Single-Use Plastic in the Lebanese Restaurants: Awareness and Environmental Impacts during the Economic Crisis: A Case Study of Touristic Regions

In recent years, single-use plastics have attracted increasing interest, mainly because they are suspected of accumulating in the environment and thus also in biota. Although they have been studied by researchers to investigate their impact on health, the economy, society and the environment, plastics have become the most important material used in our daily lives. They are present in the catering industry due to their durability, low cost and ease of use in construction, replacing many other materials. However, the same properties that make plastics so advantageous also make them undesirable for the environment, especially as most plastic are designed to be thrown away immediately after a single use. The aim of this study is to assess the awareness and environmental impact of single-use plastic in Lebanese restaurants in order to investigate the lifespan of plastic and the potential to replace it with sustainable and biodegradable products. The results show that despite their responses indicating a strong environmental awareness, managers are still in favor of using single-use plastic.