Generation and the discard of solid waste: an analysis of the environmental perception of elementary school students

Jul a Out 2020 - v.10 - n.3 ISSN: 2237-9290

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Generation and the discard of solid waste: an analysis of the environmental perception of elementary school students

This work aimed to analyze the environmental perception of basic education students about the generation and discard of Solid Waste (RS). A survey was carried out with 118 students from the 6th year of elementary school in a private school, located in the urban area of Natal, RN. For data collection, used a questionnaire with 08 open and closed questions. The results demonstrated the that great part of the students recognized the problems generated by RS and simple ways to minimize this problem, as for example, a reuse, recycling, proper discard of batteries, avoiding damage to the floor, etc. In this context, the present study becomes a valuable tool that can assist the basic education teachers the planning and implementation and applications to the theme of generation and disposal of RS, aiming to form critical and reflective citizens regarding environmental issues present in their daily lives.

Keywords: Environmental Perception; Solid Waste; Elementary School Students; Basic education.

Geração e descarte de resíduos sólidos: uma análise da percepção ambiental de alunos do ensino fundamental

Este trabalho teve como objetivo analisar a percepção ambiental de estudantes da educação básica sobre a geração e descarte dos Resíduos Sólidos (RS). A pesquisa foi realizada com 118 alunos do 6º ano do ensino fundamental de uma escola privada, localizada em zona urbana de Natal, RN. Para a coleta dos dados, utilizou- se um questionário com 08 perguntas abertas e fechadas. Os resultados demonstraram que grande parte dos estudantes reconhecia os problemas gerados pelos RS e conheciam formas simples para minimização desta problemática, como por exemplo, a reutilização, reciclagem, descarte adequado de pilhas e baterias, evitar jogar lixo no chão etc. Diante deste contexto, o presente estudo torna-se uma ferramenta valiosa que poderá auxiliar os professores da educação básica no planejamento e efetivação de propostas ligadas ao tema geração e descarte dos RS, visando formar cidadãos críticos e reflexivos quanto às questões ambientais presentes em seu cotidiano.

Palavras-chave: Percepção Ambiental; Resíduos Sólidos; Estudantes do Ensino Fundamental; Educação Básica.

Topic: Desenvolvimento, Sustentabilidade e Meio Ambiente Reviewed anonymously in the process of blind peer.

Received: 12/07/2020 Approved: 22/10/2020

Clécio Danilo Dias da Silva

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil http://lattes.cnpq.br/4235157508528733 http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7776-8830 danilodiass18@ufrn.edu.br

DOI: 10.6008/CBPC2237-9290.2020.003.0014

Referencing this:

SILVA, C. D. D.. Generation and the discard of solid waste: an analysis of the environmental perception of elementary school students.

Natural Resources, v.10, n.3, p.138-144, 2020. DOI:

http://doi.org/10.6008/CBPC2237-9290.2020.003.0014

INTRODUCTION

Technically the "garbage" is denominated of solid waste (RS) and can be considered as a material that its owner or producer no longer considers to be of sufficient value for conservation (SOARES et al., 2007).

Also according to these authors, garbage results from human activity, and is therefore considered inexhaustible, in addition to being directly proportional to industrial intensity and population growth. The trend is that, associated with the creation of new products, expand the use of natural resources in processes, fabrication of new packaging, among other aspects of the logistics of launching, consumption, withdrawal of these products from the market and disposal, which are linked to the generation of RS.

According to the National Survey of Basic Sanitation, about 63.6% of Brazilian municipalities do not use an adequate method for the final disposal of generated waste, constituting a serious environmental, social, economic and political problem. In this same perspective, Abramovay et al. (2013) presents terrible data on the relationship between population growth and generation of RS: “Between 1991 and 2000 the Brazilian population grew 15.6%. However, waste disposal increased by 49%. It is known that in 2009 the population grew by 1%, but the production of garbage grew by 6%”. Silva et al. (2017) affirm that Brazil occupies the fourth place in the production of waste, for an approximate production of 78 million tons per year, behind only China, the United States and India (SILVA et al., 2017).

The real situation of Brazilian regions and of municipalities is very different in comparison to the possibility of investing in the control of RS, however, the conditions imposed by the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS) ¹ are the same for the whole country (MANNARINO et al., 2015). A worrying problem related to RS is associated with its destiny and all its impacts for the existing population and for the next generations.

The inappropriate destination results in environmental degradation, such as contamination of water bodies, silting, flooding, proliferation of transmitting vectors of diseases, such as rats, cockroaches, flies, worms, among others, added to visual pollution, bad smell and contamination of the environment (ALVES et al., 2015).

Within this context, research indicates that one of the ways to minimize the negative environmental impacts arising from the generation of RS goes through practices in environmental education and perception.

Complementing this thought, Capra (1996), ensures that environmental problems are generated from the anthropocentric view of man. Therefore, in order to develop strategies for environmental awareness, education and planning, it is necessary to check the perception of individuals about the environment.

According to Bassani (2001), perception is configured as a direct sensory experience that the individual has of the environment at a given moment, which takes place through perceptual mechanisms themselves and, mainly, cognitive, and not through a passive reception process informative, since it implies a certain structure and interpretation of anthropic environmental stimulation. It is a systemic understanding of the human-environment relationship, where the entire environment that involves individuals, whether physical, social, psychological or even imaginary, influences personal and collective perception and conduct

1 The National Policy on Solid Waste, Law No. 12,305 of 2010, aimed to allow the advancement of strategies and actions to face the main

environmental, social and economic problems arising from the inadequate management of solid waste.

(DEL RIO et al., 1996). According to Garlet et al. (2016), the study of this perception is of fundamental importance, so that it is possible to understand the interrelationships between man, the environment and its expectations, satisfactions and dissatisfactions, judgments and conduct.

These studies serve as a basis for the diagnosis of the real situation on how the evaluated groups find themselves, in addition, they support the proposition of methodologies for the development of actions that can provide awareness on the topic, or when present, for the improvement of the appropriate actions that are already being developed. The knowledge of the PA of certain groups makes it possible to develop awareness actions geared to each regional or local reality. However, that most of these actions still occur in a labeled, programmed manner, without causing the individual to reflect on his role, being ineffective in producing resolutions to today's environmental challenges. In the case of PA studies, in the context of the classroom, Lopes (2013) states that it allows and supports the elaboration of contents and methodologies to work on environmental issues, relevant to the different series, realities and problems.

Based on this, this work aimed to analyze the environmental perception of elementary school students about the generation and discarted of solid waste, aiming to contribute to the development and propositions of practices and methodologies in basic education that provide environmental awareness and education for sustainability.

METHODOLOGY

Considering the objectives and nature of the data collected, the present study is characterized as qualitative. According to Oliveira (2016), qualitative research is a study of a certain fact, object, group of people or phenomena of reality. For this, it meets reliable information that proposes to explain the meanings and characteristics of the research object. Therefore, statistical data can be used to outline the results more accurately. In this sense, we highlight that quantitative data were considered and supported this analysis (OLIVEIRA, 2016).

The research was developed with 04 classes of 6th grade (n =118 students) from a private educational institution located in the urban area of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Data collection was done through the application of a structured questionnaire with 08 open and closed questions that aimed to assess students' perceptions about solid waste. It is worth mentioning that, for the application of the questionnaire, the following steps were followed: (I) presentation of the applicator and presentation of the research objectives; (II) reiteration about the anonymity of the participants and the confidentiality of their responses;

(III) information on the free choice of each person to respond; and, finally, (IV) specific instructions on how to answer the questionnaires. The time taken to solve the questionnaire was 100 minutes, equivalent to 2 hours / class, provided by the local science teacher.

The data obtained were inserted and grouped into tables in the Microsoft Excel 2010 application.

The evaluation and interpretation of the data obtained was based on Bardin's Content Analysis (2011), which

makes it possible to examine the research data through inferences using indicators and it is configured since

the elaboration of the calculations that provide data, until the extraction of translatable structures. Based on

this, percentages of the major trends found through the responses of students recorded in the questionnaires were calculated.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Through the information extracted and interpreted from the questionnaires, it was possible to observe several elements regarding the students' perception about the generation and disposal of SR. When asked ‘what is garbage for you?’, It was found that 52% of students said it was ‘what is no longer useful’

n=62), 30% who assured that it was ‘everything that is thrown away’ (n=35), 12% said it was ‘leftover food‘(

n=14), and 6% of students ‘did not know how to inform’ ( n=07) the definition. The main examples cited by the students can be seen in Figure 1. It is worth mentioning that many students cited more than one example in this question, totaling n=221 citations.

Figure 1: Frequency of examples of garbage cited by students.

When the investigated students were asked if ‘the garbage and solid waste are the same thing?’, 82%

did not know how to inform (n=97) and 10% stated that they did (n=12) and 8% said they did not (n=9) (Figure 2). Such data show that there is a great lack of knowledge and/or doubts about the difference between garbage and solid waste, which can lead many students to use the two terminologies as synonyms. In general, the term ‘garbage’ by many environmentalists is related to the feeling of aversion to people, being made up of elements that can no longer be used, often smelly and harmful to human health, and should be kept in remote places; the term ‘solid waste’ is linked to materials that are not directly useful to the individual, but that can be reused and can be part of a new product, as discussed by Fernandes et al. (2002) and Abramovay et al. (2013).

