Hazardous Waste Companies and Suppliers in Philippines
THE STATE OF HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT iA THE PHILIPPINES
Hazardous Waste Management | EMB XII
hazardous waste management philippines
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How ISO 14001 can enhance recycling performance
How ISO 14001 can enhance reIf you are acquainted with ISO 14001:2015 certification in Qatar, then you will understand that when the necessities of the preferred are applied efficaciously in an Environmental Management System (EMS), then the hazard of environmental impact and the amount of wastage are reduced. One area ISO 14001:2015 differs from ISO 14001:2004, however, is the requirement to think about things to do that make contributions to “the prevention of pollution,” the place “recycling” is especially mentioned. It consequently will become obvious, mainly in positive industries, how superb recycling can play a large part in certainly assembly environmental and legislative requirements. how can fulfillment of the ISO 14001 recycling necessities ensure that efficient recycling occurs? cycling overall performance Why is recycling important? In part 5.2 of ISO 14001:2015 services in Qatar, it is cited that an organization’s Environmental Policy ought to consist of a “commitment to the prevention of pollution,” as properly as a requirement to meet compliance tasks – you can study greater about applicable content material in the article How specified must the EMS be? While compliance duties might also differ from zone to region and place to region, the significance of recycling correctly stays constant. Imagine these eventualities and the implications if recycling was once now not carried out effectively, for example:
A tv producer has a “take back” scheme, however rather of wonderful recycling, components are disassembled, and some are illegally dispatched to a landfill.
A battery vendor takes again a giant share of devices sold, however cuts corners and sells a share of returns to a scrap dealer, with no expertise of the vacation spot or consequence of these probably hazardous units.
A private pc producer takes lower back aged product and chooses a recycling channel that is no longer up to date. The consequence is that elements that have been declared limited or hazardous in view that that unit’s manufacture has now been wrongly back to the public domain.
ISO 14001: What to word to assist your recycling process ISO 14001 Certification in South Africapresents a structured strategy to managing waste. There are numerous clauses of the general that can assist factor your organization closer to making sure your recycling manner is effective. Let’s seem to be at what these clauses are and how they can provide preparation closer to this objective. Leadership: The organizational leaders are accountable for the overall performance of the EMS; therefore, it is necessary that a declaration of air pollution prevention exists in the Environmental Policy. Similarly, it is vital that the top administration ensures that all small print is recognized and that the company’s recycling, whether or not carried out in-house or subcontracted, is accomplished correctly. The article How to exhibit management in accordance to ISO 14001 certification in Philippines can assist you research greater about this clause. Planning: There are numerous sub-sections of clause 6 that are applicable – tremendous recycling has to be section of an organization’s compliance obligations, and phase of your planning to reap environmental objectives, one of which ought to be a hundred percent recycled product returns. It may additionally be prudent to spotlight your recycling system as an environmental aspect, or even as the challenge of an annual danger evaluation to make certain that you take the time to overview and enhance your process. Improvement: As referred to previously, steady evaluate and motion is the finest way to make sure chronic enchantment in your EMS, and comparable overview of your recycling system can make certain that it meets stakeholder needs, complies with legislation, and always evolves and improves. Our Advice go for it!! Certvalue is an expert certification then consulting strong imparting ISO 14001 Consultant in Qatar after enhancing competitiveness using imparting Environmental Management System. We provide a 100% advancement guarantee for ISO 14001 Certification Services in Qatar. We are an Approved Service Provider including great skills or a trip into entire International Quality Certification Standards. We would keep colorful in imitation of help thy business enterprise into the ISO 14001 Certification method to send you to look up afterward [email protected]. Here our Multi-Talent Professionals are managing afterward accomplish obvious thine doubts then necessities
How to make your investment in ISO 9001 profitable?
Implementing a Quality Management System (QMS) using the necessities of the ISO 9001:2015 certification in South Africastandard is an internationally recognized way to focus your organization efforts on customer satisfaction and drive enhancements in your organization, but this process does not come without a cost. For this reason, many business professionals ask what the return on investment of implementing a QMS is. In different words – how do I make it profitable? If yours is an organization that is looking to development a QMS and find a way to make it profitable, there are many necessities within the ISO 9001:2015 standard that will advise you to do this if you work to implement and use them properly. Below are some of the main necessities that can present you with some of the most profitable ways to use your QMS. Making plans to address hazards and opportunities An addition to the new ISO 9001:2015 certification in Qatar necessities is to understand and take action to address the hazards and opportunities for your QMS. This can be done however you want, and many organizations will perform a SWOT analysis as a way to identify business strengths and weaknesses, but the essential factor in realizing income is deciding what actions you will take. By identifying the hazards and opportunities that are applicable to your organization, and deciding what actions you will take, if any, to address these, you will be able to find ways to maximum the negative impacts of potential problems and also capitalize on the opportunities that can lead you into new sales markets or product lines. Properly acting on hazards and opportunities can realize great profit for your organization. Using quality objectives to drive improvements The need of quality objectives to drive improvement is not new to the ISO 9001:2015 requirements. These objectives, which are one of the best ways to focus the improvement activities within your company, have been included in the QMS since the ISO 9001 Certification in Philippines update that happened in the year 2000. The objectives are your way of identifying what aspects of quality management and customer satisfaction you have chosen as your main improvement aims, with reasonable and timely targets, so that you This is far from the truth if it can make plans to make these developments and move your company strategy forward. Find opportunities for improvement through internal audit horribly, more business leaders see the internal audit program as a waste of resources that simply takes up the time of employees who would be better spent doing their jobs. This is long from the truth if the internal audit program is used properly. The idea of your internal audits is to have an objective and impartial person look at the outputs of the processes to ensure that these processes are meeting the planned arrangements that were set out for the process. The audits also provide information on the effective implementation and maintenance of the QMS. By taking the opportunity to take an impartial look at a process, your internal auditors can not only identify problems that could go unnoticed during day-to-day activities, but also identify issues with the linkage between processes that can cause inefficiency and identify opportunities to improve the overall effectiveness of the QMS. Identifying development opportunities makes your company better and can lead to cost savings and better profitability Our Advice go for it!! Certvalue is one of the leading ISO 9001 Certification Consultants in Chennaito providing the Quality management system to all organizations. We are one of the well-recognized firms with experts in every industry sector to implement the standard with 100% track record of success. You can write us at [email protected] or visit our official website at we are ISO Certification Consultant Companies in Chennai. Certvalue and provide your contact details so that one of our certification expert shall contact you at the earliest to understand your requirements better and provide best available service at market.
Our today’s topic of discussion will be ISO 14001 Certification in Philippines, which is the Environmental Management System Standard. We will be covering every details related to this topic, benefits of getting ISO 14001 certified, its importance of implementation in The Republic of Philippines and the process to get your organization ISO 14001 certified, so stay tuned till the end of the blog. Let me first start by giving you a brief explanation about ISO. ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization which is an independent global organization that sets international standards right from food safety, technology to healthcare etc. It was founded in the year 1947 and has been going head strong from then on; it has members from across 167 countries which meet annually at General Assembly to discuss future strategies. ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management System) Details about ISO 14001 ISO 14001 is Environmental Management System which is dedicated to environment wherein the organization needs to check the impact it is causing on the environment while running its operation. This standard helps organization to establish sustainable growth with causing minimal loss to environment. This standard helps organization to monitor various metrics which include land pollutions, water pollutions, air pollutions etc. It helps them to control any hazards that they might be causing due to the operations that they are continuing and make necessary changes as per required by the standard. The most recent and updated version was published in September, 2015 and hence you would see it referred as ISO 14001:2015 in some places which is how it is officially referred to as. Benefits of getting ISO 14001 certified There are many benefits of getting ISO 14001certified which I will be listing down for you.
It involves people in the higher positions so it helps to establish a top to bottom approach and establish a good coordination among the employees.
It instills a sense of confidence among the stakeholders that international standards have been complied to while keeping nature at foremost.
It helps to increase the profit as you have a better waste management system at place.
It helps establish a global name for your organization as the international communities are very specific about environment related issues.
It also encourages suppliers to provide environment friendly materials to you.
ISO 14001 in Philippines Philippines which is officially known as The Republic of Philippines is a country in South East Asia, it is a democratic presidential form of government that shares its border with many countries. There is a paradigm shift in economy from agriculture to industry hence it is essential to talk about ISO 14001 in Philippines. The economy of Philippines is continuously changing; the country has become expertise in producing electronics equipment’s and in the garment sector. It becomes essential for Philippines to mark its space in the global market, hence to compete in the international market, it is necessary to comply with the international standards and ISO certifications helps you achieve this feat. Assistance from Finecert Environmental protection and sustainable development has become a buzz word in recent times and international community is very serious about climate change thing hence there are strict regulations to counter these changes and ISO 14001 standard will help you deal with these in an efficient manner, in addition to other ISO certification in Philippines. Getting ISO certified will also help organization boost their global dominance as well as establish a name for their brand in the global market space. Hence, it is very much necessary to get your organization ISO certified according to your market needs. Having said that I want to bring to your notice that International Organization for Standardization is only involved in the process of setting international standard, it has no role to play in lending certificate to organizations it is done by external bodies, which is where we come into the picture. Finecert is a leading global organization which is headquartered in Bengaluru and has operation in Middle East, Asia, South Africa and many other overseas countries. We have highly trained ISO professionals which can help your organization get ISO certified very easily and in a much stipulated time frame. We employ an economical and a clear approach in dealing with our client’s right from project initiation to its completion. To know in more details about various other ISO certification and any consultation regarding the same in Philippines, you can write to us or request a quote at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) or feel free to visit our website www.finecert.com and have a look about the ISO services we provide in Philippines.
