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Sena Sağlam B, Aydın N. Investigation of waste characteristics and recycling behaviour at educational institutes. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 180:115-124. [PMID: 38564912 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2024.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
In this study, the waste generation at the educational institutes chosen from four different levels (kindergartens, primary, secondary and high schools) in Istanbul was measured on-site and the contents of the waste thrown into the recycling bins were determined to specify capture rates. Separation and weighing processes were performed at 16 spots in high schools, 12 spots in secondary schools, 7 spots in primary schools and 7 spots in kindergartens. A survey was conducted to determine the students' awareness of recycling in these schools. It was revealed that the wastes produced from educational institutes are organics (36.4 %), paper (24 %), plastics (14.4 %), glass (8.1 %), metals (4.8 %) and miscellaneous (12.3 %). The survey results indicate that 93 % of the participants think recycling is important, 71 % of them throw their waste into suitable waste bins and 59 % of them know the location of the recycling bins. At the primary school level, a very high rate of paper waste (92.3 %) was reported in plastic bins while plastic waste collected in these bins remained only 5.7 %. It was also seen that glass waste captured in glass bins and metal waste in metal bins remain very low rates (20.9 % and 29.2 %, respectively) at the secondary school level. At the high school level, it was determined that the most commonly captured wastes in glass, plastics and paper bins are glass (47.5 %), plastic (43.2 %) and paper (32.5 %), respectively. Correlation analyses indicated a high positive correlation (p < 0.05) between particular types of waste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betül Sena Sağlam
- Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University, Çorlu Engineering Faculty, Department of Environmental Engineering, Tekirdağ, Turkey
| | - Nesli Aydın
- Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University, Çorlu Engineering Faculty, Department of Environmental Engineering, Tekirdağ, Turkey.
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Moeini B, Barati M, Khazaei M, Tapak L, Hashemian M. In-depth analysis to develop a social marketing model to promote women's participation in waste segregation behaviour: A qualitative study. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28690. [PMID: 38571602 PMCID: PMC10988043 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Waste separation is one of the key factors in managing solid waste and creating a healthy environment. Waste separation at source has always been associated with challenges. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the perceptions of housewives and related parties regarding the factors that influence waste separation behaviour and to identify approaches to improve behaviour based on the social marketing framework. This study was conducted as a qualitative content analysis in Amol City in 2022. The data was collected through semi-structured individual interviews. A total of 25 housewives were selected as main participants and 5 stakeholders through purposive selection. The results of the study included lack of awareness of recyclable materials (product), personal, family and environmental barriers (price), lack of doorstep collection of dry waste (place), and lack of use of appropriate technology (promotion). The lack of financial resources, inappropriate political measures and the coronavirus pandemic were also the causes of this challenge. Most participants cited environmental and educational deficits as the main reason for not separating waste. It is possible to improve waste sorting behaviour at source through appropriate behavioural interventions at the individual, social and environmental levels. Researchers can use the results of this study to design, implement and evaluate waste segregation intervention programmes for housewives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babak Moeini
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Majid Barati
- Department of Public Health, School of Public Health, Autism Spectrum Disorders Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Khazaei
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Research Center for Health Sciences, Health Sciences & Technology Research Institute, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Leili Tapak
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Modelling of Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Maryam Hashemian
- Health Education and Health Promotion, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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Mârșolea (Cristea) AC, Mocanu A, Stănescu PO, Brincoveanu O, Orbeci C, Irodia R, Pîrvu C, Dinescu A, Bobirica C, Rusen E. Synthesis and characterization of polyurethane flexible foams provided from PET derivatives, fly ash, and glass wastes. Heliyon 2023; 9:e23097. [PMID: 38205075 PMCID: PMC10777411 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study involved the synthesis and characterization of polyurethane (PUR) foams obtained from poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) depolymerization products and two types of filling agents, namely fly ash and glass waste. The depolymerized PET-based products were obtained by zinc acetate-catalyzed glycolysis process in diethylene glycol (DEG) as a co-reactant. The resulting glycolysis products were contacted with methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, castor oil, and reinforcing agents. The resulting PUR specimens were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), EDX mapping, mechanical tests, and thermal analysis. The analysis confirmed that the best mechanical performances were registered by the specimens with the lowest concentration of filling agent, while the highest thermal resistance was achieved by the PUR foams with the highest concentration of reinforcing agent.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexandra Mocanu
- University Politehnica of Bucharest, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, 1- 7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
- National Institute for Research and Development in Microtechnologies – IMT Bucharest, 126A Erou Iancu Nicolae Street, 077190 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Paul Octavian Stănescu
- University Politehnica of Bucharest, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, 1- 7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
- Advanced Polymer Materials Group, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Oana Brincoveanu
- National Institute for Research and Development in Microtechnologies – IMT Bucharest, 126A Erou Iancu Nicolae Street, 077190 Bucharest, Romania
- Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, ICUB Bucharest, Soseaua Panduri, nr. 90, Sector 5, 050663, Bucureşti, Romania
