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Thesis Statement, Scope and Limitations, Definitions

Used contact lenses are a growing source of microplastic pollution in waterways globally. The Philippines contributes significantly to ocean plastic pollution and has laws around solid waste management but these do not specifically address microplastics like those from contact lenses. This study aims to analyze research on contact lenses as water pollutants from other countries and assess whether the Philippines should pass a law to regulate proper disposal of contact lenses given its demographics and geography that could spread this pollution throughout its waters and beyond.

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Mik Zeid
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62 views

Thesis Statement, Scope and Limitations, Definitions

Used contact lenses are a growing source of microplastic pollution in waterways globally. The Philippines contributes significantly to ocean plastic pollution and has laws around solid waste management but these do not specifically address microplastics like those from contact lenses. This study aims to analyze research on contact lenses as water pollutants from other countries and assess whether the Philippines should pass a law to regulate proper disposal of contact lenses given its demographics and geography that could spread this pollution throughout its waters and beyond.

Uploaded by

Mik Zeid
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Thesis Statement

The possible harmful contribution of used contact lenses to the water pollution in the form of

microplastics around the globe is a growing concern for the society to take proper action

through a special law that should regulate its proper waste disposal, particularly in the

Philippines being one of the top 10 countries in the world that contribute to the vast plastic

pollutions in the oceans and seas.

While Philippine Republic Act 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000) begun

in July 24, 2000, it has not mentioned of any microplastic in its provisions. It once mentions

the word “plastic” in Section 15, paragraph k of its provision. This in instance should be given

notice as to its relevance in the effective means of implementing the law concerning the ill-

effects of plastic materials to the ecology and to the marine biology in particular. Despite

having the law, the contribution of the country’s plastics to the water pollution in the world

never ceases and instead continuously increases. This is an alley for the feasibility of newly

developed plastic-material products such as contact lenses, despite its modicum size, similarly

to become water pollutants. Thus, should be given notice by the law-makers.

Scope and Limitations

This research was conducted to determine the possibility of imposing a law that regulates the

proper waste disposal of contact lenses in the country. This study comparatively analyzes the

present research conducted by first world nations such as the United States and the United

Kingdom regarding the effects of contact lenses being water pollutants in the form of

microplastics. Such pollution resulted from improper disposal or negligence of the growing

number of users or even by the manufacturers as to providing or taking precautions on grounds

for health and environmental concerns. Philippines, in its demographic and archipelagic

feature, is of huge relevance as to the possibility of causing the disposed contact lenses to

contaminate its internal waters, surrounding seas and later to the oceans.
Definition of Terms
 Microplastics are small barely visible pieces of plastic that enter pollute the

environment and are any type of plastic fragment classified by the U.S. National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as less than 5 mm in diameter. They

enter natural ecosystems from a variety of sources, including, but not limited to,

cosmetics, clothing, and industrial processes.

 Lens is a transmissive optical device that focuses or disperses a light beam by means of

refraction.

 Contact lens is a thin lens placed directly on the surface of the eye as medical devices

worn to correct vision, or for cosmetic or therapeutic reasons.

 Pollution means such alteration of the physical, chemical and/or biological properties

of any water and/or atmospheric air of the Philippines, or any such discharge of any

liquid, gaseous or solid substance into any of the waters and/or atmospheric air of the

country as will or is likely to create or render such waters and/or atmospheric air

harmful or detrimental or injurious to public health, safety or welfare, or to domestic,

commercial, industrial, agricultural, recreational or other legitimate uses, or to

livestock, wild animals, birds, fish or other aquatic life.

 Treatment works means any methods, construction, device or appliances appurtenant

thereto, installed for the purpose of treating neutralizing, stabilizing, disinfecting, or

disposing of sewage, industrial waste or other wastes, or for the recovery of by-product

from such sewage, industrial waste or other wastes.

 Waters of the Philippines means all accumulations of water, surface and underground

water, natural or artificial, public or private or parts thereof, which are within the

Philippines or within its jurisdiction.


https://www.academia.edu/13430793/National_Pollution_Control_Commission
https://mclaw08.wordpress.com/2009/10/15/national-water-air-pollution-control-
commission-act-ra-3931/
http://www.vertic.org/media/National%20Legislation/Philippines/PH_Environment_Code_11
52.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microplastics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_lens
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1475-1313.2006.00427.x
http://emb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/RA-9003.pdf
https://www.compoundchem.com/2015/10/13/contactlenses/

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