Singapore is home to many species of snake, from tiny burrowing blind snakes just 15 centimetres long, which burrow through the soil and hunt insects, to huge pythons several metres in length, lurking in our drains and sewers in pursuit of rats and stray cats. While most of our snakes are quite harmless, our forests and mangroves have their fair share of coral snakes, kraits, and pit vipers, all of them highly venomous and capable of ruining a careless or unlucky person's day. The Equatorial Spitting Cobra is probably the most dangerous of our venomous snakes, since it is commonly encountered in more urbanised areas in close proximity to people. Yet these serpents, for all their deadly beauty, pale in comparison to a snake so feared and so iconic that it has become a symbol of the Asian forests, a true superstar among the snakes - the King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah). The King Cobra is a diurnal snake that is mostly terrestrial, although it is also a capable climber and an excellent swimmer. It has a wide distribution that spans across much of tropical Asia, from the southwest, northern and eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent, to southern China, Indochina, and Thailand, the Andaman Islands, and south to Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, the Greater Sundas (Sumatra, Borneo, Java), all the way to Bali, Sulawesi, and the Philippines. While only a single species of King Cobra is recognised for now, there is some geographical variation in physical appearance. It is possible that future research will reveal that what we now call the King Cobra might actually be made up of several similar yet distinct species. Although the King Cobra and the so-called 'true' cobras (members of the genus Naja, such as the Equatorial Spitting Cobra, Indian Cobra, and Monocled Cobra) belong to the same family, the Elapidae, they are not each other's closest relatives. Instead, the King Cobra closest living relatives are the mambas of Africa (including the Black Mamba, another snake with a deadly reputation), with the cobras as more distant relatives. Other members of the Elapidae include the kraits, coral snakes, sea kraits, and sea snakes, as well as the many highly venomous snakes of Australia such as the brown snakes, taipans, and death adders. With a recorded maximum length of 5.85 metres, the King Cobra is the world's longest venomous snake. In Singapore, only the Reticulated Python exceeds it in size. Like the smaller cobras, it rears up and expands its hood to face a potential threat, but its hood is narrower and lacks the markings seen in some Asian species of cobra. The key difference though is height; it is said that a large King Cobra is able to rear up as high as a person's chest, and look them in the eye. And while many snakes will hiss loudly to warn predators to back off, the King Cobra's warning hiss is often described as more like a low menacing growl. Certainly, coming face to face with a King Cobra, especially one actively trying to defend itself, must be a most intimidating experience. This threatening display is not just an act. Like other elapids, the King Cobra has a pair of hollow fangs which are located at the front of its upper jaw, functioning like hypodermic needles. When it strikes, venom is pumped out of glands located at the back of the head, flows through these fangs, and is injected into the bite wound. The King Cobra packs a deadly punch, with venom full of neurotoxins that target the nervous system and heart. While the venom itself is not as deadly as that produced by several other snake species, it more than makes up for it in terms of the sheer volume that can be delivered. A single bite can kill a human within half an hour, and even fell elephants. A meal fit for a king However, the King Cobra uses its venom mostly to subdue its prey, which consists almost entirely of other snakes. When prey is encountered, the King Cobra sinks its fangs into its victim, often behind the back of the head, and clamps down hard. As the prey struggles, both snakes may end up getting entwined together. Defensive bites from prey don't seem to faze it at all. The neurotoxins in the venom work on the central nervous system, stopping the heart and paralysing muscles, and the lungs cease functioning. The victim eventually suffocates, and is then slowly swallowed whole, usually headfirst. In fact, the King Cobra has been assigned to its own genus, Ophiophagus, which translates to "snake-eater" in Greek, ophio- meaning "snake" and -phagus meaning "to eat". It is a very apt description of this species, which is unsurprisingly also known to be cannibalistic. Even other highly venomous snakes like cobras and vipers are no match for the king – it's been found to have evolved resistance to the venoms of its potential prey. Even the largest snakes in the jungle are not immune to predation by the King Cobra; it will readily go for pythons, although it is obviously limited to smaller individuals. There were two fairly recent eyewitness accounts of King Cobras going after Reticulated Pythons in Singapore – one took place next to a road in NTU campus in August 2015 (albeit close to the forest edge), while the other was along the MacRitchie Nature Trail in May 2017. These encounters must be an awesome spectacle to behold; two of the largest snakes of Southeast Asia in combat, venom against constricting coils. Things don't always go the King Cobra's way though; if the python manages to fight back, the predator might find itself fighting for its own life, which appears to be what happened during the sighting at NTU; the Reticulated Python, despite being smaller, managed to throw a coil around the King Cobra's neck, and the latter snake was struggling, presumably waiting for the venom to take hold and incapacitate its prey. A more recent photo of unknown provenance has made its rounds online, depicting a King Cobra and a Reticulated Python, both dead – the cobra likely bit and successfully envenomated the python, but the python managed to coil around and constrict the cobra before succumbing. Besides snakes, the King Cobra is also known to feed on monitor lizards. There is a video from January 2016 of one swallowing a young Malayan Water Monitor in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Birds and rodents have also been taken, although there are very few such records. Royal Families Reproduction in King Cobras seems rather straightforward at first: we know that the species is oviparous (egg-laying). However, there are some very interesting behaviours that make it stand out from other snakes. Like many other species, male King Cobras will engage in ritualised combat, rearing up and attempting to pin each other to the ground. This sparring allows rival males to show off their strength and establish dominance, and minimise the risk of them injuring or even killing each other. Courtship and mating can be a risky affair, especially since King Cobras routinely eat other snakes, and males typically grow larger than females. A receptive female leaves a scent trail that puts the male in the mood for sex instead of food, and he may pursue her through the forest for hours. Once he's caught up, and if she is slow to accept, he may headbutt her repeatedly until she relents. Mating may last for up to an hour, and the male will sometimes stay with her for several days, mating repeatedly, while at the same time warding off rivals. The female King Cobra does something that has not been observed in any other snake species to date; she actively builds a nest for her eggs, using her body and tail to gather leaves and other debris, sweeping them into a pile and packing them together to create a large mound. Fallen leaves of bamboo plants are a favoured nesting material, and King Cobra nests are often located close to or even among bamboo clumps. Within this nest, temperature and humidity remain constant, providing suitable conditions for the growth and development of the embryos. Guarding of young is not widespread among snakes, but after laying her eggs, the mother King Cobra will remain near the nest, fending off potential predators. A devoted mother, she may guard her brood for two to three months, fasting and living off her reserves. Only when the eggs are about to hatch does she leave the nest, probably to avoid triggering her predatory response and instinctively eating her own young. Baby King Cobras, which measure up to 60 centimetres in length when they first emerge, look very different from their parents, being black with conspicuous narrow white or yellow bands. Without the protection of their mother, they are vulnerable to all sorts of predators, which may even include adults of the same species. However, one thing they share in common with the adults is that even at such a young age, their venom is already potent and deadly. The King Cobra in Singapore Although the King Cobra is usually thought of as being restricted to forests, it is quite adaptable and will sometimes live near people. In other parts of its range, the King Cobra may be found in rice paddies and farmland, in plantations, and even near villages, as long as there is enough forest cover nearby. In fact, such places may even ultimately attract King Cobras; since rodents are abundant in agricultural areas and settlements, snakes that eat rats are lured by the prospects of good feeding opportunities, which in turn provide a rich hunting ground for the King Cobra. King Cobras can even be found in forest patches near densely-populated urban areas. For example, the species still survives in parts of Hong Kong. In mainland Singapore, the King Cobra is mostly restricted to forests, woodlands, and mangroves, although they are occasionally encountered in more developed areas. One stronghold is the Central Catchment Nature Reserve; a number of records have taken place in the vicinity of Rifle Range Road, MacRitchie Reservoir, and Upper Thomson. One male measuring 4.42 metres in length was found at the Singapore Island Country Club along Island Club Road in June 2002, but sadly, was beaten to death. That individual is now on display in the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. They have also been seen in condominiums and military camps located along the forest fringes. Wild King Cobras are sometimes encountered within the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, with some sightings taking place in broad daylight and in areas crowded with visitors. King Cobras have also been seen at Bukit Panjang on at least two occasions; one was a juvenile about 60 centimetres long, found in the Segar area in March 2000, while the other measured 2 metres long, and was seen in a drain near Bukit Panjang Plaza in November that same year. Both individuals were caught and sent to the Singapore Zoo; over the years, the zoo has received and kept quite a few King Cobras, with some of them going on display. Oddly, the King Cobra has yet to be recorded from the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, although it is likely to be present there. Another stronghold for the King Cobra is in the west of Singapore, encompassing the Western Catchment, Jalan Bahar, Lim Chu Kang, and Kranji areas. There have been quite a number of sightings of this species at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in recent years, which now appears to be the place where you have the higher chance of spotting this large but elusive snake. The species is also present on Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong. Interestingly, an adult was even encountered somewhere in Sentosa in May 2007. More records of this species in Singapore can be found in this paper published in 2011. Its majestic restraint Despite the King Cobra's size and deadly venom, it is not an aggressive snake by nature; even though it is not uncommon in some parts of its range and can be found living close to people, reports of bites are rare in comparison to those of other venomous snakes. Yes, its bite should never be taken lightly, but as a whole, it seems like these snakes possess a relatively mild temperament and placid disposition. Some accounts describing the capture of King Cobras say that the snake did not attempt to strike even when it had every opportunity to do so; instead the snake appeared to be more intent on trying to escape, deploying its threat display without following up on the threat with its fangs. Still, there have been instances where the King Cobra does mean business and strikes, with dire consequences. The King Cobra can be considered one of the more charismatic snakes; it's large, it has a fearsome reputation (not just because it's highly venomous, but also because it routinely eats other snakes), and as many people who have been close to one can testify, is a really majestic and unique creature. Filmmaker Janaki Lenin, who worked on a National Geographic documentary about the King Cobra, wrote:
There's something uncanny about the way a king cobra looks you in the eye. It's an indescribable feeling, an encounter with a sentient being. It's about making contact with an entity so utterly different from anything one knows and normally relates to. Keepers say that when they open the door to the king cobra cage, the snake is so perceptive of what's going on; it knows whether the keeper is planning to feed it or whether he is just checking up on it. But it is its majestic restraint that reveals its personality. For the 6 months it took to shoot the film, we were all in such close proximity to king cobras I marvel that no accident took place. And this is more due to the tolerance of the snake than anything else. The more closely we work with an animal, the more we take it for granted. We flaunted our own security protocol several times; each time the king cobra just warned us, mock charging but never carrying it through. This made us respect the creature more than any other.
