Environmental Ethics Awareness towards Solid Waste Management among Residents in Phra Pradaeng Town Municipality, Phra Pradaeng District, Samut Prakan Province

Abstract

This research aims to study the residents’ environmental ethics awareness of solid waste management in Phra Pradaeng Town Municipality, Phra Pradaeng District, Samut Prakan Province and to compare demographic factors contributing to this awareness. The total of 340 questionnaires were used to collect the data, which was then analyzed statistically using percentage, means, standard deviation, t-test, and one way ANOVA. The findings shows that the majority of residents were 41-50-year-old females with bachelor’s degrees. They worked as government officers or state enterprise employees with monthly incomes of 10,000 – 15,000 baht and had been living in the area for more than 20 years. Their knowledge of household solid waste management and their environmental ethics awareness towards solid waste management were rated at a moderate level. When different aspects were investigated, their awareness of waste reduction and separation was found at a high level, while that of waste recycle and reuse was at a moderate level and the waste disposal awareness was regarded at a low level. Moreover, demographic factors that contributed to the environmental ethics awareness included age, education degree, occupation, monthly income, and years of living, considered statistically significant (p < 0.05). To raise the awareness among residents, knowledge of waste disposal and utilization of used household items should be promoted to lessen the effects of solid waste management crisis. Besides, the “Livable Community” project should be carried out in Phra Pradaeng Town Municipality.