Raising Awareness on Solid Waste Management through Formal Education for Sustainability: A Developing Countries Evidence Review

Justice Kofi Debrah; Diogo Guedes Vidal; Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis

doi:10.3390/recycling6010006

journal article Open Access Jan 22, 2021

Raising Awareness on Solid Waste Management through Formal Education for Sustainability: A Developing Countries Evidence Review

Justice Kofi Debrah

Diogo Guedes Vidal

Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis

Recycling Vol. 6 No. 1 pp. 6 · MDPI AG

View at Publisher Save 10.3390/recycling6010006

Abstract

Solid Waste Management (SWM) is a multifaceted problem comprising political, socioeconomic, institutional, and environmental aspects. Due to exponential urban growth, it has become one of the most significant issues faced by urban spaces in developing countries. The gap in environmental knowledge among the youth and the old within developing countries contribute to ecological issues or waste management problems, resulting in unsustainable development, with important consequences in low-income countries. For that matter, a systematic review was conducted aiming to identify and analyse environmental knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and practice studies on SWM from 2010 to 2019 in developing countries. The evidence suggests that students at both secondary and tertiary levels have positive environmental attitudes, and high awareness of environmental issues, but there is a lack of practical education of teachers to guide students to put SWM into practice. Student’s low environmental knowledge is related to a deficiency in teachers’ practical experience in SWM for environmental sustainability. A relationship between teachers’ and students’ knowledge and attitudes towards SWM, as well as differences in awareness, attitude, and practices of SWM linked with education and age, were also found. This review also revealed that the lack of environmental education in most developing countries is caused by fragilities in practical environmental curricula of teachers to respond to modern-day environmental issues for sustainable development and cleaner production (CP). To bridge the knowledge gap between the youth and older people in SWM, environmental sustainability education should be integrated into schools at all levels within developing countries.

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Details

Published: Jan 22, 2021
Vol/Issue: 6(1)
Pages: 6
License: View

Authors

J

Justice Kofi Debrah

Faculty of Science and Technology, University Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Praça 9 de Abril 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal

D

Diogo Guedes Vidal

UFP Energy, Environment and Health Research Unit (FP-ENAS), University Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Praça 9 de Abril 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal

M

Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis

UFP Energy, Environment and Health Research Unit (FP-ENAS), University Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Praça 9 de Abril 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal

Cite This Article

Justice Kofi Debrah, Diogo Guedes Vidal, Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis (2021). Raising Awareness on Solid Waste Management through Formal Education for Sustainability: A Developing Countries Evidence Review. Recycling, 6(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling6010006

Raising Awareness on Solid Waste Management through Formal Education for Sustainability: A Developing Countries Evidence Review

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