There are a number of observations stating that in comparison to other snakes, King Cobras come across as being very alert, observant, and intelligent. Some people have asserted that captive King Cobras recognise their owners, and can be trained to some degree. But it's important to remember that these are still unpredictable, potentially deadly animals; ironically, quite a number of King Cobra bites involve people that were deliberately handling the snake, such as snake charmers and reptile hobbyists. All it takes is a moment of carelessness and bad luck, and a person with years of experience in handling highly venomous snakes could still end up in a life-threatening situation. Vanishing kingdom In Singapore, the King Cobra's survival depends on the continued protection of its habitats. Areas such as the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve are already protected, but development of other areas displaces King Cobras and other wildlife, and forces them to roam in search of new territories to occupy. Conflict with people is a major issue; a snake wandering into an urban area risks getting seen by frightened humans, and may end up seriously injured or killed. The roads that run alongside many of our forests and wooded areas present another hazard; some recent sightings of this species were of roadkills. Deforestation, persecution, and hunting threaten wild populations of King Cobras elsewhere, but exploitation for the tourist trade is another serious threat to the species in some locations. In several other parts of Asia, King Cobras are often caught for their meat and to make traditional medicines; the species is on the menu in the snake soup restaurants in Hong Kong. At the same time, it is revered in some cultures, and involved in snake charming performances. However, some unethical snake charmers are known to render their potentially deadly captives harmless, either by pulling out the fangs, or stitching the snakes' mouths shut. The King Cobra is among several species of snakes raised on so-called snake farms in several countries in the region, such as Thailand and Vietnam. Some farms raise snakes for meat, skins, and traditional medicines, while others operate under the guise of extracting venom for research and production of antivenom. Many of these farms, as well as too many awful zoos, are marketed as tourist attractions, and incorporate shows featuring King Cobras and other snakes being provoked and prodded for gawking visitors. Many captive snakes are not kept in suitable conditions and suffer injuries, or catch diseases and parasites, slowly wasting away and eventually dying while being made to perform for gawking crowds. Sometimes the snakes are taxidermised, or immersed in jars of rice wine to be sold to tourists. It's also not always clear whether these King Cobras were bred in captivity, or wild-caught; it's likely that a lot of these organisations simply replace those that die with more King Cobras captured from the wild. In some places, overhunting appears to have all but wiped out King Cobra populations. Due to the decline in wild populations in many parts of its range, the King Cobra is considered globally vulnerable to extinction. In many ways, the plight of the King Cobra illustrates the common challenges of conserving large predators: this species is constrained by ever-shrinking forests and encroachment, and individuals wander into inhabited areas where they come into conflict with people. It is hunted and consumed for meat, and also used in traditional medicines. Captives are often exploited, kept in substandard conditions, abused and subjected to the stress of performing for tourists. Yet at the same time, it is supposedly respected and revered by some of these very same cultures. If there is another iconic predator of the Asian forests that shares the very same problems faced by the King Cobra, it is the Tiger. Previous edition: Sunbirds
30 March 2020 — Report to the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee Introductory Statement: All but two powers have been delegated by the President under the Bayanihan Act. The delegated powers mainly involve: (1) Providing Emergency Assistance to Affected Sectors, (2) Securing Facilities and Resources for the Health Sector and (3) Perfoming Fiscal and Monetary Actions for the Economy [p 2, pars. 3–4] Specifically: Sec. 4(a) authorizes the President to adopt and implement measures to suppress further transmission and spread of COVID–19 through effective education, detection, protection and treatment:
Bureau of Immigration — Further immigration formalities for passengers arriving from China, Hongkong, Macau, Taiwan, South Korea, Iran and Italy (p. 1)
Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) — All facilities are in total lockdown; visitation privileges temporarily suspended; alternatives such as E-dalaw & tele-conferencing have been adopted; no mass congregation activities; no “mask no entry” policy. Expenses are at PhP 47, 363, 816.47 (p. 2)
Department of Foreign Affairs — Repatriated 1806 Filipinos; 4800 Filipinos in the next two weeks (p. 2)
DILG —
Activated the National and Regional Emergency Operation Centers;
Bureau of Local Government Supervision has issued 2 Memorandum Circulars (MC) in implementing the Luzon Enhanced Community Quarantine;
Advisory Opinions have also been released on the unrestricted movement of food supplies, cargo and business
PNP — Establishment of the National Joint Task Force Corona Virus Shield (JTF CV SHIELD) composing of the PNP, AFP and Coast Guard to set-up strategic quarantine control points and implement protocol on unhampered movement of cargo and essential personnel
POEA — 28 advisories and 5 memorandum circulars disseminating information on (a) information re: COVID—19, (b) travel and trade advisories from the WHO; (c) guidelines re: restriction and deployment of returning workers; (d) guidelines on POEA transaction; (e) monitoring and assistance of OFWs affected by COVID–19
PCOO — employed communication strategies to promote public awareness and understanding concerning COVID–19
Office of the Presidential peace Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) – facilitated requests for the transportation of PPEs, testing kits and other Medical Supplies to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)
Department of Transportation (DOTr) — studying deployment of floating quarantine hospitals
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) –
Assisted via its field units to provide disinfection and sanitation services; 336 decontamination tents and 76 gantries have been installed, with 415 convergence areas (checkpoints, gov’t facilities, schools, hospitals, and markers); provided 1 technical personnel to assist PGH and 18,000 surgical masks to 3 major hospitals;
Created a task force to facilitate the conversion and utilization of different public buildings and 110 evacuation centers as health facilities, emergency operation centers or food hubs—at the moment there are 19 of them as health facilities, 15 as food hubs
Department of Info and Communications Technology (DICT) —
Assisted DOH in extending communication dispatch capabilities, designing and implementation of Executive Information Dashboards, expanding the DOH’s call center expansion and Telemedicine Initiative; additional protocols for tracking COVID–19 patients
Launched the Laging Handa Website with the PCOO
Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) — 90 special permits issued to transport pathological and infectious wastes
DOST — launched a public information drive on (a) proper nutrition during ECQ and (b) to dispel fake news,
National Transmission Corporation (TransCo.) — agreement with Lung Center of the PH to use TransCo dormitory facilities
Section 4(b) authorizes the President to expedite and streamline the accreditation of testing kits and facilitate prompt testing by public and designated private institution of PUIs and PUMs and the compulsory and immediate isolation of patients
DOST —
Php 53.2 Million funding for the test kits developed by the UP National Institutes of Health (UP NIH). Field Validation will be finished by April 1, Wednesday. Field Implementation for 26,000 kits will be conducted from April 04 to 25 in 5 hospitals
Partnership with Ateneo de Manila University enhance the Feasibility Analysis of Syndromic Surveillance Using Spetio–Temporal Epidemiological Modeler (FASSSTER) for Early Detection of Diseases, an application for visualizing spread of diseases and outbreaks.
Studies on The Clinical Characteristics and Transmission Patterns of COVID–19,
The Efficacy of Lauric Acid and its Derivatives against COVID –19 in partnership with Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), The use of RxBox for telemetry monitoring of cases with the team from UP–PGH, UP Diliman Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (UP–EEI), UP Manila National Telehealth Center (UP–NTHC) and IONICS EMS Inc. Production of 500,000 reusable, washable, and re-wearable by the DOST–Philippine Textile Research Institute Section 4(c) authorizes the President to provide an emergency subsidy to low income households
IATF–EID — Approved a Joint Memorandum Circular on the implementation of the Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP), which includes a provision of cash or non–cash subsidy for low income household beneficiaries amounting from Php 5,000 to PhP 8,000 per month for 2 months
DOF —
Will provide the DSWD technical assistance in forming a database to host COVID–19 social amelioration programs
Currently coordinating with the IATF–Technical Working Group for the submission of budget augmentation requests to the DBM
DOLE – distributed to 8641 beneficiaries PhP 5000.00 pursuant to DOLE–COVID–19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP), and the payout of the remaining beneficiaries will be in batches (March 30, April 06, and April 07). The total amount disbursed is PhP 95,430,782.00; current beneficiaries are at 51, 293
Section 4(d) authorizes the President to provide special risk allowance to the health workers in additional to hazard pay
DBM —
Drafting an executive issuance to cover the COVID–19 special risk allowance for all public workers
Issued Budget Circular No. 2020–1 to guide implementation of the Hazard Pay grant.
Section 4(g) authorizes the President to ensure that all LGUs are acting within the letter and spirit of all the rules, regulations and directives issued by the National Government pursuant to RA No. 11469, including the implementation of the community quarantine, and authorizes LGUs to use more than 5% of the amount allocated for their calamity fund subject to additional funding from the National Government
NBI is investigating and filing charges against officials
CHED has issued guidelines re: use of SUCs as quarantine centers
DepEd has issued guidelines for use of school facilities as quarantine centers
Section 4(i) empowersed the President to continue to enforce measures to protect the people from pernicious practices affecting the supply, distribution and movement of food, clothing, hygiene, and sanitation products, medicine and medical supplies, fuel, fertilizers, chemicals, building materials, implements, machinery equipment and spare parts required in agriculture, industry and other essential services and other articles of prime necessity, whether imported or locally produced or manufactured.
DTI —
Issued Joint Memorandum Circular 2020–01 to ensure compliance of the Price Act and Consumer Act, to implement a price control and prevent hoarding, panic buying and profiteering
Conducted joint marketing inspections with the DA
DA — reactivated the Local Price Coordinating Councils to monitor prices and implement the price freeze
DPWH – deployed 402 vehicles nationwide to serve as transportation facilities
Section 4(j) authorizes the President to ensure that donation, acceptance and distribution of health products intended to address the COVID–19 public health emergency are not unnecessarily delayed
DFA – facilitated donations from 4 foreign governments, 1 international organization and 12 private companies
DICT – coordinating with DFA for an accessible website re: information on International Humanitarian Assistance to promote transparency
DPWH – provide local assistance to the DSWD and National Housing Authority in tranporting manpower, equipment, foods for foodpacks to Western Visayas and La Union
Bureau of Customs (BOC) – provided online filing of required documents to ensure unhampered processing of shipments of medical and other emergency supplies.
Section 4(n) authorizes the President to ensure the availability of credit to the productive sectors of the economy especially in the countryside.
DTI – preparing for the implementation of the PhP 1 Billion P3 Enterprise Rehabilitation Financing (ERF) which includes restart and restock of businesses to avoid foreclosure of business assets
Section 4(p) authorizes the President to ensure availability of essential goods by adopting measures to facilitate and/or minimize the disruption of the supply chain
DA – formulated the Food Resiliency Action Plan; reported that the basic food requirements nationwide are sufficient with the national rice inventory this quarter enough to last for the next 75 days
DICT – coordinating with the DOST to create RapidPass.Ph to expedite community access passes for cargo, authorized vehicles and authorized persons outside residence
Section 4(r) authorizes the President to regulate and limit the operation of all sectors of transportation through land, sea or air, whether private or public;
DOTr –
has established the DOTr Emergency Operations Center to respond to transportation related queries
Has established a coordination mechanism with relevant agencies for the repatriation of Filipinos
Section 4(t) authorizes the President to continue to authorize alternative working arrangements for employees and workers in the Executive Branch, and whenever it becomes necessary, in other independent branches of government and constitutional bodies, and the private sector;
All Executive Offices have adopted alternative working arrangements
DOLE – noted that 3082 establishments with 137,496 affected workers implemented flexible work arrangements and 6060 establishments with 190,932 workers opted for temporary closure.
Section 4(u) authorizes the President to adopt temporary emergency measures to conserve and regulate the distribution and use of power, fuel, energy and water, and ensure adequate supply of the same;
DENR – with the National Water Resources Board, ordered all water utilities and water service providers to refrain from disconnecting water supplies
Section 4(v) authorizes the President to direct the discontinuance of appropriated programs, projects or activities (P/A/P) of any agency of the Executive Department, including government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCC), in the FYs 2019 and 2020 General Appropriations Act (GAA), whether released or unreleased the allotments for which remain unobligated, and utilize the savings generated therefrom to augment the allocation for any item directly related to support operations and response measures, which are necessary or beneficial in order to address the COVID-19 emergency.,
DBM has noted that no appropriated programs, projects or activities have been discontinued. The advice of the DBM is to utilize all existing released allotments for COVID–19 response activities. The following agencies have been directed to re-utilize the following appropriated funds for COVID–19 response activities: a. DSWD – PhP 108.765 Billion appropriated and released for the 4Ps; PhP 23.184 Billion appropriated and released for Social Pension for Indigent Filipino Citizens; PhP 6.08 Billion released (appropriation is at PhP 8.733 Billion) for Quick Response Fund (QRF) b. DOH – PhP 9.44 Billion released (appropriation is at PhP 10.483 Billion) for Medical Assistance to Indigent persons; PhP 500 Million released (appropriation is at Php 600 Million) for QRF c. DOLE – PhP 4.357 Billion released (appropriation is at PhP 6.787 Billion) for TUPAD–GIP
Section 4(w) authorizes the President to consider abandoned the purpose of any unutilized or unreleased balance as of the date of declaration of State of Emergency, and all such funds, including future collections and receipts, shall be deemed appropriated for measures to address COVID–19 NOTE: No Special Purpose Funds (PhP 372.719 Billion) have been utilized except the PhP 500 Million replenishment of the DOH QRF, charged against the NDRRM Fund.
DOTR – remitted dividends in advance of over PhP 10 Billion from PPA, MIAA and CAAP
DBM – currently preparing a masterlist of unreleased appropriations under Special Purpose Funds (PhP 372.719 Billion).
