Original scientific paper

Recycling and waste management: the attitudes and activities of the students of the University of Split

Sanja Stanić
Ivanka Buzov

Abstract

Waste has become urgent ecological problem in the contemporary
world, and its care, concern and commitment for all countries. In accordance with economic development and increased consumption, Croatia also has recorded steady growth of municipal waste which requires the need of scientific interest and reasearch into its population’s behavior in regard to waste. This paper presents
the results of survey conducted among the students of the Faculty of Philosophy in Split. The study was conducted with the fundamental purpose of disclosing social and environmental aspects of the problem of waste in this population, particularly the practice of recycling. Also, obtained results were compared with the results of research about citizen’s relation toward waste in city of Split. Special importance
of studying the student population comes from the demographic and educational particularities of this group, as well as their expectations and responsibilities with regard to solving environmental problems in the future.
In general, the results indicate the sensitivity of students to the problem of waste, which varies depending on the segments of the investigated problem. Thus, some types of waste are recycled more, and others less, while not manifesting the expected impact of the fee. The fact that money is not the motive for recycling waste paper shows that students practice recycling in larger number than the rest of the urban population. Students show more awareness than the rest of
the urban population in terms of avoiding waste creation, and are willing to work environmentally friendly. On the other hand, they are less willing to give out more money for the solution to the problem of waste. Environmental attitudes indicate an exceptional sensitivity of the students, which so far is not refl ected in practical actions, and these results of the study matched the previous ones. The concluding
part of the paper reevaluates the results of the research in the context of the need for environmental education.

Keywords

attitudes and behaviour toward waste; environmental education; problem of waste; recycling; population of Split; students

Hrčak ID:

112453

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/112453

Publication date:

14.5.2010.

Article data in other languages: croatian italian

Visits: 4.688 *