Analysis and Measures to Improve Waste Management in Schools

Elena Cristina Rada, Chiara Bresciani, Eleonora Girelli, Marco Ragazzi, Marco Schiavon and Vincenzo Torretta
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Elena Cristina Rada: Department of Civil Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
Chiara Bresciani: Department of Civil Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
Eleonora Girelli: Department of Civil Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
Marco Ragazzi: Department of Civil Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
Marco Schiavon: Department of Civil Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano 77, 38123 Trento, Italy
Vincenzo Torretta: Department of Biotechnologies and Life Sciences, Insubria University of Varese, via G.B. Vico 46, 21100 Varese, Italy

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 9, 1-12

Abstract: Assessing waste production in schools highlights the contribution of school children and school staff to the total amount of waste generated in a region, as well as any poor practices of recycling (the so-called separate collection of waste) in schools by the students, which could be improved through educational activities. Educating young people regarding the importance of environmental issues is essential, since instilling the right behavior in school children is also beneficial to the behavior of their families. The way waste management was carried out in different schools in Trento (northern Italy) was analyzed: a primary school, a secondary school, and three high schools were taken as cases of study. The possible influence of the age of the students and of the various activities carried out within the schools on the different behaviors in separating waste was also evaluated. The results showed that the production of waste did not only depend on the size of the institutes and on the number of occupants, but, especially, on the type of activities carried out in addition to the ordinary classes and on the habits of both pupils and staff. In the light of the results obtained, some corrective measures were proposed to schools, aimed at increasing the awareness of the importance of the right behavior in waste management by students and the application of good practices of recycling.

Keywords: environmental education; separate collection; recycling; municipal solid waste (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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