Section 4(x) authorizes the President to reprogram, reallocate, and realign from savings on other items of appropriations in the FY 2020 GAA in the Executive department, as may be necessary and beneficial to fund measures that address and respond to the COVID-19 emergency, including social amelioration for affected communities, and the recovery of areas, sectors and industries severely affected. All amounts so reprogrammed, reallocated or realigned shall be deemed automatically appropriated for such measures to address the COVID-19 situation NOTE: No funds have been reprogrammed yet pending the submission of the IATF–EID of its final budgetary requirements. Section 4(y) authorizes the President to allocate cash, funds, investments, including unutilized or unreleased subsidies and transfers, held by any GOCC or any national government agency in order to address the COVID-19 emergency as declared in Section 3 hereof;
The DOF and BTr added PhP 300 Billion to its cash reserves via a repurchase agreement facility with the BSP. The National Government will be allowed to convert PhP300 Billion government securities to cash on the condition that it will repurchase the securities at a predetermined period of not more than 6 months
Section 4(z) authorizes the President to move statutory deadlines and timelines for the filing and submission of any document, the payment of taxes, fees, and other charges required by law, and the grant of any benefit, in order to ease the burden on individuals under Community Quarantine;
BIR — extended the deadlines for filing 2019 ITR from April 15 to May 15
MIAA & CAAP — extended to airport concessionaires a rental holiday for one month
NWRB — extended validity of temporary water permits issued to MWSS for 1 month
Section 4(aa) authorizes the President to direct all banks, quasi-banks, financing companies, lending companies, and other financial institutions, public and private, to implement a minimum of a thirty (30)-day grace period for the payment of all loans falling due within the period of the enhanced community quarantine without incurring interests, penalties, fees, or other charges.
DTI – 127,000 micro enterprises have benefitted from the moratorium
Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development GOCCs – 3 month moratorium on the payment of loan amortizations
Landbank – relief packages created
Section 4(cc) authorizes the President to implement an expanded and enhanced Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program and to provide other assistance programs
DSWD
Implemented a 2 month Expanded Pantawid Pamilya Program
Distributed Food and Non Food Items to 473 clients, costing PhP 22,314,982.38.
Delivered food packs to different LGUs
Section 4(dd) authorizes the President to lift the thirty percent (30%) cap on the amount appropriated for the quick response fund, as provided for in Republic Act No. 10121 or the “Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2020”, during the existence of the state of national emergency due to COVID-19;
NEDA – assisted LGUs in interpretation and implementation of this provision
Section 4(ee) authorizes the President to undertake such other measures as may be reasonable and necessary to enable the President to carry out the declared national policy subject to the Bill of Rights and other constitutional guarantees.
LGUs are instructed to fast track and simplify procedures on
Extending validity of permits, licenses, certifications and other similar authorizations
Electronic submissions and approvals
Suspension of notarization requirement
Reduction of signatories and requirements
Employment of online payment schemes
Submission of reguilatins by email
OWWA — provided transport, food and accomodation assistance to returning and departing OFWs under the Hatid Sundo Program. Total number of serviced OFWs is currently at 1,957
National Prosecution Service — introduced Electronic Online Inquest
CHED and DepEd —
issued guidelines on alternative modes of instruction, completion of school requirements, computation of final grades and graduation
Facilitated return of students and personnel stranded during the ECQ
Healthcare Workers in the Philippines During the COVID-19 Pandemic
For the first time in decades, I am facing the most challenging and dreadful event I have ever experienced. It feels like I am living in a completely new world, stuck in the midst of this pandemic –– the COVID-19. Whenever I look out from my window, I wonder how people are doing these days, especially the healthcare workers who do the exact opposite–– instead of locking themselves down for safety, they will bravely go to hospitals, risking their lives to save another life. I have seen a lot of posts by healthcare workers about their experiences, describing the physical and mental exhaustion they are suffering during this pandemic. Despite the sacrifices, they still face abuse, stigma, shortage of PPEs, and underpay. It is a sad truth that the government is not ready for what is currently happening. As the patients infected with the virus are accelerating, the healthcare workers are getting in the state of higher risks of being infected as access to better facilities and PPEs, is becoming a significant problem. Consideration of PPEs is essential, aside from hand hygiene and waste management, because it dramatically reduces the risk and exposure to infections and other hazards. It serves as a barrier between the person and the viral and bacterial contaminants. Furthermore, this may also protect people with a high risk of acquiring infections such as those who are immunodeficient. There have been photos that are circulating the social media showing the images of healthcare workers wearing rubbish bags and motorcycle helmets as alternative protection due to lack of PPEs. Some even started to make their DIY PPEs. As of April 22, 2020, the DOH announced that there are more than 1000 healthcare workers in the Philippines who turned out positive for COVID-19, and 26 are dead (Sabillo, 2020). Even the president of the Philippines Alliance of Young Nurse Leaders and Advocates (AYNLA), Reigner Antiquera, believes that the death of health professionals because of the COVID-19 could be prevented if the government provided them with sufficient PPEs. On account of this, I agree that this high number is caused by the crisis within the Philippines' healthcare system, mainly the lack of sense of urgency to protect our healthcare workers. In President Rodrigo Duterte's national address recently, he addressed the healthcare workers saying, "It's an honor to die for the country." While it is apparent that most of the healthcare workers have found it insensitive and offensive, it gained so much hate and backlash from the people against the president. From that, I don't think anyone wants to die from the virus, and one does not have to die to honor the country. The statement was just wholly a romanticization of their deaths, sugarcoating, and covering it up with patriotism. Healthcare workers deserve more. Moreover, despite facing the shortage of PPEs, testing capacity, workforce, and the threat of the pandemic every day in the hospital, healthcare professionals still suffer abuse and stigma. The rising number of COVID-19 patients is not the only dilemma healthcare workers have been facing, but also discrimination. It is apparent that anxiety has widely spread among the people of this country that they even see our front liners as the enemies, thinking that they might spread the infection as well. On March 27, a hospital worker, surrounded by five men, was doused with bleach on the face while walking to the hospital. An ambulance driver was also attacked by people, believing that he had been carrying people with the virus (Antiquera, 2020). It came into my realization that our government's incompetency is not only the problem but also our own people's lack of understanding and humanity among them. They have been suffering from physical and mental exhaustion after 24/7 work in the hospital, the pain of losing patients in front of their eyes, and even the anxiety that they might as well spread the infection to their families. It is genuinely heartbreaking how healthcare workers have been receiving the treatment they do not deserve. They are silent as they act as people's protectors, but they need help from us too. Sufficient PPEs is not enough; they also need rest, psychological support, increase in pay, and especially the support from the people. We, as the people of this country, are the only answer for humanity. Instead of seeing them as the enemy just because we are anxious about getting infected, we should fight not against them, but with them. Nothing can match the sacrifices they have been serving our country.
The Effects of a Global Thermonuclear War, worst-case scenario by Wm. Robert Johnston, 18 August 2003
For the purposes of illustration it is assumed that a war resulted in mid-1988 from military conflict between the Warsaw Pact and NATO. This is in some ways a worst-case scenario (total numbers of strategic warheads deployed by the superpowers peaked about this time; the scenario implies a greater level of military readiness; and impact on global climate and crop yields are greatest for a war in August). Some details, such as the time of attack, the events leading to war, and the winds affecting fallout patterns, are only meant to be illustrative. This applies also to the global geopolitical aftermath, which represents the author's efforts at intelligent speculation. There is much public misconception concerning the physical effects of nuclear war--some of it motivated by politics. Certainly the predictions described here are uncertain: for example, casualty figures in the U.S. are accurate perhaps to within 30% for the first few days, but the number of survivors in the U.S. after one year could differ from these figures by as much as a factor of four. Nonetheless, there is no reasonable basis for expecting results radically different from this description--for example, there is no scientific basis for expecting the extinction of the human species. Note that the most severe predictions concerning nuclear winter have now been evaluated and discounted by most of the scientific community. Sources supplying the basis for this description include the U.S. Defense Nuclear Agency manual on nuclear weapon effects, scientific papers describing computer simulations of long-term effects published by groups ranging from the U.S. government to left-leaning scientific organizations, and research by a similar variety of groups on weapons characteristics and strategy. 1 July 1988: Gorbachev is killed when his plane is attacked by a Stinger surface-to-air missile in East Germany; military heads take control in Moscow, accuse the CIA of responsibility for the assassination, impose a news blackout in the U.S.S.R., and send troops to East Germany and Poland to impose martial law. 15 July 1988: West Germans propose intervention in East Germany following reports of violence there; clashes occur along the border between the two Germanys; NATO puts its forces in West Germany on alert. 19 July 1988: A massive Soviet invasion of West Germany begins: NATO airfields are attacked by missiles with chemical warheads as tanks pour across the border. U.S. nuclear forces are put on alert: Bergstrom Air Force Base (AFB) near Austin receives 4 B-52 bombers dispersed from their home base. 31 July 1988: With Soviet forces 200 kilometers (km) (120 miles) inside northern West Germany, NATO issues a vague ultimatum to the U.S.S.R. 1 August 1988: NATO nuclear weapon depots are attacked by conventional and chemical weapons; ongoing naval combat claims a Soviet ballistic missile submarine in the Arctic Ocean. 4 August 1988: NATO threatens the use of tactical nuclear weapons against Soviet forces advancing towards urban areas in western West Germany. 6:00 AM CDT 5 August 1988: Soviet attacks begin against U.S. military satellites: two ground-based laser facilities are used to disable intelligence satellites in low Earth orbit and damage or harass sensors on those in higher orbits. "Killer" satellites are launched and will reach target satellites over the next few hours. Some of the Soviet civilian population is being moved to bomb shelters, subway tunnels, and out of cities. In West Germany invading Soviet forces launch some tactical nuclear weapons against NATO forces. 10:00 AM CDT 5 August 1988: NATO forces begin launching tactical nuclear weapons against Soviet forces in West Germany and bases in East Germany. North Korea invades South Korea while launching chemical weapon strikes against U.S. and South Korean forces. 12:00 noon CDT 5 August 1988: Nuclear hostilities on a global scale begin as the U.S.S.R. launches a preemptive strike. Over 1,000 Soviet missiles--carrying 5,400 warheads--are launched as a counterforce strike against the U.S. and its NATO allies. Current population figures are: Rio Grande Valley--690,000; Travis County--550,000; Texas--16,800,000; the United States--245,000,000; the world--5,150,000,000. 12:05 PM CDT: Nuclear weapons are detonated aboard several Soviet satellites in low Earth orbit over the U.S. and other areas, generating electromagnetic pulses (EMP). This devastates electronics in these areas. Most unhardened computers and related equipment are rendered useless, destroying communication, information, and power supply networks on a nationwide scale. Transportation vehicles using electronics are inoperable. Many satellites are disabled. While few human casualties have occurred so far, much of the civilian elements of a continent- spanning society are devastated. For most American civilians this is the only warning of the coming attack they will receive: no effective civil defense program exists. U.S. strategic bombers begin leaving their bases. This includes 25 B-52s and 5 B-1Bs in Texas, with four of these B-52s leaving Bergstrom AFB near Austin. These 30 bombers are carrying 400 nuclear bombs and missiles. 