Waste management is not only an environmental issue that requires a technical solution—it is also a social concern because the production and disposal of waste involves a hierarchy of actors. There are those who stand to benefit in the growth of the local economy; while others are exposed to the danger of hazardous waste and work environment. This article compares the work and health conditions among workers who are “directly” and “indirectly” exposed to hazardous waste and the waste management facilities of Bayawan City in Negros Oriental. Seventy-three percent of the randomly selected 120 waste workers are aware of the associated health risk of their work but this is relative to the extent of their exposure to hazardous waste and work environment, which subsequently is likewise linked to the perceived quality of their health. Therefore, ensuring a healthy workforce is recommended through the provision of health security measures and the appropriation of an annual budget for the said purpose that has to be properly allocated to meet both the technical and social priorities of an integrated waste management program.
