Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 Republic Act 9003 ...

Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000Republic Act 9003Salient Features of the ActThe Act mandates the State to adopt a systematic, comprehensive and ecological solidwaste management program which shall:Ensure the protection of public health and environment;Utilize environmentally-sound methods that maximize the utilization of valuableresource reduction and encourage resources conservation and recovery;Set guidelines and targets for solid waste avoidance and volume reduction throughsource reduction and waste minimization measures, including composting, recycling, reuse,recovery, green charcoal processes, and others, before collection, treatment anddisposal in appropriate and environmentally-sound solid waste management facilities inaccordance with ecologically sustainable development principles;Ensure the proper segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment and disposal ofsolid waste through the formulation and adoption of the best environmental practicesin ecological waste management excluding incineration;Promote national research and development programs for improved solid wastemanagement and resource conservation techniques, more effective institutionalarrangement and indigenous and improved methods of waste reduction, collectionseparation and recovery;Encourage greater private sector participation in solid waste management;Retain primary enforcement and responsibility of solid waste management with localgovernment units while establishing a cooperative effort among the nationalgovernment, other local government units, non-government organizations, and privatesector;Encourage cooperation and self-regulation among waste generators through theapplication of market-based instruments;Institutionalize public participation in the development and implementation of nationaland local integrated, comprehensive and ecological waste management programs; andStrengthen the integration of ecological solid waste management and resourceconservation and recovery topics into the academic curricula of formal and non-formaleducation in order to promote environmental awareness and action among thecitizenry.It mandates the various government agencies to do the following in support of the Act: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – act as overall of theCommission to be created; prepare a National Solid Waste Management Status Report;

provide technical and capacity-building assistance to local government units; issue rulesand regulations in the implementation of the Act. Department of Health (DOH) – in coordination with the DENR and other concernedagencies prepare the National Solid Waste Management Status Report which shall bethe basis for the National Solid Waste Management Framework; and together with theDENR and DILG shall publish the inventory of all solid waste disposal facilities. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – shall formulate and implement a codingsystem for packaging materials and products to facilitate waste recycling and reuse andwith DENR establish and manage a solid waste management information database andpublish a study of existing markets for processing and purchasing recyclable materialsand the potential steps necessary to expand these markets . Department of Interior and Local Governments ( DILG) - together with the DENR andDOH shall publish the inventory of all solid waste disposal facilities. Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), TechnicalEducation and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Philippine InformationAgency (PIA) with the DENR – shall conduct continuing education and informationcampaign on solid waste management. DepEd and CHED – the national government through the DepEd and in coordinationwith concerned agencies , non-government organizations and private institutions, shallstrengthen the integration of environmental concerns in school curricula at all levels