THE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRASH SEGREGATION IN THE INTERMEDIATE CLASSROOMS

OF SOTERO B. CABAHUG FORUM FOR LITERACY

POLPUGAN-TOLOTOLO ROAD, POLPUGAN 1, CONSOLACION, CEBU

A RESEARCH PAPER PRESENTED TO: MDM. MARILOU H. BAHINTING

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENTOF THE REQUIREMENTS IN ENGLISH 6

SUBMITTED BY:

SIMONE ANTOINETTE MARIE L. ZUNIGA

JANSSEN ALEXANDER Y. CARA-AN

ARMINA YSABEL L. CABAHUG

RHIAN KERR J. CONCEPCION

ARNOLD JANSSEN R. TEVES

SIENA YLLAINE A. MUNOZ

MARY KATRIZ C. CANAMA

CHRYSTYLL M. BALURAN

IRA V. FLORES

MARCH 2019
 Dedication

This study would not be possible without our parents, teachers, and most of all God,
for letting us complete this research paper, without them we have not finished this
research paper until now.
 Acknowledgements

This research would not be possible be possible without the help of the people
mentioned below.

We, the researchers, thank and deeply respect Mdm. Marilou H. Bahinting, for
teaching and supporting us not only in our research, but also throughout the school year.

The researchers would also like to thank Ms. Melissa M. Tejano and Ms. Leigh Anne
for allowing us to access both libraries for our research.

The group 2 researchers also thank our research respondent for answering honestly.

The researchers especially thank our loved ones, for being with us every step of the
way.

Lastly, the researchers would like to thank God Almighty, for showering us with
infinite blessings. Without Him, we wouldn’t have gone this far.
Table of Contents

Chapter Page Number

Pre-Chapters

Dedication…………………………………………………………………………………….. I

Acknowledgement…………………………………………………………………………ii

Main Chapters

Chapter I: Introduction and Background of the Study

Rationale…………………………………………………………………………….1

Statement of the Problem…………………………………………………….1

Hypothesis of the Study ………………………………………………………1

Scope and Limitation of the Study ………………………………………..1-2

Significance of the Study………………………………………………………2

Definition of Terms ……………………………………………………………..2-3

Chapter II: Review of Related Literature

Chapter III: Research Methodology

Chapter IV: Presentation, Analysis, and Interpretation

Chapter V: Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendations

Post Chapters

Bibliography

Appendices

Curriculum Vitea
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
RATIONALE

Trash segregation is the process of throwing the trash in the right bin. It is
composed of biodegradable like the leftover food, dry leaves, and woods and the non-
biodegradable like the plastics, bottles, and cans (Pongacz, 2017).

In different countries, like Germany, they separated waste into biodegradable,

paper, plastic, and others but some prefer to either throw it on the road or do not care
about the bin (Ali, 20B). In Norway, they have residuals, paper, metal, and electronics and
also converts them into energy and competing against Sweden (Runm, 2016). In Thailand,
80% of waste are thrown everywhere with less trash bins around (Kiser, 1998). In China,
waste are 100% segregated (Ying, 2017). In the Philippines, the waste are segregated into
biodegradable, non- biodegradable, and recyclables (Feyma, 2017). The Philippines once
had over 200 dumpsites and 20 landfills on 2008(Ng, 2008). In Sotero B. Cabahug FORUM
for Literacy, trash are segregated in four bins which are dry papers, residuals, recyclables,
and compostables, yet sometimes students do not segregate it properly.

This study is entitled “The Problems with the Trash Segregation in the
Intermediate Classrooms of Sotero B. Cabahug FORUM for Literacy”. Thus, this study is
conducted to improve the way the intermediate students segregate and throw their trash
in the right bin.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study seeks answers to the question below:

1. What are the different problems with the trash segregation in the intermediate
classrooms of Sotero B. Cabahug FORUM for Literacy?

HYPOTHESIS OF THE STUDY

This part of the research paper states the hypothesis of the study:

Null Hypothesis:

The study will not improve the trash segregation skills of the intermediate students
in Sotero B. Cabahug FORUM for Literacy.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This research started on January 9, 2019. The focus of this research is to find the
problems of the trash segregation in the intermediate classrooms of Sotero B. Cabahug
FORUM for Literacy during the third trimester of the school year 2018-2019. The
researchers are going to check the trash bins and are going to survey the intermediate
students and the teachers of Sotero B. Cabahug FORUM for Literacy. The researchers
surveyed one hundred eighty-seven (187) respondents and observed twenty-eight (28)
trash bins for five (5) days. This study is limited only to the intermediate students and the
intermediate teachers of Sotero B. Cabahug FORUM for Literacy.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The following people can benefit from the results of this study:

The Intermediate Students This research can help the intermediate students realize that it
is really important to segregate the trash properly and to make the campus clean.