12:10 PM CDT: NATO missiles in Europe (U.S., British, and French weapons) are launched against Warsaw Pact targets. This includes U.S. Pershing II and Gryphon missiles, most of which were not yet retired under the INF treaty. Soviet submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) warheads begin reaching targets in Texas and other parts of the U.S. Over the next 15 minutes 55 SLBM warheads succeed in reaching targets in Texas out of 74 launched (the rest were on missiles that malfunctioned early in flight). In Travis County, a 1.5-megaton (1 mt equals the explosive energy of 1,000,000 tons of TNT) warhead detonates 2.5 km (1.5 miles) over Bergstrom AFB. Over the next few minutes ten warheads, each between 200 kilotons and 500 kilotons (1,000 kt equals 1 mt) detonate over Bergstrom and in a pattern extending 100 km (60 miles) to the north, west, and east--this in an attempt to destroy the four escaping bombers. Each explosion produces a fireball which radiates intense light (flash) for about 10 seconds: all exposed combustible material ignites up to ranges of 3 to 9 km (2 to 5.5 miles); second degree burns to exposed skin and fires are produced up to 6.5 to 18.5 km (4 to 11.5 miles) away. The atmospheric shock wave (blast) from each explosion causes partial or complete destruction of all buildings within 1.5 to 4.5 km (1 to 3 miles) and causes moderate damage and 50% injuries or deaths at 5.5 to 15 km (3.5 to 9.5 miles) in the 10 to 40 seconds following detonation. (These figures represent the variation among 200-kt to 1.5-mt warheads exploded in the air or on the ground.) Severe damage and fires result in much of Austin. Immediate nuclear radiation from the weapons being used is generally absorbed by the atmosphere before it reaches people surviving the flash and blast. (This radiation is only important with small nuclear weapons such as the bombs dropped on Japan in World War II or the tactical nuclear weapons being used in Europe. Delayed radiation from fallout is a different matter, however.) 12:15 PM CDT: The U.S. launches intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) against the U.S.S.R. These are launched from underground silos in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, and Missouri. Some SLBMs are launched at this time as well. 12:25 PM CDT: The U.S.S.R. launches most remaining nuclear forces, attacking cities and other targets in the U.S. and Western Europe as well as mainland China. Antiballistic missiles (ABMs) with nuclear warheads are being launched to defend Moscow from incoming warheads. Throughout the U.S.S.R. several types of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) are also being used against incoming nuclear warheads--occasionally with success. 12:30 PM CDT: Soviet ICBM warheads begin reaching U.S. targets. NORAD headquarters near Colorado Springs receives a few 20-mt warheads: the ground shock produced by each one attains 7.3 on the Richter scale. U.S. submarines begin launching SLBMs against the U.S.S.R. In Texas, 80,000 people have already died. Altogether, over 1,000 tons of debris from Soviet ballistic missiles will fall over the U.S.; much will burn up in the atmosphere, but some larger objects will hit the ground with energy equivalent to their own weight in TNT. 12:35 PM CDT: Another wave of Soviet warheads arrives in Texas: 45 of the 53 ICBM warheads targeted in Texas actually detonate successfully. In Travis County, a 550-kt warhead detonates on the ground at the former site of Bergstrom AFB, adding to the devastation in Austin. In the Rio Grande Valley, a 550-kt warhead detonates on the ground at the Raymondville Coast Guard station and a second one two minutes later; Raymondville is destroyed. With Soviet warheads minutes away, Israel launches nuclear missiles and nuclear-armed aircraft against capitals and military targets of most other Middle Eastern nations. 12:50 PM CDT: A massive barrage by U.S. SLBMs mostly overwhelms the Moscow ABM system; American, British, French, and Chinese nuclear warheads targeted within 100 km (60 miles) of Moscow total over 500. About 200 reach their targets (although only about 40 were lost to ABMs): while most Soviet leaders in underground shelters survive (the primary goal of the local ABM system), most civilians in the subway tunnels and other shelters will die over the next few hours. The Moscow area ranks with the six ICBM fields in the U.S. as the hardest hit areas of the world. An average of 350 warheads detonate in each ICBM field, each producing a crater 350 m (400 yards) across; a total of 100,000 sq. km (40,000 sq. mi.) is devoid of life. Out of 1,000 ICBM silos, 100 still had ICBMs; now six are left usable. The nuclear weapons that have reached Texas so far were directed against U.S. military forces and capabilities. Although this attack did not specifically target the civilian population, it has so far killed 800,000 and injured 3,000,000 people in Texas. 1:00 PM CDT 5 August: A third strike reaches Texas, with 146 warheads launched. Two 750-kt warheads detonate over Austin. In the Rio Grande Valley, a 1.1-mt warhead detonates over Brownsville, three 350-kt warheads detonate around McAllen, and 550-kt warheads are groundburst in Harlingen and at Cameron County Airport. Massive fires and severe blast damage occur throughout all of these metropolitan areas. This concludes most of the nuclear war in Texas: 273 warheads were fired at 233 targets, and 215 detonated successfully, with a total yield of 128 megatons (about 40 times the explosive force of all conventional bombs and shells used in World War II). In addition, about 5 off-course warheads struck randomly in Texas. At this point 3,500,000 Texans have been killed. 2:00 PM CDT: About 5% of the land area in Texas is burning. In a few areas conditions permit firestorms to develop. In contrast to the World War II atomic bombings in Japan, continuous fire areas sometimes cover hundreds of square km (or sq. mi.), preventing survivors from escaping. Fires cover about 700,000 sq. km (270,000 sq. mi.) in the United States, 250,000 sq. km (100,000 sq. mi.) in the U.S.S.R. and 180,000 sq. km (70,000 sq. mi.) in Europe. Scattered or continuous fires rage across more than one-third of the area of several states, including North Dakota, Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. 3:00 PM CDT: Intense naval combat between U.S. and Soviet ships and submarines includes the use of tactical nuclear weapons. U.S. naval superiority has been offset by Soviet naval nuclear superiority: U.S. ships are being destroyed by nuclear cruise missiles and nuclear torpedoes. By the end of the day the superpowers will have lost over 100 vessels altogether. Since most major dams in the U.S. have been destroyed by nuclear explosions, flooding is progressing downstream from these reservoirs. Some rivers particularly affected are the Missouri, Colorado, and Tennessee Rivers. 5:00 PM CDT: The mushroom clouds from nuclear explosions have drifted 100 to 300 km (60 to 180 mi.) downwind, frequently forming the leading edge of large smoke plumes. In the darkness beneath these plumes, temperatures have dropped noticeably. Vaporized soil and other material, mixed with radioactive bomb residues, settles to the ground in areas where mushroom clouds pass overhead: this is fallout. Immediately downwind of groundbursts, radiation from fallout may be severe enough for exposed persons to already suffer ill effects. The black rain occurring beneath many clouds is radioactive-- sometimes enough to burn the skin after prolonged contact. Smoke downwind of urban fires is also hazardous. The blasts and fires have consumed 70% of the world's industrial capacity. Toxic chemicals have been released in large amounts. 7:00 PM CDT: Soviet bombers are delivering weapons against U.S. cities and other targets, including high-yield bombs and long-range cruise missiles. None of these targets are in Texas, however. The largest individual weapons used in the war are a couple of 50-mt Soviet bombs dropped in China: craters 2 km (1.3 mi.) across are produced, and severe or moderate damage is produced in an area up to 100 km (60 miles) across. NATO and Warsaw Pact tactical nuclear weapons are being used by the hundreds along the front in West Germany. Missiles and aircraft have been launched against most cities and military targets in Europe, and nuclear combat has degenerated to disorganized use of short-range systems, especially missiles and nuclear artillery shells. U.S. Green Berets are crossing enemy lines carrying the smallest nuclear weapons to be used: these atomic demolition munitions are used to destroy bridges and similar targets and have explosive yields as low as 10 tons of TNT equivalent (somewhat more than the truck bomb that destroyed the Marine barracks in Lebanon in 1983). 9:00 PM CDT: Some bombers from Texas are delivering their weapons to Soviet soil, having survived Soviet air defense forces (many using nuclear-tipped anti-aircraft missiles). About half of the weapons carried by Texas bombers actually reach their targets (amounting to 200 warheads with a total yield of 40 mt). Nearly all of these weapons have selectable explosive yields, and usually a yield much lower than the maximum option is used. Only ten of these bombers manage to reach friendly territory afterwards, and they are generally forced to make emergency landings: the U.S., for instance, has less than 100 surviving runways capable of handling B-52s. 12:00 midnight CDT 5/6 August 1988: The nuclear exchange is generally over. In the U.S. 5,800 warheads detonated totaling 3,900 mt. Soviet and NATO weapons successfully used in Europe numbered 3,300 (1,200 mt) (excluding tactical weapons). About 6,100 warheads (most of them American, but some Chinese, British, and French) exploded in the U.S.S.R. with a total yield of 1,900 mt. Mainland China (P.R.C.) received 900 (detonating) warheads (1,300 mt) from its northern neighbor. Other areas receiving at least a dozen warheads include Canada, North and South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Greenland, Puerto Rico, India, Israel, Australia, Guam, Cuba, Syria, and Egypt. Hundreds of other nuclear weapons have been used in naval combat, in troop combat in West Germany and along the U.S.S.R./P.R.C. border, and in defending the Soviet Union from nuclear attack. About 50% of the global strategic and theater nuclear arsenal has been used. About 10% was launched but did not reach a target and 30% was destroyed on the ground. Altogether, World War III has involved the detonation of 18,000 warheads with a total yield of 8,500 mt. Including tactical weapons, there were 67,000 nuclear weapons in the world a day ago; now, there are 10,000 left. In Texas 6,400,000 have been killed (38% of its original population). Of the 10,400,000 survivors, 3,000,000 have severe injuries and 2,000,000 have lesser injuries. In the Rio Grande Valley 340,000 have been killed (49%) and 90,000 injured (13%); in Travis County over 400,000 are dead (75%). In the U.S. about 110,000,000 people have died altogether, with the 135,000,000 survivors including 30,000,000 injured. In the U.S.S.R. about 40,000,000 have been killed out of a pre-war population of 285,000,000. Mainland China has had 100,000,000 killed out of a population of 1,090,000,000. Examples of other countries: United Kingdom, 20,000,000 killed (out of 57,000,000); Denmark, 2,700,000 killed (out of 5,100,000); Australia, 3,000,000 killed (out of 16,000,000). In Mexico over 3,000,000 have been killed, mostly in cities on the border with the U.S. Throughout the world about 400,000,000 have died. 9:00 AM CDT 6 August: Survivors in urban areas are having little success at finding medical help. For the United States as a whole, hospital beds in surviving hospitals total 80,000, while severe injuries total 20,000,000. About 9,000,000 people in the U.S. have severe burns on much of their bodies, while only 200 beds in burn care facilities survive in the country. Many remaining hospitals lack even emergency power, due to the EMP attacks. The vast number of injuries force doctors and nurses to try to ignore patients that cannot be saved or have non-life threatening injuries. Many survivors in urban areas are in the process of fleeing to neighboring areas in search of medical care and to escape fires; this puts them in the open, often exposed to fallout. Midnight CDT 6/7 August: Israel is being attacked by Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. About one-third of Israel's military forces survived the Soviet nuclear attack; they are now occasionally using nuclear artillery shells against attacking troops. Other Arab states are preparing to join the campaign. The situation is tense between India and Pakistan: both nations have a handful of small atomic bombs, and India was attacked with Chinese nuclear weapons. Meanwhile civil war is developing in South Africa and various other nations. Early 7 August: Deposition of fallout in Texas is generally over with, and 80% of the radiation that will result from this fallout has already been emitted. Fire-produced pollutants are noticeable throughout the state-- including smoke, smog, and various hazardous chemicals--with urban areas still burning. In those parts of Texas affected by fallout, radiation sickness is already evident in many survivors, including symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and skin burns. In a few small areas fallout has been severe enough to already have killed many of those exposed, by causing radiation damage to the central nervous system. Survivors are having difficulty dealing with injuries, lack of food and medical help, and emotional shock. The U.S. government is essentially gone, as well as most state governments; only two state capital cities survive (the missiles targeted on them malfunctioned). The Rio Grande Valley is receiving refugees from Mexico--survivors of devastated areas seeking help. 10 August: The smoke clouds in the northern hemisphere are spreading to produce a band around the world covering the primary participating nations. Large amounts of particles in the atmosphere include 1,500 million tons of dust, 25 million tons of smoke from vegetation, and 80 million tons of smoke from cities and other manmade sources. This last type of smoke has the greatest impact: smoke from petroleum and petroleum products is particularly effective at absorbing sunlight. Altogether, about 0.4 cubic km (0.1 cu. mi.) of dust and smoke is in the stratosphere. Typical sunlight levels in Texas are comparable to an overcast day; in some areas, smoke from large continuing fires reduces mid-day light levels to that of twilight. The average temperature in Texas is 22° C (72° F), compared to 29° C (85° F) a week ago. 12 August: About 90% of the radiation that will result from fallout in Texas has been emitted. The average radiation dose in Texas is about 500 rem; by comparison, a dose of 100 rem in less than a week causes radiation sickness in half of people exposed; 50% of people exposed to 450 rem in a short period will die within 30 days; and a dose of 1,500 rem will kill nearly all people exposed within 10 days. Persons who stayed indoors the whole week generally cut their dose by 70%; staying in designated areas of marked fallout shelters would reduce dosage by 99%. For the entire U.S., the average dose in the open from fallout is 1,200 rem; by comparison the average for the Soviet Union is 150 rem. The difference comes from the larger average yield of Soviet weapons, the larger size of the Soviet Union, the frequently "dirtier" nature of Soviet weapons, and the fact that more Soviet warheads are exploded on the ground (increasing fallout). For Europe the average dose in the open is 500 rem. This fallout is of course unevenly distributed: in the U.S. the dose exceeds 1,800 rem in about 8% of the land area, and the dose exceeds 500 rem in about 1% of the U.S.S.R. In most of the areas affected by fallout, radiation is diminished sufficiently to be of little concern to people there. However, areas downwind of nuclear strikes on nuclear power plants are still dangerous-- in some locations 100 km (60 mi.) downwind of such strikes, radiation levels are high enough to kill in 2 days. Radiation levels are still high enough to cause sickness from 2-days' exposure in areas up to 500 km (300 mi) downwind of the ICBM fields. Delayed fallout is being deposited throughout the northern hemisphere: this is from radioactive material launched into the stratosphere, falling over a larger area for months to come. The health effect from this, however, will not be noticeable against the background of other problems. 