Solid Waste Management Awareness and Practices of DLSU SHS Manila Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Main Authors: Bote, Ingrid R., Dasig, Christine Lianne M., Mortega, Jansen Sajeh S.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2023
• Subjects: Coronavirus; solid waste; environmental policies; pollution; blended learning
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_shsrescon/2023/paper_see/7; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/conf_shsrescon/article/1751/viewcontent/_EDITED__PP_SEE_Bote_Dasig_Mortega___Jansen_Sajeh_Mortega_1_.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

COVID-19 prompted social distancing and increased solid waste from personal protective equipment and single-use products. Starting S.Y. 2022 - 2023, DLSU Manila Senior High School (DLSU-M SHS) offered Blended Flexible Learning (BFL) for partial face-to-face learning. Correspondingly, this study aimed to provide data for university stakeholders regarding Solid Waste Management (SWM) policies. This research identified DLSU-M SHS students' influences of awareness regarding SWM, their awareness levels, and the extent of SWM practices. The researchers pilot-tested and modified the Solid Waste Management Awareness and Practices Questionnaire from Molina and Catan (2021) to address the objectives and fit University policies with the pandemic. Questions were structured using Likert scales and analyzed quantitatively. From 114 responses categorized using SHS strands, the overall results revealed that social media affected SWM awareness the most, while newspapers/magazines had the least impact, possibly due to the rise of convenient technologies for information. All strands scored very high for the effects of improper disposal, prohibited activities, SWM importance, and students' roles and responsibilities. However, only ADT scored very high for school intervention for solid waste, while ABM, HUMSS, and STEM scored high. Comparatively, all strands scored high for defining solid waste and relevant laws. Regarding all strands' SWM practices, segregation and reusing were always done, reduction and disposal were often done, while recycling was often done for ADT but only seldom for the rest. Significantly, ADT students' art-crafting subjects may have contributed to their outstanding SWM awareness and practices, while the remaining strands may need further SWM education.