Public views on plastic pollution: Knowledge, perceived impacts, and pro-environmental behaviours

JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

卷:412

Article

Soares, Joana¹  Miguel, Isabel^2,3  Venancio, Catia⁴  Lopes, Isabel⁵  Oliveira, Miguel⁵ 

[1] Univ Aveiro, Dept Biol, P-3810193 Aveiro, Portugal

[2] Portucalense Univ, Portucalense Inst Human Dev, P-4200072 Porto, Portugal

[3] Portucalense Univ, Dept Psychol & Educ, P-4200072 Porto, Portugal

[4] Univ Coimbra, Ctr Funct Ecol CFE, Dept Life Sci, P-3000456 Coimbra, Portugal

[5] Univ Aveiro, Ctr Environm & Marine Studies CESAM, Dept Biol, P-3810193 Aveiro, Portugal

关键词: Plastic pollution;    Public perception;    Environmental awareness;    Ecological behaviour;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125227

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Nowadays, plastic pollution is considered an issue of global concern. This environmental problem results from human industrial and domestic activities, associated with poor management, from manufacturing processes to products? end life. In this perspective, human consumption and management of daily used plastic materials can play a determinant role to control this environmental issue. Thus, understanding public perceptions about plastic pollution may be a valuable resource to engage society in solutions to reduce its environmental release. In this study, perceptions about plastic pollution, its impacts as well as sociodemographic and psychological factors predicting individuals? pro-environmental behaviours were analysed, in the Portuguese context. Overall, results showed that there is a general knowledge that plastics degrade in the environment. The participants of the study perceived the bio-ecological impacts of plastics as a greater threat than the socioeconomic impacts. A hierarchical regression analyses revealed that sociodemographic variables and those related to knowledge and perceived impacts about plastic pollution can predict participants? pro-environmental behaviours. Awareness about the impacts of plastic pollution (socioeconomic, health impacts and bio-ecological impacts) were highly associated to pro-environmental behaviour. This study data can help to understand how to enhance proenvironmental behaviours and contribute to decrease the presence of micro(nano)plastics in the environment.

【 授权许可】

Free