The Experts below are selected from a list of 195 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Shu-chun Chang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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The Difference of Knowledge and Behavior of College Students on Plastic Waste Problems
Sustainability, 2020Co-Authors: Rospita Odorlina P. Situmorang, Ta-ching Liang, Shu-chun ChangAbstract:Environmental education in the academic level is the most effective way to increase environmental awareness of college students particularly in handling Plastic waste problems. This study aimed to compare the student’s knowledge and behavior on Plastic waste problem between environmental science and social science students and to examine the correlation of knowledge and behavior to reduce Plastic waste. Through survey of 98 students of National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, we compared the students’ knowledge and behavior on Plastic waste problems by t-Test and Chi-square analysis, and we used Kendall’s rank correlation to evaluate the correlation of knowledge and behavior. This study found that the differences in majors resulted in the significant differences in knowledge on the negative impacts of Plastic waste, where the students who are majoring in environmental sciences have higher score than the students in social science. Relating behaviors, the differences in majors also resulted in the significant different behaviors to reduce Plastic Usage, where the students with major in environmental sciences have the better behavior to reduce Plastic Usage for daily life than the social science students. These behaviors were shown in purchasing products with Plastic packaging, preparing shopping bag, re-using Plastic bags, taking own meal box, and having food on the sites to reduce single used Plastic package. This study also found the positive correlation between environmental knowledge on Plastic waste and behavior to reduce Plastic waste in the daily life.
Alessandro Banterle - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Do Consumers Really Want to Reduce Plastic Usage? Exploring the Determinants of Plastic Avoidance in Food-Related Consumption Decisions
Sustainability, 2020Co-Authors: Alessia Cavaliere, Silvia Pigliafreddo, Elisa De Marchi, Alessandro BanterleAbstract:The mass production and use of Plastics over the past decades is now posing a threat to the environment due to increasing pollution. The industrial transition towards more sustainable Plastic alternatives has already started, but the process will require years to become truly feasible from an industrial and economic standpoint. In the meantime, a significant contribution to limit Plastic-related environmental impact could arise from consumers’ daily consumption choices. This study aims at investigating the determinants of consumers’ decision to avoid purchasing single-use Plastic eating utensils, food products with multiple Plastic packaging, and Plastic water bottles while grocery shopping. The results of the Structural Equation Model reveal that environment- and health-related concerns associated with Plastics are key drivers of Plastic avoidance. Instead, subjective knowledge and the importance attached to the commitment of third parties for tackling the Plastic issue only indirectly affect consumer behaviors with regard to Plastic avoidance.
Subrata Hait - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Plastics in the time of COVID-19 pandemic: Protector or polluter?
The Science of the total environment, 2020Co-Authors: Neha Parashar, Subrata HaitAbstract:The COVID-19 pandemic has reemphasized the indispensable role of Plastics in our daily life. Plastics in terms of personal protective equipment (PPEs) and other single-use medical equipment along with packaging solutions owing to their inherent properties have emerged as a life-savior for protecting the health and safety of the frontline health workers and the common citizens during the pandemic. However, Plastics have been deemed as evil polluter due to their indiscriminate littering and mismanagement amid increased Plastic Usage and waste generation during this unprecedented crisis. This article reviews and assesses to dwell upon whether Plastics in the time of pandemic are acting as protector of the public health or polluter of the environment. Considering the utilities and limitations of Plastic along with its management or mismanagement, and the fate, an equitable appraisal suggests that the consumers' irresponsible behavior, and attitude and poor awareness, and the stress on waste management infrastructure in terms of collection, operation, and financial constraints as the major drivers, leading to mismanagement, turn Plastic into an evil polluter of the environment. Plastic can be a protector if managed properly and complemented by the circular economy strategies in terms of reduction, recycle and recovery, and thereby preventing leakage into the environment. To safeguard the supply chain of PPEs, several decontamination techniques have been adopted worldwide ensuring their effective reprocessing to prioritize the circular economy within the system. Policy guidelines encouraging to adopt safer practices and sustainable technical solutions along with consumers' education for awareness creation are the need of the hour for preventing Plastic to turn from protector with high utility to polluter.
Rospita Odorlina P. Situmorang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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The Difference of Knowledge and Behavior of College Students on Plastic Waste Problems
Sustainability, 2020Co-Authors: Rospita Odorlina P. Situmorang, Ta-ching Liang, Shu-chun ChangAbstract:Environmental education in the academic level is the most effective way to increase environmental awareness of college students particularly in handling Plastic waste problems. This study aimed to compare the student’s knowledge and behavior on Plastic waste problem between environmental science and social science students and to examine the correlation of knowledge and behavior to reduce Plastic waste. Through survey of 98 students of National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, we compared the students’ knowledge and behavior on Plastic waste problems by t-Test and Chi-square analysis, and we used Kendall’s rank correlation to evaluate the correlation of knowledge and behavior. This study found that the differences in majors resulted in the significant differences in knowledge on the negative impacts of Plastic waste, where the students who are majoring in environmental sciences have higher score than the students in social science. Relating behaviors, the differences in majors also resulted in the significant different behaviors to reduce Plastic Usage, where the students with major in environmental sciences have the better behavior to reduce Plastic Usage for daily life than the social science students. These behaviors were shown in purchasing products with Plastic packaging, preparing shopping bag, re-using Plastic bags, taking own meal box, and having food on the sites to reduce single used Plastic package. This study also found the positive correlation between environmental knowledge on Plastic waste and behavior to reduce Plastic waste in the daily life.
Jayanta Bhattacharya - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Challenges, opportunities, and innovations for effective solid waste management during and post COVID-19 pandemic
Resources conservation and recycling, 2020Co-Authors: Hari Bhakta Sharma, Kumar Raja Vanapalli, Vr Shankar Cheela, Ved Prakash Ranjan, Amit Kumar Jaglan, Brajesh Dubey, Sudha Goel, Jayanta BhattacharyaAbstract:The crisis brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic has altered global waste generation dynamics and therefore has necessitated special attention. The unexpected fluctuations in waste composition and quantity also require a dynamic response from policymakers. This study highlights the challenges faced by the solid waste management sector during the pandemic and the underlying opportunities to fill existing loopholes in the system. The study presents specific cases for biomedical waste, Plastic waste, and food waste management - all of which have been a major cause of concern during this crisis. Further, without active citizen participation and cooperation, commingled virus-laden biomedical waste with the regular solid waste stream pose significant negative health and safety issues to sanitation workers. Single-use Plastic Usage is set to bounce back due to growing concerns of hygiene, particularly from products used for personal protection and healthcare purposes. It is expected that household food waste generation may reduce due to increased conscious buying of more non-perishable items during lockdown and due to concerns of food shortage. However, there is a chance of increase in food waste from the broken supply chains such as food items getting stuck on road due to restriction in vehicle movements, lack of workers in the warehouse for handling the food products, etc. The study also stresses the need for building localized resilient supply chains to counter such situations during future pandemics. While offering innovative solutions to existing waste management challenges, the study also suggests some key recommendations to the policymakers to help handle probable future pandemics if any holistically.