Knowledge and attitudes toward plastic waste management among students in selected institutions of Nepal
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3126/njes.v13i2.84110Keywords:
Dumping and storage, educational institutes, Nepal, plastic waste, recycling, surveyAbstract
Plastic waste is an unavoidable consequence of the high consumption and production of plastic, which pose serious threats to the environment and public health. The present survey was carried out to evaluate awareness, attitudes, and practices among the respondents with respect to plastic waste. The responses were collected from 77 participants representing different educational institutes in Nepal using a closed-ended questionnaire. The present survey indicates that dumping and storage are the most commonly practiced methods of plastic waste management in Nepal, presenting limited availability of other management practices. The present survey report revealed that the frequency of the use of plastic items is very high among the respondents, since 80.5% of participants used plastic items every week. Most respondents (80%) were aware of the environmental impacts of plastic waste and emphasized the recycling and upcycling of plastic waste for its management. Statistical analysis, such as the Chi-Square test and Kendall's rank correlation, was carried out to understand the knowledge and behavior towards plastic waste in different educational institutes. The result of the Chi-Square test revealed that there were no significant differences in knowledge and behavior towards plastic waste in different educational institutes. Similarly, the correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between the knowledge and awareness of plastic waste and the use of plastic. The present result emphasizes on environmental education and improving management systems for positive behavioral transformation towards sustainable plastic waste management.
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