20 August: In the northern hemisphere, smoke in the lower atmosphere is subsiding (although smoke in the upper atmosphere still absorbs much sunlight). Unusual weather includes windy conditions in some coastal areas. Fog has developed over the oceans and smog envelops the interior of North America and Eurasia. Fallout from the northern hemisphere is now reaching the southern hemisphere. Radiation levels there will peak at ten times the natural background levels--this will not pose a health risk, but it produces fear in many countries. Many persons suffering radiation sickness are now showing additional symptoms: hair loss and leukopenia. (Those that survive to the end of the year will regrow their hair.) Combat continues in central Europe, mostly without tactical nuclear weapons. The position of the front is little changed, with forces on either side unable or unwilling to budge. 25 August: The ozone layer has been cut in half over the northern midlatitudes. In spite of this, nearly all of the Earth's surface is receiving less solar ultraviolet radiation than before the war: smoke in the northern hemisphere blocks most sunlight, and as this smoke was initially injected into the atmosphere much ozone was displaced into the southern hemisphere. This situation will change. Disorganized forces from Iraq, Iran, and Libya are beginning to join the Arab battle against Israel. North Korean forces have overrun many remaining cities in South Korea. Civil war has developed throughout China: with much of the government and military wiped out by Soviet nuclear attack, surviving communist forces are under attack and ethnic conflicts are developing. Tibet has declared independence. Ethnic conflict is also breaking out among surviving populations in some parts of the Soviet Union and Europe. Naval combat between NATO and Soviet vessels has slackened. Before the war the U.S. had fifteen aircraft carriers; three were destroyed in port on the first day and five more have been destroyed by Soviet naval nuclear weapons. A number of submarines survive with ballistic or cruise missiles. Hardly any satellites in Earth orbit are functioning. EMP bursts disabled most civilian satellites. Debris from anti-satellite attacks is dispersing and striking more satellites, while particle radiation from nuclear explosions above the atmosphere is trapped in the Earth's magnetic field, making near-Earth space lethal to men and satellites for months or years to come. 1 September: Light levels and temperatures in the northern hemisphere have reached their lows. Temperatures in the lower stratosphere (an altitude of 10 km/6 mi., where most atmospheric smoke is) are around 15° C (50° F)--this is 40° C (70° F) warmer than normal. At the ground, temperatures vary little with altitude (mountains are sometimes warmer than adjacent lowlands), but they vary significantly with distance inland. The interiors of North America and Eurasia are on average 10° C (18° F) cooler than normal--corresponding to normal temperatures for October or November. In west and north Texas temperatures are around 17° C (62° F); near the coast it is nearer 22° C (72° F). In the midlatitudes of the northern hemisphere sunlight is 25% or less of normal--sometimes insufficient for net plant growth. This helps reduce the formation of hurricanes this season. At this point 9,000,000 Texans and a total of 140,000,000 Americans have died. Mid-September 1988: Epidemics are developing among surviving populations, particularly food poisoning, dysentery, and typhoid. Displaced populations, including many injured, are particularly affected; those with radiation sickness are particularly vulnerable, since radiation sickness involves damage to the immune system: susceptibility to disease for those is increased by a factor of 2 to 5. In some locations outbreaks of disease are a consequence of the use of biological weapons. Early October 1988: Many crops are withering throughout the midlatitudes in the northern hemisphere. Sunlight, temperatures, and rainfall are all below normal; in many areas concentrations of ozone, smog, and other pollutants in the lower atmosphere are still high enough to afflict plants; and in restricted areas plants have suffered from fallout. This is particularly true in the American Midwest. About 200,000 se. km (80,000 sq. mi.) in the U.S. is still radioactive enough to cause radiation sickness after two weeks' exposure. At this point about 580,000 have died in the Rio Grande Valley (84% of the original population) and 40,000 are injured (6%); of Travis County's pre-war population, only 50,000 survive (9%)--most of whom have fled to neighboring areas. About 2,000,000 have died from fallout in Texas now, bringing the death toll to 10,000,000. Of the 6,800,000 survivors, 2,000,000 are injured and 2,000,000 are suffering radiation sickness (these two groups overlap). A total of 160,000,000 Americans have died, or 65% of the pre-war population; in the Soviet Union 90,000,000 have died. The death toll in the United Kingdom is 30,000,000 and in Denmark is 3,300,000. World population is now 4,300,000,000. November 1988: The ozone layer in the southern hemisphere is now 5% depleted. The effect of this will not be noticed, however, since it is less than natural variations. December 1988: Crop failures throughout the third world have caused famines in many areas and have also encouraged civil unrest. India has collapsed into civil war. Having devastated Israel, Arab nations are in chaos: the Middle East was heavily dependent on the Western nations economically. Surviving Taiwanese forces are participating in the civil war in mainland China. Some third world countries, particularly Latin American countries, are launching raids on U.S. coastal areas by sea. These military task forces scavenge and steal what they can find, from raw materials and food to equipment for industrial, military, and agricultural use. Surviving industrial facilities on the coasts, particularly the Pacific and Gulf coasts, are targeted. A couple of raiding parties have visited the Port of Brownsville's former location and surrounding areas but found little of interest. In the United States, exposure is a serious problem; the only source of heating for most survivors is wood fires. March 1989: Temperatures in the northern hemisphere are 4° C (2° F) below normal on average. This will shorten growing seasons and prolong agricultural disruptions. Before the war Japan was heavily dependent on food imports; now even fishing in neighboring waters is still unproductive. In Japan 30,000,000 starved to death this winter. Surviving Japanese military forces have waged attacks as far as Australia in search of food sources. The Midwestern U.S., formerly where most of the nation's grain was produced, received the greatest share of the fallout from strikes on ICBM fields; about half the rural population in this area escaped immediate effects but was killed by fallout. With modern farming technology unavailable, farming this year will be subsistence farming. The Mississippi River now reaches the Gulf of Mexico 300 km (200 mi.) west of its former mouth. Over the next few years much of former New Orleans will sink below sea level. Some peat bogs in the northern Soviet Union ignited by the nuclear war are still slowly burning; some will continue to burn for a couple of years. April 1989: Hundreds of thousands of Mexican refugees have come north hoping to find food. The population of the southwestern U.S. was relatively concentrated in urban areas; with these destroyed, Mexicans will soon represent a majority of the area's population. Violence often occurs when they encounter communities of survivors. Communities in the U.S. faring better than average include survivalist communities in the Northwest and Mormon communities in the Utah area. May 1989: Radiation hazards from fallout-stricken areas continue to diminish. In the U.S. about 10,000 sq. km (4,000 sq. mi.) is still radioactive enough for two weeks' exposure to cause radiation sickness. Over 90% of this area was contaminated by fallout from strikes on nuclear reactors. This includes about 400 sq. km (150 sq. mi.) in Texas. July 1989: Wildfires are recurring in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Fires especially sweep through the vast areas where fallout killed vegetation. This includes strips of land extending hundreds of km (or mi.) from strikes on nuclear reactor sites, often carrying radioactivity into the air again. Since the war, natural processes have begun to restore the ozone layer. In the northern hemisphere the ozone layer is 40% depleted, although localized depletions have sometimes been worse. The resultant increase in ultraviolet radiation has reduced plant growth and crop yields and made it easier to get sunburn. In the southern hemisphere ozone depletion is still around 5%. August 1989: Disease has ravaged the surviving population in the U.S. About 30% of survivors have been afflicted with one or more of the following: dysentery, food poisoning, viral gastroenteritis, typhoid, influenza, and pneumonia. These diseases have killed about 10,000,000 in the past year. Bubonic plague has broken out, killing nearly 1,000,000 so far and spreading to Mexico. Starvation is also a major cause of death: total food production in the U.S. in the past year was about 2% of that for the previous year. Famines are occurring throughout the third world--not from nuclear winter but from the social and technological collapse of agriculture. Much of the third world supplemented its agricultural capacity with fertilizers, insecticides, and food imports from the West. Political chaos in many areas and disruption of supply networks has also disrupted production. Food production in the third world in 1989 will be below half that of 1987. Surviving Americans now number 45,000,000, including 4,000,000 Texans. A few million surviving Americans are permanently sterile due to radiation exposure. World population is now 3,300,000,000. August 1991: The Earth's atmosphere has been quite nearly purged of soot and dust. Slightly cooler conditions persist due to large amounts of nitrogen oxides in the upper atmosphere. The primary impact is slightly shorter growing seasons in northern areas. Now that third world countries are recovering agriculturally and beginning to reduce famine, they are being stricken by epidemics. Bubonic plague has spread to Latin America and is appearing in Europe. Africa, which has been particularly ravaged by war and famine, is now seeing the spread of various diseases going unchecked by modern medicine. December 1992: Depletion of the ozone layer in the northern hemisphere is now only 15%, which is less than natural variations before the war. 2000: China, now under nationalist government, is trying to retake Manchuria (which had declared independence after the war) and Mongolia. Other nations are sufficiently secure internally to launch invasions to acquire various resources. 2010: Some people exposed to fallout after the war are now dying of cancer; however, cancer as a cause of death among the survivors is minimal compared to other causes: disease, starvation, and exposure. Chinese forces are operating in Southeast Asia, Japan, the Philippines, and particularly Siberia, where there is an influx of Chinese settlers. 2040: Some areas that received fallout from strikes on nuclear power plants and above-ground nuclear waste storage facilities are still uninhabitable and will remain so for some time to come. Genetic defects are found in as much as a few percent of the population born in the northern hemisphere after the war; however, most are not noticeable or are not handicapping. The more profound physical deficiencies are due to malnutrition. Some of the surviving nations have emerged by now as major powers, including Australia, New Zealand, China, Argentina, and Brazil. Source : http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/nucleanuclearwar1.html
By: Graham Peebles / NationofChange / Op-Ed - June 18, 2019 Read the article here:https://www.nationofchange.org/2019/06/18/zero-waste-the-global-plastics-crisis/ Plastic pollution is everywhere, it litters beaches, clogs up oceans, chokes marine life, is ingested by seabirds that then starve to death, and has even been discovered embedded in Arctic ice. It’s in the air we breathe, the water we drink (bottled and tap), and last year plastic was found in human stools for the first time. Friends of the Earth report that, “recent studies have revealed marine plastic pollution in 100% of marine turtles, 59% of whales, 36% of seals and 40% of seabird species examined.” According to the United Nations Environmental Agency the world produces around 300 million tons of plastic each year, half of which is single-use items, food packaging mainly. Of this colossal total a mere 14 per cent is collected for recycling, and only 9 per cent actually gets recycled; 12 per cent is incinerated releasing highly poisonous fumes. The rest – nearly 80 per cent – ends up in landfill, or worse still, is illegally dumped or thrown into the oceans; around eight million tons of plastic finds its way into the oceans annually, and while some of the environmental damage plastics cause is clear the full impact on marine and terrestrial ecosystems is not yet apparent. Plastic recycling rates are appalling and considerably lower than other industrial materials; recycling of steel aluminum, copper and paper e.g., is estimated to be 50 percent, and plastic doesn’t disappear it just gets smaller and smaller, reducing over hundreds or even thousands of years into tiny micro-plastics and nano plastics.