The Parents The parents can benefit from this study by disciplining their children and by
improving the trash segregation in their homes.

The Teachers The teachers can benefit from this study by strictly imposing and
implementing the proper segregation of the trash to their students or to their respective
advisory class.

The Administration The administration benefit from this study by adding bins in the grade
school and high school building so that the students do not need to go to the main trash bin.

The Support Staff The results of this study makes their jobs easier because the trash is
already well segregated.

The Future Researchers The future researchers benefit from this study by having more
information and by using this as a frame of reference.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following terms that are commonly used in this study:

Problems are the mistakes being done by the students in the trash segregation.

Trash segregation is the process of throwing the trash in the right bin.

Residuals are the trash that cannot be reused like plastic, plastic wrappers, and straws.

Recyclables are the trash that can be reused like plastic bottles.

Compostables are the trash that can be turned into compost like dry leaves and left over
food.

Dry Papers are the trash like the dry papers which can be reused.
Intermediate Classrooms are the rooms where the grades 4, 5, and 6student s stays to learn.

Intermediate Teachers are the people who teach the grades 4, 5, and 6 students.

Intermediate Students are the school students who are in grades 4, 5, and 6.

Trash Bins are the containers where you put the trash.
 CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter contains the researches and information gathered by the researchers.

Trash segregation is the separation of waste according to the kind of purpose of

handling, processing, and disposal in a proper way(Submarian, 2018).

Dr. Gamala Albinsaid saw a connection between general health and the fact that less
than half of the 55,000 tons of garbage gets collected in Malang City, Indonesia. Using trash
as currency, he created the Garbage Clinic Insurance,

This chapter contains the researches and information gathered by the researchers.

Trash segregation is the separation of waste according to the kind of purpose of handling,

processing, and disposal in a proper way (Submarian, 2018).

In Indonesia, some laws such as the 2008 Waste Management Law, enacted more than nine

years ago, have required Indonesian citizens to sort their waste to increase the 3R (recycle, reduce,

reuse) system in each municipality. However, those laws have shown very limited results.

Segregation rates among households in Indonesia remain persistently low according to

Waste4Change, a local waste-management organization. Worldwide, 8 million tons of plastic end up

in oceans every year, 16 percent of which comes from Indonesia as the second-biggest contributor.

In 2016, the country alone generated 3.2 million tons of plastic waste, of which 1.29 million ended

up in the oceans. Fortunately, Indonesia has pledged to put up $1 billion a year to reach a 70

percent reduction in marine waste by 2025 at the World Oceans Summit in March 2017 (Paula

Miquelis and Ashwin Subramaniam, 2017).

Exposed to sunlight, continuously scorched by waves and tides, the plastics degrade into

tiny particles or microplastics that are ingested by marine life. The ratio of plankton to plastic in the

ocean is reportedly at 1:2 globally. Given current rates of dumping into the world’s waters, plastic is

predicted to outweigh all sea life by 2050. These data should provide a warning to the Indonesian

government that the declining water quality and damaged coral ecosystem are immediate threats

that must be resolved. Government first must raise awareness concerning the importance of
managing detritus effectively, ideally through various platforms, especially the Internet and social

media. As reported elsewhere, Indonesians are very active on social media, ranked one of the

highest social media users in the world. That provides the government with a medium to transform

citizen perspectives on what they thoughtlessly throw away( Rakhmat and Tarahita, 2017).

In Germany, trash is segregated in four(4)bins. These bins are biodegradable, paper, plastic

packaging, and a bin for other items. The biodegradable bins are colored brown and this bin are for

the trash like food waste, egg shells, banana peel, and left overs. The paper bins are colored green

or blue and this bin are for the paper products like empty cereal boxes, junk mail, cardboard, and

other paper products. The plastic packaging bins are colored yellow and this bin are for the plastic

items and non-paper packaging materials like plastic wrappers and the plastic containers the meat

comes in. The bins for other items are colored black or sometimes black bags are used instead of

bins and these are for the other wastes (Ali, 2013).

The recycling rate in Germany is one of the highest in Europe, with roughly 65% of waste

getting recovered and reused each year. Therefore it is no surprise that residents feel a sense of

frustration as the country imports tons of waste from its neighbors. Despite these issues, importing

waste brings economical value to the country. Plants are able to charge higher prices for

municipalities to dispose of their trash — $55 to $80 per ton, compared to $35 per ton just a few

years ago. While these prices may make it uneconomical for countries to send their waste to

Germany, the waste-to-energy plants remain one of the best options to dispose of waste while

phasing out landfills (Musulin, 2015).

