Solid Waste Management Awareness Attitude and Prac
Solid Waste Management Awareness Attitude and Prac
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Abstract
The paper assesses the solid waste management awareness, attitude, and
practices of the employees and students of a Catholic higher education institution
in the Philippines. Using a descriptive research design, the data were collected
using a self-administered survey questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive
and inferential statistics. The major findings of the study show that the
respondents demonstrated a very high level of awareness and attitude and high
extent of practice of solid waste management. A significant difference was found
in the awareness, attitude, and practices of respondents when they were
grouped according to status and religion. Also, the findings established the
relationship between awareness and attitude on one hand and the extent of
practice of solid waste management. Awareness, attitudes, and practices were
significantly related to age and educational level, except for sex which showed no
correlation with attitude and practices. Generally, this paper validates how
knowledge influences attitude that subsequently determines behavior
particularly in solid waste management as intervened by appropriate
environmental education.
estimate of 1.3 billion tons of waste that Critical to a successful solid waste
countries produced every year. With this management program is education.
trend, the world is expected to generate 4 Educating people and inviting them to
billion tons of waste by 2100 (Simmons, participate in waste management program
2016). The Philippines ranked highest in the and initiatives can help them understand
Southeast Asia regarding trash collection the waste issue and its consequences on
rate (Ranada, 2015) and the world's third- human and environmental health, and the
biggest dumper of plastic in the ocean ways they can to mitigate it (Chakraborti,
(Suarez, 2015). Also, the National Solid Hussam & Alauddin, 2003). Relevant to this
Waste Management Commission (2013) idea, R.A. 9003 mandates the stronger
reported that the Philippines generates integration in the academic curricula of
waste every year on an average of 0.40 kg formal and non-formal education of
per capita. With this generation rate, the ecological solid waste management and
amount of waste is expected to increase to resource conservation and recovery topics
16.63 million tons in 2020 from 14.66 to promote environmental awareness and
million tons in 2014 with Metro Manila as action among the citizenry (Section 2).
the highest waste contributor (DENR, 2015). Given this context, educational institutions
One strategic approach to address play a vital role in this environmental
this environmental problem is through solid education. Their educational programs and
waste management. Waste management is activities are potent means to raise
needed to reduce or mitigate the mounting awareness among the members of the
global crisis on waste which endangers academic community about this pressing
humanity, pollutes the environment, and environmental issue and to take active roles
damages communities. In particular, solid in the protection and care of the
waste management is "a form of waste environment, our common home.
control, often associated with storage, Guided by its vision, mission, goals,
collection, transport, process, and disposal and objectives as a Catholic University, the
of solid waste following quality standard of University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos
conservation, public health, engineering, (UNO-R) advocates ecological education
economics, and other environmental and spirituality among the members of the
concerns" (Rahmaddin et al., 2015). In line academic community which will hopefully
with this principle, the Philippine change, inculcate, and develop in them
government signed into law the Republic convictions, attitude, and practices
Act (R.A.) 9003 which is also known as respectful to the environment. In fact, the
Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of religious education, campus ministry, and
2000. The law provides the legal basis for a community extension programs consider
"systematic, comprehensive and ecological concern for the environment and people, as
solid waste management program which well as responsible stewardship of God’s
shall ensure the protection of public health creation, as integral to the university’s
and environment." It mandates the creation evangelizing mission. For instance, religion
of institutional mechanism and strategies subjects integrate discussion on the
for an effective implementation of the solid integrity of God's creation and man's
waste management program in the country. fundamental duty to protect and develop it.
Other subjects like science and
2017 Madrigal and Oracion 45
and the choice is made on available options campus, the educational institutions must
that will guarantee the greatest satisfaction engage in waste reduction and reuse as
or profit to the individual. Meaning to say, effective ways of reducing the impact of
individual human actions may also be environmental problems (Desa, Kadir, &
determined by self-interest based on the Yusooff, 2012).
pleasure and profit outcomes of doing or Cognizant of the significant role of
not doing. Thus, the theory implies that education in solid waste management, R.A.
proper waste management may not always 9003 mandates Philippine learning
be altruistic rather it may be influenced by institutions to integrate into their
weighing its cost and benefits. educational activities the awareness and
Relatedly, solid waste management practices of solid waste management for
awareness is an environmental campaign the environmental education of all
which aims not only to educate people on members of the academic community. The
the consequence of creating and managing introduction or integration of waste
waste but also to form in them the right management concepts and themes through
attitude which will consequently motivate environmental education in school at all
them to do desirable practices for waste levels will improve the understanding of the
disposal at home, in school, and elsewhere. members of the academic community on
Several studies have been conducted which proper waste management and more likely
linked responsible environmental behavior change their seemingly unfriendly waste
with knowledge, attitudes, verbal management behavior and practices
commitment, and sense of responsibility of (Ifegbesan, 2010 p. 211).
