Systematic Review on Solid Waste Collection Strategies and their Link to Population and Solid Waste Generation

Abstract

First Class Municipalities, namely Claveria, and Tagoloan and Second-Class Municipalities, namely Balingasag, Jasaan, Lugait, Opol and Villanueva in the Province of Misamis Oriental, Philippines, have different solid waste collection strategies. These seven municipalities have the highest number in terms of population and economic revenue according to the Department of Trade and Industry in 2021. Collecting waste in every household according to schedule in an economical way and correctly segregating waste as much as possible to aim for maximized re-use, recycling and reducing solid waste from every house. This meta-analysis process systematically reviews quantitative literature from various studies and articles to calculate the effects of the different solid waste collection strategies of selected municipalities in Misamis Oriental on their solid waste management program. Simple linear regression analysis was used to identify annual solid waste collection dumped to the municipal-controlled dump site (in cubic meters). The frequency of solid waste collection varies from one municipality to another. Most first-class and second-class municipalities in Misamis Oriental collect solid waste from households two or three times a week. Collection happens door-to-door in less populated communities, while strategic garbage collection areas specified by the barangays occur in densely populated areas. It showed the regression equation y=0.1328x–198.5 and correlation coefficient r-squared value of 0.8616, proving to have a strong and high positive relationship. The study concluded that segregation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable solid wastes is prevalent compared to collection that happens in strategic areas set by the barangay. It was also observed that the 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) endeavors of the municipalities, most of the time, are attained in less populated areas when people prefer to compost biodegradable wastes and segregate recyclable wastes for additional income generation for families and lessen the amount of waste delivered to the dumpsite. It is recommended that the “no segregation, no collection policy” be strictly implemented.

Introduction

I. Overview

Solid waste collection practices in the Philippines are guided by RA 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000), which mandates proper waste segregation, prohibits open dumping and burning, and enforces strategic waste collection. Waste collection is a crucial component of maintaining public health, sanitation, and environmental sustainability in urbanizing communities where rising consumption increases waste generation.

II. Key Findings from Literature Review

• Challenges Identified:

  • Inconsistent waste collection schedules

  • Lack of public awareness and community cooperation

  • Absence of proper waste segregation

  • Insufficient garbage collection areas

  • Rampant illegal incineration and improper disposal

• Effective Strategies Observed:

  • Scheduled collection of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste

  • Mandatory household composting (e.g., Balingasag)

  • “No segregation, no collection” policies (e.g., Tagoloan)

  • Community incentive programs like the “Basura Store” in Villanueva, which trades recyclables for goods

  • Awareness and education campaigns

  • Integration of 3R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and “Pay as you generate” policies

III. Innovative Approaches

• Municipality-specific solutions:

  • Tagoloan: Frequent scheduled collections and strict segregation enforcement

  • Villanueva: “Basura Store” promotes waste trading for essential items

  • Balingasag: Compost pits mandated for households, education-focused campaigns

  • Claveria: Strategic garbage collection points and routine pick-ups

IV. Environmental and Social Impacts

• Poor waste collection practices contribute to:

  • Marine and coastal pollution (e.g., Opol and Jasaan near Macajalar Bay)

  • Air pollution from incineration

  • Public health risks from unmanaged waste

  • Reduced community engagement due to reliance solely on local governments

V. Legal Framework: RA 9003

• Barangay-level responsibility: Segregation and collection of biodegradable waste

• Municipal-level responsibility: Collection and disposal of residual and non-recyclable waste

• Key legal provisions:

  • Use of protective equipment by waste collectors

  • Scheduled and compartmentalized waste transport

  • Visible labeling on collection vehicles

  • Strict penalties for improper waste disposal and handling

VI. Methodology

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies, municipal programs, and government data

• Quantitative analysis using simple linear regression:

  • Population vs. Solid Waste Collection in cubic meters

  • Resulting formula: y = 0.1328x – 198.5, with an R² value of 0.8616, indicating strong correlation between population size and waste volume

VII. Notable Municipality Data (from Table 2)

Conclusion

The amount of annual solid waste collection dumped into municipal controlled dumpsite (in cubic meter) in first-class and second-class municipalities in Misamis Oriental, Philippines, is directly proportional to the population size of the community. In this study, it was observed that when municipalities practice effective solid waste collection strategies and innovations like, strong information and education drive about solid waste management, scheduled collection of solid wastes in communities, strict compliance for the “no segregation, no collection policy”, scheduled collection of biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes, mandatory compost pit per household and the “Basura Store”, where recyclable wastes are exchanged with goods like rice, canned goods and other products needed by households the amount of annual solid waste collection volume dumped to the municipal sanitary land fill is decreased respectively. This observation is proven to have a strong and high positive relationship, having the correlation coefficient r-squared value of -1 < 0.8616 < 1. A correlation coefficient r-squared value of 0.8616 means that the predictors explain 86% of the variation in the response variable. This study suggests that the local government units and other authorities to design and implement religiously the solid waste management and collection strategies in the communities of the municipalities like waste separation and segregation programs, incentivising the households conducting the 3 R’s (reduce, reuse and recycle), compost pit approaches to biodegradable wastes, information and education drive to communities and strategies to ensure high participation rate to solid waste management programs. This study also suggests focusing on community and hands-on involvement in waste separation and segregation and recycling as a form of good habit and a way of life in the family.

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Copyright © 2025 Romel M. Eltanal. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.