In Japan, the trash is segregated in three types which are the typical type or the normal

trash, the recyclable trash, and the electrical goods and appliances. The typical type of trash are

combustible trash like the kitchen garbage, branches and leaves, tissues, leather items, clothing, and

other more, the non-combustible trash like plastic goods, glass and ceramic items, spray cans,

umbrellas, knives, and others, the large item garbage like furnitures, and the hazardous garbage like
mirrors. The recyclable trash are wastepaper like newspapers and magazines, plastics like plastic

bags and containers, bottles and cans like can for the foods, plastic PET bottles, and white

styrofoam tray. The electrical goods and appliances are trash like air conditioners and washing

machines (japino.net).

In the Philippines, cenro said that every household should have 3 garbage bins for

biodegradable, residuals, and recyclables. The biodegradable bin are for trash like food waste and

wood. The residuals bin are for trash like plastic bags. The recyclables bin are for trash like bottles

and bottle caps(Feyma, 2016).

It's an unfortunate but familiar sight: trash strewn all over Roxas Boulevard due to the

southwest monsoon winds (hanging habagat) blowing them over from Manila Bay. The bay itself is

covered in trash after a storm. This happens annually, and nobody bats an eyelash when it does.

Trash is part of life in the city, especially Metro Manila. According to Greenpeace Philippines

Campaigner Abigail Aguilar, the Philippines has a good solid waste management law, but a lot more

can be done in terms of implementation. RA 9003 or the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of

2000” has provisions for solid waste reduction and avoidance through recycling, composting, and

other methods before disposal in the appropriate facilities (Tantuco, 2013).

In Cebu, the ordinance classifies garbage into several types, namely: biodegradable or

compostable wastes, non-biodegradable wastes, reusable or recyclable wastes, hazardous or

special wastes, and bulky wastes and white goods (Bunachita, 2017).

In Sotero B. Cabahug FORUM for Literacy, trash is segregated in four(4) bins which are the

dry papers, residuals, recyclables, and compostables. The dry paper box are for the dry papers that

can still be used, the residuals bin are for trashes likes plastic wrappers and plastic bags, the
recyclables bin are for trash like bottles and cups, and the compostables bin are for trash like left

over food.
 Non-segregation of solid waste is a violation of the law. First offenders are fined Php 300

and required to attend the seminar. Second or more offense, offenders might pay Php 500 -1k – 3k
– Php 5k might do community service. Higher offenders paying the fine and staying in jail. Some of

it you might violate 2 offense so you might pay Php 600 to 10k or more. Better go to CENRO and

learn and get some brochure from them. I will go back there and get some too. I want my household
to learn more too. I forgot to get on my way out during our seminar. Also in the house, you know

those falling leave or the dry leaves from your flowers. It’s required to put those on the compose bin

that you’re making in your yard, burning is a big No, No(Feyma, 2016).

Thus, there will be no trash segregation problems in Sotero B. Cabahug FORUM for Literacy
if all the students know which trash belongs to which and if the bins are colored differently.
 CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research methods, research environment, research

respondents, and research instruments that are used in this study.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The methods used in gathering data are the survey method, wherein the researchers

give the respondents surveys for them to answer and the observation method, wherein the

researchers observe the respondents.

RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT

This study is conducted in Sotero B. Cabahug FORUM for Literacy, which is located

in Polpugan-Tolotolo Road, Polpugan 1, Consolacion, and Cebu. The survey and the

observation was conducted in the intermediate classrooms.

RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS

The instruments used to gather the data are the survey questionnaire, containing

two questions and the observation sheet, containing five columns.

RESEARCH RESPONDENTS

The respondents of this research are the Intermediate students of Sotero B. Cabahug

FORUM for Literacy. There are two(2) sections for Grade Six(6), two(2) sections for the

Grade Five(5), and three(3) sections for the Grade Four(4). There are twenty-six(26)

students with fourteen girls and twelve(12) boys in the Grade Six(6) Amethyst class. There
are twenty-six(26) students with thirteen(13) boys and thirteen(13) girls in the Grade

Six(6) Turquoise class. However, there are nine(9) students which are excluded because

they were the ones who conducted the survey so there are seventeen(17) respondents in

the Grade Six(6) Turquoise class. There are thirty-five(35) students with seventeen(17)

boys and eighteen(18) girls in the Grade Five(5) Sapphire class. There are thirty-five(35)

students with eighteen(18) boys and seventeen(17) girls in the Grade Five(5) Garnet class.

However, there was one boy who was absent during the survey so, there were thirty-

four(34) respondents in the Grade Five(5) Garnet class. In the Grade Four(4) Emerald class,

there are twenty-three(23 ) students with twelve(12) boys and eleven(11) girls. In the

Grade Four(4) Diamond class, there are twenty-three(23 ) students with thirteen(13) boys

and ten(10) girls. In the Grade Four(4) Onyx class, there are twenty-three(23 ) students

with twelve(12) boys and eleven(11) girls. However, there was one girl who was absent so,

there are twenty-two(22) respondents in the Grade Four(4) Onyx class. Seven(7)

Intermediate teachers were also surveyed. So, the total number of respondents is one

hundred eighty-seven (187) students.

