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Human and Social Biology School-Based

Assessment

To determine how the improper management of solid waste in the

communities leads to the infestation of rodents and insects.

Candidate Name: Ajuanie Wright

Candidate No: 1000392543
Date of Submission: 12 January 2023
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Table of Contents

Introduction
Background/Overview of Issue ........................................3
Problem Statement .......................................……………3
Research Objective ..........................................................3
Methodology .........................................……………………….3
Presentation of Data ..................................................................4-6
Analysis and Interpretation of Data .......................................... 6
Conclusion……………………………………………………..6
Recommendations .....................................................................7
Reflection .................................................................................. 7
Bibliography .......................................... ……………………7
Appendix.................................................................................8-10

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Background/ Observation

People in Hayes Clarendon for years have practiced improper waste management,
whether it be improper waste disposal or lack of garbage facilities. This unhealthy
practice has led to many deleterious occurrences such as the clogging of storm
drains and infestation of rodents and insects in the community.

Problem Statement

Improper management of waste in the Hayes community resulted in the infestation

of insects and rodents.

Research Objective

To determine how the improper management of solid waste in the communities

leads to the infestation of rodents and insects.

Methodology

Due to the questionnaire's simplistic nature, with only 10 multiple choice and short
answer questions, my group chose to use one. Though as a result, the gathering of
data was solely dependent upon when the respondents replied, which in turn
slowed the SBA process. We decided that our questionnaire would be directed at
students of any age from Glenmuir High School. A total of 10 questions asking

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about the personal experiences of the respondents as it pertains to waste

management in their community were asked and a sum of 40 responses was
recorded. All responses were then recorded and analysed using Google Forms in a
span of three weeks. This method was used as it would not only provide the data
but also ready-made statistical feedback which would generally save time in the
SBA process.

Presentation of Data

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5. Table Showing Whether You Believe That Keeping the Community's Gutters Clean
Would Be An Effective Way of Minimizing Insect and Rodent Infestation?

Answer Number of Responses Percentage (%)

Yes 33 82.5

No 5 12.5

Maybe 2 5

Analysis and Interpretation of Data

For 57.5% of responders, waste disposal is an issue in their community. 60% of
responders are visited by the garbage truck every month, while 12.5% are visted
every three months and 22.5% are rarely visited. From the data collected it was
determined that the main influence of the infestation of rodents and insects is
irregular visits from the garbage truck, possessing a 60% vote. While the second

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most prominent reason is ineffective methods of disposal practised by community

members, with a 30% vote, and the last 10% claiming it not to be an issue. As far
as solutions go, it was determined that keeping the community’s gutters clean
would be an effective way of minimising rodents and insects in the community,
with 82.5% of people agreeing with this proposal, while 12.5% only slightly
believed this would work and the remaining 5% said no.

Conclusion
Upon reviewing the collected and analysed data, it was concluded that irregular
visits from the garbage collectors in the community is the major cause of irregular
waste management and infestation. It was also concluded that the cleaning of
drains in the community is an effective way of minimising pollution and
infestation in the community.

Recommendation
The nation's administration needs to put long-term waste management plans into
place since it can seriously harm both the environment and public health by
spreading disease. By providing more garbage trucks, cleaning the service drains
of the communities and paying the garbage collectors a little bit more due to the
importance of their work, this may be a success.

Reflection
I have found that upon finishing this research, one thing that would be changed
providing we do this again would be the instrument of data collection, changed to
one more hands on and less time consuming. Nevertheless, throughout the SBA
process I learnt of the devastating effects poor waste management can have on a
community, for instance, how having to deal with a rat infestation leads to many
preventable illnesses like leptospirosis. This has opened my eyes to the importance
of maintaining a clean, healthy environment free of solid waste. Which in turn
encouraged me to practise different ways of effectively managing waste in my day
to day life. Throughout the process, I also learnt the importance of camaraderie and

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how powerful a force one can be when they are not just one, but many. Now both
me and my community members are now making every effort to avoid burning
trash, inform more neighbours about the issue, and call pest control when
necessary.

Bibliography
Rice, Alex. “Insect-borne Diseases - familydoctor.org.” FamilyDoctor.org,

23 September 2022, https://familydoctor.org/condition/insect-borne-

diseases/. Accessed 4 January 2023.

“Six Dangerous Diseases Spread by Rats and Rodents.” Earth Guard Pest

Control, https://www.earthguardpest.com/blog/2016/05/six-dangerous-

diseases-spread-by-rats-and-rodents/. Accessed 4 January 2023.

Appendix

1. Is waste disposal an issue in your community?

● Yes
● No
2. If yes, how has this affected your community?

____________________________________________________________________________

3 a. Do you believe that your community manages waste in an efficient manner?

● Yes
● No

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3b. State a reason for your answer.

______________________________________________________________________________

4. What strategies do you think should be implemented to get rid of insects and rodents?

● Contact Pest Control

● Create more proper disposal areas
● Do regular community clean-ups
Other: ______________________________________________________________________

5. How often does the garbage truck visit your community?

● Every month
● Every 3 months
● Rarely
● Never
6. What are some negative impacts of the infestation of rodents and insects in your community?

● Unpleasant smell
● Spreading of Diseases
● Contamination of food leading to unnecessary disposal/waste
● Invasion/ Destruction of home & property
Other: ______________________________________________________________________

7. What improper waste management practices exist in your community that influence the
infestation of rodents and insects?

● Irregular visit of garbage disposers

● Ineffective methods of disposal practiced by community members
Other: ______________________________________________________________________

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8. Do you believe that keeping the community's gutters clean would be an effective way in
minimizing insect and rodent infestations?

● Yes
● No
● Maybe

9. What are some diseases caused by insects and rodents in your community?

● Leptospirosis
● Hantavirus
● Rat-bite Fever
● Chikungunya
● Zika Virus
● Yellow Fever
Other: _____________________________________________________________________

10. In what ways do you help reduce infestations in your community?

_____________________________________________________________________________

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