the person (Liou, 1992; Hines, Hugerford & A study by Desa, Kadir & Yusooff
Tomera, 1986); sociodemography, political (2012) that assessed the attitudes,
attitudes, environmental knowledge and behavior, and practices towards the solid
concern combined (Olli, Grendstad & waste management of 591 first year
Wollebaek, 2001). students from UKM, Bangi Campus showed
Given the context, education is vital that students have a high level of behavior
to the solid waste management program. and practices regarding solid waste
Educating people to waste management management program. However, the
will help them understand of the researchers noted that waste education and
indiscriminate disposal of waste to the awareness strategy are still needed to
environment and human health and develop more students' awareness and
empower them to act accordingly attitude towards managing solid waste to
(Chakraborti, Hussam & Alauddin, 2003). reduce the impact of the waste problem on
Along similar lines, environmental programs the campus.
must be integral to the school’s educational A similar cross-sectional study was
mission. Active participation of members of conducted by Licy et al. (2013) to assess the
the academic community is important in knowledge, attitude, and practice of 300
the implementation of its institutional high school and higher secondary school
programs for environmental protection and students on household waste management
sustainable development. Though recycling in Thrissur, Kerala. Using a self-
is the most visible, measurable, and administered questionnaire, the findings
enforceable environmental practice in the showed that high school students were
2017 Madrigal and Oracion 47
courses student took and their locality did corresponding to awareness, attitudes, and
not affect their environmental attitudes, practices on solid wastes management of
and behaviors. They also concluded that employees and students. Ten statements
gender affected environmental attitudes. were listed under each section, expressing a
Women were found to have high particular parameter in observable
environmental attitudes and behavior behavioral terms. The respondents
compared to men. Correspondingly, responded to each item using the Likert
Raudsepp (2001) also found a consistent scale such as Level of Awareness: 5 – very
relationship between demographics such as highly aware; 4 –highly aware; 3 –
age, education, and gender and moderately aware; 2 –poorly aware; 1 –
environmental issues and concerns. unaware; Degree of Attitude: 4 –strongly
Individual differences toward agree; 3 –agree; 2 –disagree; 1 –strongly
environmental issues may be apparent but disagree; and Extent of Practice: 5 –always;
collective action against common threat is 4 –often; 3 –sometimes; 2 –seldom; 1 –
not impossible to arrive at which this paper never.
wants to demonstrate.
significantly lower awareness, attitude, and However, their solid waste disposal
practices than that of faculty and the non- practices did not match their very high-level
teaching personnel. awareness. The result implies that while
Moreover, the Mann Whitney U knowledge and attitude may determine the
test, showed a significant difference in the course of person's environmental action,
awareness [U=16062.000, p=0.000], they must also be aligned with the
attitude [U=18158.000, p=0.018], and satisfaction and benefit that a person can
practices [U=16299.500, p=0.000] when derive from being concerned and
respondents were grouped according to committed to environmental initiatives.
religion. It implies that being a Catholic Thus, being conscious and convinced of the
University, its environmental education, in need to dispose of the solid wastes properly
general, and waste management program" must be coupled with the person's passion
in particular, were easily internalized by and will to do it because of its benefit to
Catholic students and employees. humans and the environment. This weak
The Pearson r test showed that and inconsistent relationship between
awareness was significantly correlated with environmental attitudes and behavior can
age [r(561)=0.316, p=0.000], education be attributed to the refusal to abandon the
[r(561)=0.379, p=0.000], and sex comforts of modern life (Diekmann &
[r(561)=0.129, p=0.002]. However, no Preisendörfer, 1998 as cited in Desa et al.,
significant correlation was noted between 2011). In like manner, Pope Francis (2014)
attitude [r(561)=0.025, p=0.025] and would attribute this to the prevalent
practices [r(561)=0.066, p=0.119] with sex. throwaway culture and consumerist
Nonetheless, these results further lifestyle of our generation.
confirmed how maturity in age and Moreover, the results indicated the
education were significant variables that shared consciousness, concern, and effort
enhanced positive relationships among the of the employees and students of the
cognitive, affective and active disposition of University to do something about the
individuals toward solid waste management mounting problem of solid wastes which
programs. There were significant endangers the environment and human
correlations between awareness and well-being. It validated the commitment of
attitude [r (561)=0.492, p=0.000], the University to environmental
awareness and practices [r (561)=0.520, sustainability which aims to establish a
p=0.000], and attitude and practices [r clean, greener, and safe campus for all the
(561)=0.412, p=0.000]. members of the academic community. In
this context, employees, especially
Discussion teachers, are expected to demonstrate a
Overall, the findings confirmed that more advanced environmental
behavioral intention and attitude indeed consciousness, attitudes, and practices.
influenced behavior. Meaning to say, the Teachers have the responsibility to teach
very high awareness and attitude of and guide students to understand
respondents on solid waste management profoundly and respond appropriately to
favorably influenced their solid wastes the problem of solid waste management
disposal practices at home and in school (Esa, 2010).
(Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975; Ajzen, 1991).
2017 Madrigal and Oracion 53
Likewise, the findings also affirmed that the more educated and matured in age
of the vital role that academic institutions the people are, the more aware, concern,
play in the environmental education and and committed they are towards
sustainability. Through their academic and environmental issues such as the problem
non-academic programs and initiatives, of solid waste (Raudsepp, 2001; Ifegbesan,
schools can indeed raise awareness, 2010; Adeolu, Enesi & Adeolu, 2014; GEM
develop the right attitude, and promote Report, 2015). On the other hand, the
desirable practices among the students, emphasis on care for the environment with
faculty, and staff which can help mitigate the release of Pope Francis' encyclical
the growing problem on solid wastes. Laudato Si (2014) and environmental inputs
However, active participation of the embedded in religious education
members of the academic community is instructions and environmental seminars
importantly needed to integrate and and fora may have in a way influenced the
implement environmental programs, mindset, attitude, and practices of Catholic
projects, and initiatives. More importantly, respondents on solid wastes management.
more than just being aware and interested, Furthermore, the findings revealed
employees and students must be truly that females are more conscious about solid
engaged in desirable and effective ways to waste management compared with males,
reduce the serious impact of the negating the findings of previous studies
environmental problem such as the that male are more knowledgeable on
indiscriminate disposal of waste (Desa, environmental issues such as solid waste
Kadir & Yusooff, 2012; R.A. 9003; Ifegbesan, management (Abdul-Wahab & Abdo, 2010;
2010). Previous studies claiming that Esa, 2010). In fact, related studies showed
awareness and attitude on solid wastes that women perceive and exhibit more
management problems do not necessarily environmental sensitivity compared to men
translate to effective solid waste (Paco, Raposo, & Fiho, 2009). According to
management practices (Ehrampoush International Institute for Sustainable
Moghadam, 2005; Adeolu, Enesi & Adeolu, Development (2013), women advocate and
2014; Yildiz, Yilmaz, Demir, & Toy, 2011) support environment-friendly products
have been validated by the current findings. than men. Nevertheless, regarding
Also, the significant difference found attitude, and practices, men, and women
in the awareness, attitude, and practices of were both have positive attitude and
respondents when grouped according to practices of solid waste management. Sex
status and religion signifies that employees has no correlation with attitude and
and Catholics were more aware, disposed, practices. The finding did not support
and actively engaged in solid waste previous studies on the relationship
management matters compared to between the practice of waste management
students and non-Catholics. Possibly, this and sex (Raudsepp, 2001; Eero, Grendstad
may be due to the educational attainment, & Wollebaek, 2001; Ifegbesan, 2010).
maturity of age, and rich experiences of Finally, the findings affirmed that
employees compared with students. The indeed there is a close association between
findings linked to age and education with knowledge, attitude, and practices on solid
solid waste management awareness, waste management. It found concurrence
attitude, and practices. It merely implies with the previous studies conducted (Jones
54 Recoletos Multidisciplinary Research Journal December
& Dunlap, 1992; Scott & Willets, 1994; environmental protection and sustainability
McKenzie-Mohr, Nemeroff, Beers & in the campus.
Desamrais, 1995; Bradley, Waliczek & For an effective implementation of
Zajicek, 1999; Franson & Garling, 1999; the law known as Solid Waste Management
Raudsepp, 2001 Eero, Grenstad Wolleback, Act, it is recommended that a school-based
2001; Ifegbesan, 2010). Solid Waste Management Program had to
be institutionalized and sustained to
facilitate comprehensive awareness, foster
4.0 Conclusion ethical attitude, and form environment-
friendly practices relative to solid waste
This paper has demonstrated that management among members of the
solid waste management awareness, academic community towards a safer,
attitude, and practices of students and healthier, and more sustainable university
University employees are closely linked, campus.
which suggests that one strategic approach
to implement successfully a solid waste
management program is education. The References
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