Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation

The issues, that small islands face, regarding the disposal and management of their solid waste are serious. Although not all small islands face the same problems, it is worth looking at one island in particular as a case study to get a better understanding of some of these issues. Malapascua Island in the Philippines, a small island, has over a very short time gone through a period of rapid development due to tourism. Malapascua Island’s solid waste disposal

infrastructure has not kept up with this rapid development. The management and disposal of solid waste has now become a serious issue that needs addressing. Malapascua’s current issues create a platform for the study of the causes as well as possible solutions to the issue of solid waste management. The approach taken is to describe well-developed solid waste management systems contrasted with the current problems faced on Malapascua to examine if there is any way of adapting modern systems to serve Malapascua’s current and future needs.