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A Systematic Review on Knowledge, Attitude and Practices towards Single-Use Plastic
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This systematic review examines what people know and think about single-use plastics and whether that knowledge changes their behavior. Understanding public attitudes toward disposable plastic is important because single-use items are a primary source of the plastic waste that breaks down into the microplastics now found in human blood, organs, and food.
Revisiting the knowledge, attitude and practices toward single-use plastic before the COVID-19 pandemic may be helpful to reduce single-use plastic usage in the endemic community. This systematic review aims to identify factors associated with single-use plastic usage before the COVID-19 pandemic. Five primary electronic databases namely, Scopus, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science and CINAHL were used to search from inception to 30 April 2020, for studies pertaining to the investigation of factors (i.e. knowledge, attitudes, practice) associated with single-use plastic usage. Twenty-nine (29) articles were identified and five (5) studies meeting eligible criteria were reviewed and remained in this systematic review. The present review found that younger generations and females had a more pro-environmental attitude and practices toward SUP while only youngsters were associated with a high knowledge level. Results also showed that a high education level does not necessarily result in good practices. Single-use plastics pollution is a worldwide problem and most of us are aware of its impact on us, our environment and our surrounding, however, SUP reduction practices are still low. To remedy this pressing situation, better interventions and more alternative materials to plastics are needed. Furthermore, we need more people to adopt a sustainable attitude and behaviour to make a change.
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This systematic review examines public surveys about plastic pollution awareness and whether that knowledge leads people to change their behavior. