Waste Literacy Among Portuguese First-Year Tertiary Students After Compulsory Environmental Education

Abstract

Waste management is essential for addressing local and global environmental challenges. Failure to manage waste effectively results in several consequences, including environmental degradation, public health risks, and economic costs. Besides the need for adequate and up-to-date waste management systems, citizens’ cooperation is crucial to achieving sustainable waste management in any community, which depends on their waste literacy levels, comprising the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours required. This study assessed waste literacy among students completing compulsory education in Portugal to provide evidence regarding the outcomes of environmental education policies related to waste management. A representative sample of 1506 freshmen students was surveyed at the start of their undergraduate programmes. An online questionnaire was administered to the sample and the data were analyzed using statistical tests for assessing the influential factors associated with students’ waste knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. Results show that, on average, students demonstrated good levels of knowledge and practices on waste management, together with a predominantly ecocentric worldview. A higher performance in waste management knowledge and practices was observed among younger students, with higher grades and higher paternal educational attainment. Besides these variables, best practices were significantly more prevalent among those with a higher participation in environmental activities and holding membership in environmental organizations. The findings suggest that upon completing compulsory education in Portugal, students display generally high levels of waste literacy, while also revealing specific gaps in knowledge and practices that warrant further educational attention. The study identifies these areas for improvement, highlighting the potential value of more practical, participatory and community-based approaches to waste education.