and regulations an leaseholders to comply with  Pollution Control Laws and regulations and provide for  penalties for noncompliance.

P.D. 1251 – Imposes fines on tailings and mine  wastes and the fund generated is used to pay for  the damages to land, agricultural crops, forests  products, aquatic resources and infrastructures  caused by pollution for mining operations.

P.D. 984 – The Pollution Control Law

P.D. 825 – Prohibits the improper disposal of  garbage

P.D. 856 – Sanitation Code

- places the responsibility on the local  government units for he solid waste management  in their area of production.

R.A. 8749 – Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999

- provides for a comprehensive air pollution  control policy