| | - Cristina Orbeci
- University Politehnica of Bucharest, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, 1- 7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Roberta Irodia
- University Politehnica of Bucharest, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, 1- 7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Cristian Pîrvu
- University Politehnica of Bucharest, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, 1- 7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adrian Dinescu
- National Institute for Research and Development in Microtechnologies – IMT Bucharest, 126A Erou Iancu Nicolae Street, 077190 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Constantin Bobirica
- University Politehnica of Bucharest, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, 1- 7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Edina Rusen
- University Politehnica of Bucharest, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, 1- 7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
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Fiscal Expenditure Structure, Vertical Fiscal Imbalance and Environmental Pollution. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19138106. [PMID: 35805763 PMCID: PMC9265602 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19138106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Based on China’s provincial panel data from 2007 to 2019, the authors of this paper conducted an empirical test on the direct effect of China’s fiscal expenditure structure on the reduction in environmental pollution with the use of a fixed effect model. We also creatively added an interaction item comprising vertical fiscal imbalance and the expenditure structure to further study the impact of vertical fiscal imbalance on reducing environmental pollution and its effect on the fiscal expenditure structure. The study results show that a structure in favor of expenditure on people’s welfare noticeably reduces environmental pollution. However, after the introduction of the vertical fiscal imbalance indicator, the pollution reduction effect decreases. That is, the vertical fiscal imbalance weakens and distorts the impact of the fiscal expenditure structure on the reduction in environmental pollution. Therefore, it is possible to further motivate local governments with incentive measures, such as fiscal decentralization and the centralization of administrative responsibilities, and regulate the environmental pollution of local governments through use of restrictive measures, such as the “green GDP” evaluation mechanism to further improve the fiscal expenditure structure of local governments, enhance the environmental pollution reduction capability of fiscal expenditure.
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Lu B, Wang J. How can residents be motivated to participate in waste recycling? An analysis based on two survey experiments in China. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 143:206-214. [PMID: 35276504 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2022.02.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Waste recycling constitutes an important part of sustainable municipal eco-management, but the chronic and enduring problem in China is how to motivate residents to participate. Although previous research has found that persuasive incentives can exert a powerful influence on people's pro-environmental behavior, little work placed much emphasis on the effect of various incentives and make a comparison. The moderating role of social norms in indigenous scene is also ignored. The present research attempts to tackle this issue to explore theoretically the black box of China's policy implementation. We conducted two survey experiments online in China from February 28 to April 25, 2021. The results in experiment 1 show that four incentives significantly affect respondents' disposition toward recycling behavior, of which monetary incentive is the most effective strategy and the order of the rest incentives is environmental framing incentive, institutional incentive and moral incentive according to the effect calculated by the model. Furthermore, experiment 2 finds that social norms positively moderate the nexus between incentives and recycling behavior, and descriptive norms play a more significant role than injunctive norms. Finally, implications for public policy and limitations are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Lu
- School of Public Administration, Nanjing Audit University, Nanjing 211815, China
| | - Jie Wang
- School of Business, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China; Research Center for Government Governance and Public Policy, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
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The Differences across Future Teachers Regarding Attitudes on Social Responsibility for Sustainable Development. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17155323. [PMID: 32722031 PMCID: PMC7432418 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17155323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In the search for sustainable development, in which the ecological footprint is carefully considered by consumers and companies, teachers play an important role within a social and economic framework. This role relates to aspects of social responsibility. It should involve knowledge about education for responsible consumption in order to care for the environment both individually and socially. Considering this, the aim of this study is to find out whether there are differences in the level of awareness and the habits of future teachers of Early Childhood and Primary Education regarding sustainable social responsibility. A non-probabilistic sample of 30 Early Childhood Education degree students and 22 Primary Education degree students was used. Semi-structured interviews and an inductive process were conducted to examine the importance of Sustainable Development in society, the relevance of Social Responsibility for Sustainable Development (individual versus corporate), the attitudes and habits relative to Sustainable Development and the education on Sustainable Development in schools: knowledge, attitudes, and proposals. Students agree that they consume excessively. This is everyone's individual responsibility (as regarded by all participants), although changes could be supported by institutions and companies (Early Childhood education students argue in favour of corporate responsibility). Knowledge deficits were identified in relation to production, distribution, and sale processes. They consider education to be the main factor for sustainability, while society is ranked as the least important, observing an evident disagreement in relation to environmental and economic factors (perception of collective responsibility; Early Childhood versus Primary Education students). Finally, they also outline teaching proposals (active and participatory) to foster education for sustainable development at schools.
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