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How individuals should address the problem of polluted water shed or water basin?

  • 1.  How individuals should address the problem of polluted water shed or water basin?

    Posted 06-02-2021 02:15 PM
    In my country in Philippines, the engineers and some of the company got worried of how the face mask pollutes the water shed or water basin that could possibly infect the water resources of the communities.

    You can see the same issue here in attachment: 
    How face masks, gloves and other coronavirus waste is polluting our ocean
    World Economic Forum remove preview
    How face masks, gloves and other coronavirus waste is polluting our ocean
    Coronavirus waste has become a new form of pollution as millions of single-use personal protective equipment (PPE) is ending up in our ocean.
    View this on World Economic Forum >

    Well obviously the simple solution but yet hard to have compliance is to dispose the waste properly, and all accountable authorities must put much effort for this responsibility. 

    But what the small communities can do to stop polluting water basins and water sheds of the countries. 

    "How individuals should address the problem of polluted water shed or water basin from Corona virus waste."

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    Llala Chrishaye Ocampo S.M.ASCE
    Student
    City of General Trias Cavite
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  • 2.  RE: How individuals should address the problem of polluted water shed or water basin?

    Posted 06-03-2021 02:12 PM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 06-03-2021 02:11 PM
    Hi Llala,

    This is a great topic.  I'm not aware of specific initiatives yet focused on the problem of PPE waste, but you could look at existing marine debris reduction efforts as a guide for developing a local solution.  In the U.S., the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration coordinates many marine debris initiatives.  Below is a link to their blog, which includes many current articles, including one on PPE from July 2020 here.  The website also includes many useful resources and case studies.. 

    https://blog.marinedebris.noaa.gov/

    You can also find more information about PPE and marine debris in this recent blog post from the Ocean Conservancy

    https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2021/03/30/assessing-ppe-pollutions-impact-ocean

    Finally, here is some general information from the US Environmental Protection Agency on what individuals can do to reduce trash from consumer goods that, while directed to a US audience, has global relevance: https://www.epa.gov/trash-free-waters/what-you-can-do

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    Tom Chase, M.ASCE
    Director, COPRI of ASCE
    Reston VA
    703-295-6027
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