A wakeup call
Levels of plastic waste vary from country to country; based on the 2018 report‘Plastic Pollution’, daily per capita plastic waste in the United States, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Kuwait and Guyana is over “ten times higher than across countries such as India, Tanzania, Mozambique and Bangladesh.” Unsurprisingly, given its huge population (1.3 billion) and large manufacturing sector, China produces the greatest amount of plastic waste in the world, 59.8 million tons per year. However, at just .12 kilograms (4 ounces) per capita per day, this equates to one of the lowest levels of per person plastic waste in the world. The USA (population 327 million – 25% of China) is responsible for 37.83 million tons per year, or .34 kilograms (12 ounces) per person per day, three times that of China. America also produces “more than 275,000 tons of plastic litter at risk of entering rivers and oceans annually.” Germany produces 14.48 million tons per year, which at .46 kilograms (just over a pound) per person per day is one of the highest levels in the world, but unlike the U.S., Germany has on of the highest recycling rates in the world – recycling an estimated 48% (US 9%) of its plastic waste. Since the 1980s recycling has been regarded as the environmentally responsible way to deal with the colossal levels of rubbish humanity produces. Throughout developed countries collecting recyclable household waste has become widespread, but for decades the laborious job of actually recycling it has been exported, mainly to China. But on 31st December 2018, China announced it would no longer be the world’s garbage tip, stating, the Financial Times reports, “that large amounts of the waste were ‘dirty’ or ‘hazardous’ and thus a threat to the environment.” The “National Sword” policy introduced by the Chinese government has resulted in China and Hong Kong reducing plastic waste imports from G7 countries, from 60% in the first half of 2017, to less than 10% for the same period in 2018. Overall recovered plastic imports to China have fallen by 99%. China now only wants waste that does not cause pollution and meets certain cleanliness criteria. It’s a massive change to the recycling model that was long overdue and has caused chaos on many countries in the west, with large amounts of waste that should have been recycled being burnt or stockpiled. Desperate to find an alternative distant dumping ground to China, huge amounts of plastic waste have been shipped to south-east Asia. Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, where the largest quantity has gone; according to Greenpeace, imports of plastic waste to Malaysia increased from 168,500 tons in 2016 to 456,000 tons in the first six months of 2018, most of the rubbish coming from U.K., Germany, Spain, France Australia and U.S. The influx of such large quantities of toxic waste into these countries has led to contaminated water, crop death and respiratory illnesses. In May the Philippines forced Canada to take back “69 containers containing 1,500 tons of waste that had been exported in 2013 and 2014,” The Guardian reported. Other countries have responded in a similar way, with outrage: Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam have all introduced legislation to stop contaminated waste arriving in their ports. The Malaysian environment minister, Yeo Bee Yin, said, “Malaysia will not be the dumping ground of the world. We will send back [the waste] to the original countries.” Containers of illegal rubbish from Spain have been returned and a further 3,000 tons of illegally imported plastic waste from U.S., U.K., Australia, France and Canada has also been shipped back. The steps China has taken and the understandable anger of south-east Asian countries should serve as a wakeup call to western states, whose complacency and arrogance is fueling the environmental crisis. It is time that developed countries stopped exploiting poorer countries and accepted responsibility for their own plastic (and other) waste. In addition to recycling their own rubbish, developed nations, who are largely responsible for the environmental crisis, need to be cooperating with poorer countries, where most mismanagement of waste occurs. Helping them to design efficient waste management systems and financially supporting such schemes. If plastic pollution is to be reduced and effective recycling systems established, cooperation is essential. Recycling needs to be recognized as an environmental necessity, a social imperative and funded by government accordingly. As a business it is conditioned by business methods and motives; corruption and illegal practices abound, profit becomes the primary considerations and costs as obstacles to environmental sanity; it is a great deal cheaper e.g., to incinerate plastic waste, or dump it in a forest or the oceans, than it is to recycle it, which is labor intensive.
How to shop: Zero waste
The power to bring about fundamental changes through responsible policymaking, investment in green technologies and education rests with governments; they have a duty to act urgently and radically. Certain fundamental steps need to be taken: drastically reduce plastic use; eliminate single-use plastics altogether; recycle more – 9% is shameful. Invest inhigh-tech recycling facilities/waste management systems; ensure plastic products can be recycled; introduce national recycling standards (in the U.K. e.g., what local authorities will/will not accept varies) as well as worldwide agreements, with countries that lead the way on recycling, like Germany and Sweden being widely consulted. In a positive move last year at the G7 summit, five countries –U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the EU – signed the Ocean Plastics Charter. They pledged “to increase plastic recycling by 50% and work towards 100% reusable, recyclable or recoverable plastics by 2030.” The USA and Japan did not sign. Plastic is the third largest manufacturing industry in America, producing 19.5% of the world’s plastic; President Trump didn’t even attend the G7 climate change and environment talks. Individuals also have a crucial part to play in dealing with plastic waste and making politicians enact the radical changes required. We can all reduce the amount of waste we produce; aim at Zero waste, embrace simpler, environmentally responsible lifestyles, shop in Zero waste shops, where customers take their own containers and refill them from large dispensers. Western supermarket chains are responsible for colossal amounts of plastic waste and need to radically change the way their products are designed, packaged and sold; in the U.K., Waitrose, which has 5% market share, has introduced a pilot scheme in an Oxford branch where food dispensers are being trialed, encouraging customers to use refillable tubs and jars, their own or those freely provided by the shop. It is a common-sense move that all supermarket chains in western countries need to adopt, it is the environmentally right way to shop and, logically, products not sold in plastic should be less expensive. Zero waste shopping should be the aim, plenty of customers want it, and the environment is demanding it. Plastic pollution is one aspect of the global environmental crisis, a crisis rooted in consumerism and a socio-economic system championed by developed nations, which promotes greed, selfishness and division. Radical systemic changes are required together with changes in lifestyle and values if the environmental vandalism is to come to an end and the planet is to be healed.
Can ISO 9001 Certification in South Africa be used for machine shops?
Why and how ISO 9001 Certification in South Africa principles can help? The ISO 9001:2015 Certification in South Africa standard was established to help companies of any size implement a standardized QMS (Quality Management System) across any business or service sector. Even though this, many consultants and Quality Management System managers can attest to the belief that the standard can be especially effective in some manufacturing sector businesses, where establishing lean procedure and eliminating waste can bring significant and measurable results. Previously we looked at Plan-Do-Check-Act in the ISO 9001 Certification in South Africa Standard and this type of methodical cycle can also be central to driving continual development through the Quality Management System performance and manufacturing output of a machine shop. Given that, let’s see what clauses of the standard and activities we can undertake to meet them can help justify the implementation of an ISO 9001:2015 type QMS in a machine shop. https://preview.redd.it/7ufngu6n0ek41.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=05fcc77ea64a347db093aafb1f31e06e8f73b58e Aligning your processes to ISO 9001 Certification in South Africa clauses Context of the organization: The QMS and the associated processes. This gives your machine shops the chance to define its internal procedure preferably with input from employees, operatives and other stakeholders to ensure they are as efficient and lean as possible. This standardization will play an essential part in the future. There can be no enhancement without the starting point of standardized processes. Planning: Clause includes actions to address hazard and opportunities, and this can be a key section for your machine shops. Have you considered a S.W.O.T. (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threat) analysis? This can be a standard method for businesses in many sectors to identify areas where a competitive advantage can be gained. Assessment of hazard and opportunity can also be particularly effective for a machine shops to identify areas to enhance and this can be done using a traditional “probability versus seriousness of impact” matrix. The article How to address hazard and opportunities in ISO 9001 Registration in South Africa can provide guidance on this. Support: This clause includes several key aspects, such as competence, awareness and documented information. Have you equipped your employees with the correct competence, knowledge and training to perform well? If your machine shop procedure is supported with documentation, is it clear, concise and easy translatable to establish your employees can produce a consistent output from the process with no variation? The knowledge and data collected from your procedure can also allow you to tailor a training program that can enhance your business. The article How to measure training capability according to ISO 9001 Certification in Cape town can help you with this issue. Operation: This is a great clause and includes critical items such as operational planning and control, plus determining needs for products and services as well as their control. In better machine shop, two issues mostly tend to be the biggest cause of cost: waste material due to inaccurate planning, or “rework” time caused by repeating jobs due to similar root causes. Extra often than not, both of these issues can occur at the same time. This is where accurate operational planning for using the correct skilled employees and accuracy in determining product needs can be the keys to eliminating waste and ensuring “first-time” pass. Performance evaluation: Evaluating results of your QMS is one of the key foundations of determining corrective action or initiatives for enhancement. There are many ways this evaluation could be done in a machine shops, but a good method is measuring material waste and “rework time” spent, and attaching a cost to it. You can then contain your internal team and decide on improvement actions; is there a training gap causing errors and rework to be required? Is there a “knowledge and awareness” gap in terms of understanding and delivering against customer needs? Does your resource match your planned output? In a previous article named How to measure the cost of quality in line with ISO 9001 Certification in Philippines principles we looked at how to monetize and enhance process non-conformances, and this can be an effective way to reduce money and save cost in your machine shops. How to get ISO 9001 Certification in Philippines? If you are thinking about how to get ISO 9001 Certification in Philippines it is a strong recommendation to choose Certvalue. Because ISO 9001 registration in Philippines is very easy with the help of Certvalue. You can without much of a stretch arrive at Certvalue by simply visiting www.certvalue.com where you can chat with an expert or you can also write an enquiry to [email protected] so that one that one of our expert will get in touch with you at the earliest to produce best possible solution available in the market.