In order to further understand about the generation of RS, the students were asked if ‘for you, normal

things turn into garbage?’, 72% answered yes (n=85), 18% assured that no (n=21), and 8% stated that

sometimes (n=12) (Figure 3). Facing the insensitivity of many individuals to realize the importance of reuse

and recycling that are added to solid waste, Rolnik (2012) states that “we are condemned to live with an ever

greater amount of things and objects produced and discarded”. According to Leme (2009) a large part of the

waste can be reused or recycled, serving as raw material for the elaboration of other products, saving energy

and natural resources, generating income, increasing the useful life of landfills and contributing to ensure an

environmentally future healthy.

Figure 2: Students' understandings of the difference between

the concepts of garbage and solid waste. Figure 3: Students' perception of the solid waste generation process.

When students were asked ‘what form of collection exists in the neighborhood where you live?’, 77%

said it was through common collection (n=91), 9% selective collect (n=11), while 8 % said there are no collections (n=09). Six percent (6%) of students were unable to report the existence of collects in the neighborhood they live in (n=07) (Figure 4). Subsequently, the interviewed students were asked how often the garbage/solid waste in their neighborhood is collected?, 35% of the respondents answered that the garbage collection takes place three times a week (n=41), 19% twice a week (n=22), 12% once a week (n=14) and 10% every day (n=12). Twenty-four percent (24%) of students did not know how to inform the frequency of collects where they live. On the importance of selective collection in cities, the fact of regularizing the collection of solid waste, that is, pre-establishing and meeting collection times and frequency they induce the population's confidence and availability to participate in actions contemplated by the management of solid waste.

Figure 4: Types of solid waste collects in student neighborhoods.

Figure 5: Students' perception of those responsible for the inappropriate disposal of solid waste.

For the question ‘who is responsible for the generation and inappropriate disposal of solid waste?’

we verified that 71% indicated the government (n=84), 14% indicated the industries (n=16) and only 9%

affirm that it is the individual (n=11). Six percent (n=7) did not know how to inform those responsible for the generation and inadequate disposal of RS (Figure 5). These results show that those investigated are not included as causing environmental problems related to the generation and disposal of RS from their city.

According to Jacobi (2003), this lack of responsibility comes primarily from disinformation, followed by a lack

of environmental awareness and a lack of practical actions, which induce the individual's participation and involvement with the environment.

When students were asked, ‘What problems can cause garbage in the wrong place?’ 38% of students indicated a bad smell (n = 45), 21% disease (n = 24), 15% flooding (n = 18), 10% death of marine animals (n = 12) and 10% aesthetic disorders (n = 12). Six percent (6%) stated that waste does not cause problems (n = 7) when disposed of in an appropriate place (Figure 6).

When students were asked ‘what measures/actions can you take to minimize the negative impacts caused by waste?’, 30% indicated the reuse of materials (n=35), 25% recycling materials (n=30), 19% the use of material returnable bags (n=22), 12% indicated the disposal of batteries in material collects points (n =14), 10% did not throw material on the floor (n=12), and, 4% suggested a reduction in material consumption (n=5).

Figure 6: Problems pointed out by students for the inadequate disposal of solid waste.

Figure 7: Measures pointed out by students to minimize the negative impacts of solid waste.

It was possible to observe that ‘consumption’ was pointed out by few students as a problem associated with the excess of solid waste production. This low percentage deserves attention, as consumption is considered by Layargues (2002) as one of the pillars of the current environmental crisis for generating waste and the scarcity of raw materials, demonstrating the students' lack of knowledge for this fact. However, environmental education was identified as capable of transforming people's attitudes and values. These data reveal that the investigated students show concerns about environmental problems related to the inadequate disposal of solid waste and know simple strategies/ways to minimize the problems, cooperating for environmental conservation. These observed results are in accordance with Marques et al.

(2003), when stating that: “man is responsible for environmental degradation, but the proposal for conservation may come from him”.

CONCLUSIONS

The study demonstrated that there are different environmental perceptions of students regarding,

mainly, the generation and disposal of solid waste. It is evident that many of those investigated consider it

common to ‘things turn into garbage’, however, they do not see themselves as agents that cause

environmental problems caused by garbage, attributing the blame to industries and/or government. It was

observed that most of the students recognized the problems generated by RS (floods, death of marine

animals, diseases, etc.) and knew simple strategies/ways to minimize problems related to RS (reuse, recycling, proper disposal of batteries and batteries, avoid littering the floor, etc.). It is emphasized that each individual perceives the environment in its own way, and this perception is of great relevance for environmental conservation, as it is from there that it becomes possible to identify the points to be explored in actions/projects/practices aimed at EA. Given this context, the present study becomes a valuable tool that can assist countless teachers of basic education in planning and carrying out works, such as sequences/didactic units, lectures and workshops related to the theme generation and disposal of RS, aiming to form critical citizens and reflective about the environmental issues present in their daily lives.

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