Many of us are not aware, but the common practice in the rural areas particularly in ricefields of burning of rice straws and other wastes from the farm contributes more to air pollution than the gases emitted by vehicles, if measured collectively.

This was the findings of the Department of Science and Technology in its First National Inventory of Dioxins and Furans. The DOST reported that uncontrolled open burning, highest percentage of which was burning of agricultural wastes, is the highest source of carcinogenic dioxins and furans – the known environment contaminants that are emitted during the combustion process. The high level of dioxins and furans releases was due to the low temperature and uncontrolled combustion of agricultural residues.

Based on the estimates made by the Industrial Technology Development Institute of DOST, 250 kg. of rice straw and 100 kg. of rice hull are burned per ton of rice produced or about 5,073,880 tons per year of rice straw and rice hull burned. This contributed to the dioxins and furans release to air and land of about 187.0457 g TEQ/a compared to the estimated emission by transport sector of about 0.12 g TEQ/a.

To address this, the Department of Agriculture under its Agri-kalikasan program launched a nationwide campaign against rice straw burning dubbed as “Huwag Sunugin ang Dayami.” The DA urges the farmers to stop burning rice straws, dried leaves and agricultural wastes and instead use them as compost fertilizers. In fact, the Bureau of Soils and Water Management has prepared a rapid composting technology dubbed modified rapid composting, that could help our farmers produce their own “compost” using the trichoderma fungus. It will hasten the decomposition process from 3 months to 3 weeks. (With reports taken from Manila Bulletin, August 1, 2006.)

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Source:
UMAsenso
Official publication of the Department of Agriculture RFU 5
Vol. 16 No. 1
January - March 2007