Community behavior and single-use plastic bottle consumption

Abstract

Since plastic is considered as environmentally hazardous material, various programs aimed at educating the community on the impact of plastics pollution and consumption have been continuously conducted. Furthermore, the relationship between culture and community behavior regarding single-use plastic bottle consumption is important to be investigated for mitigating plastics pollution. The purpose of the current research was to investigate the quantity of single-use polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-based plastic bottles are used daily and how communities are managing them in the waste stream. The data was collected from the family members of 100 households of various educational, social, economic, age, and lifestyle backgrounds. About seven local companies that work in plastic waste collection were also important participants in the data collection regarding plastics consumption. The study showed that almost 80 % of households reported one to four single-use plastic bottles consumed each day while the remaining 20 % used more than four single-use plastics bottles daily. From 88 respondents, only 10 % separated plastic bottles in their trash disposal. The result also showed that the increasing use of single-use plastic bottles are highly influenced by the behavior of the local community in plastics consumption and waste management.