 CHAPTER IV: PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION, AND
ANALYSIS
This shows the presentation, interpretation, and analysis of the data gathered.

Question#1

What are the common mistakes you encounter in

the trash segregation?

16.20% 14.10%

1.60%
10.00%
10.90%

12.50%
6.80%

8.40% 8.00%
11.50%

Putting straws in the recyclables bin

Putting crumpled paper in the dry paper box
Putting plastic in the recyclables bin
Putting scratch paper in the compostables bin
Putting plastics in the compostables bin
Putting the fries wrapper in the residuals bin
Putting bottles in the residuals bin
Putting dust in the residuals bin
Putting clean papers in the compostables bin
Others(putting items in the dry papers box, putting crumpled paper in the residuals bin,
putting left overs in the residuals bin, putting plastic utensil in the residuals bin,
putting broken footmop in the dry papers box , putting left overs in the recyclables bin,
putting clean paper in the residuals bin, putting cloth in the dry papers box,
putting wires in the compostables bin

Out of one hundred eighty-seven(187) respondents, 16.2% or 91 respondents observed

straws in the recyclables bin, 14.1% or 79 respondents observed crumpled paper in the dry paper box,10% or
56 respondents observed plastic in the recyclables bin, 12.5% or 70 respondents observed scratch paper in
the compostables bin, 8% or 45 respondents observed plastics in the compostables bin, 11.5%orn 65
respondents observed the fries wrapper in the residuals bin, 8.4% or 47 respondents observed bottles in the
residuals bin, 6.8%or 38 respondents observed dust in the residuals bin, 10.9% or 61 respondents observed
clean papers in the compostables bin, and 1.8% or 10 respondents observed other mistakes like putting
items in the dry papers box, crumpled papers in the residuals bin, putting left overs in the residuals bin,
putting plastic utensils in the residuals bin, putting broken footmop in the dry papers box, putting left overs
in the recyclables bin, putting clean paper in the residuals bin, putting cloth in the dry papers box, and wires
in the compostables bin.

Based on the graph above, the top five(5) most common mistakes in the trash segregation are
putting straws in the recyclables bin, putting crumpled paper in the dry paper box, putting scratch paper in
the compostables bin, putting the fries wrapper in the residuals bin, and putting clean papers in the
compostables bin. The most common mistake in the trash segregation is putting straws in the recyclables
bin.
Question#2

What are your recommendations to help solve the different

problems with the trash segregation?

4.00%

30.00%
33.00%

20.00%
13.00%

Having more trash segregation related activities

Having more discussions about trash segregation
Having more demonstrations and gatherings
Pasting pictures on which trash belongs to the bin
Others(help put trash in the proper bin, do more projects, dispose trash in the right place,
clean our area, use big bins, varied colors of the bins, place a sign on which trash
to throw, assign a student to check and tell his/her classmates to dispose trash properly

Out of one hundred eighty-seven(187) respondents,30.2%or 97 respondents

recommend having more trash segregation related activities, 20% or 65 respondents
recommend having more discussions about trash segregation , 13% or 43 respondents
recommend having more demonstrations and gatherings, respondents recommend pasting
pictures on which trash belongs to the bin, and 4% or 9 respondents recommend other
ways to help solve the different problems with the trash segregation like help put trash in
the proper bin, do more projects, dispose trash in the right place, clean our area, use big bins, varied
colors of the bins, place a sign on which trash, to throw, assign a student to check and tell his/her
classmates to dispose trash properly.

Based on the graph above, most respondents recommend pasting pictures on which
trash belongs to the bin.
 CHAPTER V: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter shows the summary of findings, the conclusion, and the
recommendations based on improving the trash segregation skills of the intermediate
students.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

1. The researchers discovered that the mistake that was most encountered is
putting straws in the recyclables bin.
2. The researchers observed that the most intermediate students throw the straws
in the recyclables bin and the fries wrapper in the residuals bin.

CONCLUSION

The researchers can conclude that most of the intermediate students are careless about the
trash segregation and the intermediate student continue to throw trash in the wrong bin. The
researchers’ hypothesis about this study not improving the trash segregation of the intermediate
students in Sotero B. Cabahug FORUM for Literacy was proven right due to the lack of
improvement in the intermediate students’ trash segregation skills.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Students

The researchers recommend the students to their segregate trash properly.

Parents

The researchers recommend the parents to help their children familiarize which
goes in each bin.

Teachers

The researchers recommend the teachers to discuss and give activities related to
trash segregation.

School Administration

The researchers recommend the school administration to give more trash

segregation related programs.

Future Researchers
 The researchers recommend the future researchers to use this study as an evidence
for possible future researches.