Why companies need ISO 9001 Certification and it benefits?
Getting ISO 9001 Certification in Singapore we have more profits each and every industry we get know more variation of getting these ISO Certifications. we can develop or increase our business growth across the industries. https://preview.redd.it/dm72gosxedj31.jpg?width=1330&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a2b406cb81048163529af52369ac979c1dc3743c What is ISO 9001? Definition: There’s a lot of meaning to unpack in that statement, so let’s break it down into the most important bits and examine them more closely: International: ISO applies equally to organization across the world Standard: It is a set of voluntary guidelines that organization agree to follow Quality: The ability to meet the expectations of the Clients consistently – every time and with every interaction Management System: A framework that informs the strategic decisions made by an organization to manage operations and develop its performance. The standard is based on 7 quality management principles: · Leadership · customer Focus · People's Engagement · process approach · Improvement · Evidence-based decision making · relationship Management ISO 9001 Standard are applied to a wide variety of origination globally. The common factor in the implementation of all quality management systems and ISO 9001 auditing is the organization objective: to avoid risk and develop quality. Benefits of ISO 9001 for construction companies Construction board teams that adhere to ISO 9001 Certification Services in Singapore toward the significant avoid in waste costs, greater efficiencies and a safer, happy work environment for employees. Engineers of all disciplines desire accuracy and efficiency, and they must manage a reputation amongst potential contractors for consistency. Being able to perform is one thing, but being able to repeat and scale that achievements to suit theeds of a variety of customers and situations will complete how successful engineers really are. Benefits of ISO 9001 for automotive manufacturers By implementing ISO 9001 Certification in Philippines manufacturing firms can communicate value to their markets. Hotels & Hospitality Process driven, Client facing industries such as the hospitality industry face unique achievements from a management perspective. In many hospitality businesses, a lack of documentation regarding ISO 9001 Standard operating process can let the development of the team down in the long run. Community services Having recognized systems and internal audits to handle feedback can also profit the long-term development of community services projects. Being able to regulate an increased level of successful program implementation can also mean develops funding from government bodies in the future. Benefits of ISO 9001 for tech-based firms ISO 9001 desire comprehensive documentation, standard operating plan and disaster recovery plans. This helps technology firms streamline complex internal processes and systems, in turn producing more streamlined and impressive result. Benefits of ISO 9001 for engineering firms Building ISO 9001 Quality management system guarantee into the service offering is important for engineering refectory, it determine an ability to identify potential hazards and inefficiencies and develop plans to mitigate these problems. It is these kinds of assurance that can help differentiate yourself in a crowded market. How to get ISO 9001 Certification in UK? Certvalue having Top ISO 9001 Certification consultant in Philippines if you are really want ISO 9001 consultant in Philippines visit our official website www.certvalue.com or Contact this mail id [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) so that our consultant touch with u
Beston Machinery is a leading supplier of waste tyre to oil plant which utilizes the innovative pyrolysis technology in converting tyres to oil. This makes it excellent in managing waste tires and as a result guaranteeing sustainability by lowering the ecological contamination, which has been a global hazard by adding to international warming. There have been enhancing demand for lasting options in waste administration as a result of the enhancing recognition on the effect of air pollution to the environment adjustment. Recycling has become among the most ideal way of dealing with waste because of the manufacturing of helpful products. The tire oil device generates tire oil which is made use of in industries as gas in addition to carbon black and also steel cable. The process of transforming tires to oil is fairly simple as hardly any person can quickly learn exactly how to run the tire oil maker without having any type of previous experience all credentials. The procedure starts by placing waste tyres right into a reactor and also revolving it clockwise. The feeding inlet door is then sealed firmly to make sure there are no gas discharges which may be hazardous to the drivers and the environment. The reactor is after that gradually heated up to around 250where the tires will create oil gas vapors. The vapors after that travel from the activator to the condenser where they are compressed and also melted. Any type of excess which is not melted is conveyed to the burning system via sophisticated safety tools and is made use of as gas in heating up the activator which saves a great deal of energy by minimizing gas consumption. Complying with the production oil, the activator is then cooled to around 40where the carbon black and steel wire is released. Continuous Tyre Pyrolysis Plant to the Philippines Our innovative tyre pyrolysis equipment for sale uses the current innovations which allow for the conversion of waste rubber, oil sludge and waste plastic which have actually been generally hard to handle as they are non-biodegradable and also thus have a really adverse influence on the environment. The multi-purpose functions ensure more effectiveness and also efficiency and consequently a fast return on investments. Financiers have a choice in between rotary pyrolysis reactor and fixed reactor. The rotary pyrolysis reactor is perfect for a customer with relatively tiny flooring room as well as lower budget plans. The activator turns at 360 facilitating uniform home heating and subsequently improving the pyrolysis performance. The uniform home heating greatly enhances the life span of the reactor and also as a result assures even more earnings while decreasing the investment prices. Its easy structure also facilitates more powerful adaptation making it perfect small producers. The dealt with pyrolysis activator makes use of a fixed furnace as well as is also described as a totally continual plant. It has higher working effectiveness as compared to the turning pyrolysis as the heating system sustains heat by itself. This substantially reduces the fuel expenses and also the constant heating process guarantees a higher oil return, as well as a result, produces higher profits for the financiers. Beston Machinery has taken on the most up to date global heating techniques which dramatically boost the service life of the tire to oil machine while not compromising on the home heating speed. This dramatically enhances the functioning performance in transforming tire to oil while additionally significantly driving the expense of production down. This makes the equipment extremely inexpensive in areas where gas expenses are considerably high and also increase profits over the long life span. The tyre oil plant employs a dedusting system in removing sulfur components. It also does not produce smoke, smells and for that reason it is significantly secure to the atmosphere along with the drivers. Our innovative condenser enables the liquefaction of hardly all oil gases hence raising productivity. Our experience and also quality have actually allowed Beston Machinery to be a leading vendor of the tire to oil plant around the world having delivered our machines across the globe to such countries as Canada, UK, Turkey, South-Africa and also Nigeria among other countries. Besides, our professional team supplies installation as well as training of the drivers allowing them to make use of the tire to oil device properly. Besides, our proficiency and also experience in the manufacture of the tire to oil equipment permit the adjustment of the plants to effectively meet the requirements of the clients.
Canada violated international law by dumping garbage in the Philippines: lawyers
This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 63%. (I'm a bot)
Canada broke international rules when it dumped more than 100 shipping containers of garbage disguised as plastics for recycling into the Philippines six years ago, a Victoria-based environmental law firm says. The containers should have been shipped back to Canada within 30 days of the Canadian government being made aware of them under the convention, Ho said. Canada's failure to take responsibility for the waste is another violation of the convention, Ho said, noting the law forbids the country of origin from transferring the obligation to properly manage the hazardous waste to the country importing it. Canada amended the regulations in 2016 so that now it applies the convention as long as the country receiving the goods believes they are hazardous, even if Canada does not. Ca, the Canadian Environmental Law Association, and the EcoWaste Coalition in the Philippines, sent the legal opinion to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week and urged him to finally order his officials to bring the containers back to Canada for disposal. Caroline Theriault, director of communications for Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, said Wednesday that Canada is aware of the 2016 court decision and "Is strongly committed to collaborating with the Philippines government to resolve this issue."
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Canada violated international law when it dumped more than 100 shipping containers of garbage disguised as plastics in the Philippines
This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 63%. (I'm a bot)
Canada broke international rules when it dumped more than 100 shipping containers of garbage disguised as plastics for recycling into the Philippines six years ago, a Victoria-based environmental law firm says. The containers should have been shipped back to Canada within 30 days of the Canadian government being made aware of them under the convention, Ho said. Canada's failure to take responsibility for the waste is another violation of the convention, Ho said, noting the law forbids the country of origin from transferring the obligation to properly manage the hazardous waste to the country importing it. Canada amended the regulations in 2016 so that now it applies the convention as long as the country receiving the goods believes they are hazardous, even if Canada does not. Ca, the Canadian Environmental Law Association, and the EcoWaste Coalition in the Philippines, sent the legal opinion to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week and urged him to finally order his officials to bring the containers back to Canada for disposal. Caroline Theriault, director of communications for Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, said Wednesday that Canada is aware of the 2016 court decision and "Is strongly committed to collaborating with the Philippines government to resolve this issue."
Legal Framework of Hazardous Waste Management Presidential Decree (PD) 1152, “the Philippine Environmental Code,” which took effect in 1977, provides a basis for an integrated waste management regulation starting from waste source to methods of disposal. PD 1152 has further mandated specific guidelines to Procedural Manual Title III of DAO 92-29 “Hazardous Waste Management” DENR AO – Series of 2004: DAO 1997-28: Amending Annex A of DAO 28 Series of 1994 Interim Guidelines for the Importation of Recyclable Materials Containing Hazardous Substances: DAO 1994-28: Hazardous Waste Management System. Email. Password Hazardous waste is essentially any substance that does not have any real, safe use for commercial, industrial or agricultural industries. This could be the main waste or any waste that is created or discarded during the manufacturing process. Here we talk about the waste management practices in the Philippines. Waste Classifications Procedural Manual Title III of DAO 92-29 “Hazardous Waste Management” DENR AO – Series of 2004 DAO 1997-28 Amending Annex A of DAO 28 Series of 1994 Interim Guidelines for the Importation of Recyclable Materials Containing Hazardous Substances Consortium on Hazardous Waste Research and the World Environment Center to assist in conducting the Methods for a Hazardous Waste Inventory Workshop and to prepare a . report on the present state of hazardous waste management in the Philippines under USAID/Philippines Grant Agreement No. AID 492-0432-G-SS-2070-00. Hazardous Waste Management The primary responsibility of the Environmental Quality Division-Hazardous Waste Management Section (EQD-HWMS) is to enforce and assist the EMB Regional Offices in the implementation of Title III (Hazardous Waste Management) of DAO 29, the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 6969 and DAO 2013-22, its Procedural Manual. Hazardous and Medical Waste management. Cleanway Technology Corporation is the first company in the Philippines to offer comprehensive hazardous and healthcare waste management solutions to industrial partners. Frilco Philippines Corporation Our services will make your Perplexing and Challenging waste management Easier, DENR permitting and Documentation Support. Hassle Free Transportation Assistance. Integrated Hazardous and non hazardous Waste management Program. Who is it for? Petro-Chemical Industry. Electronic and Equipment Industry.
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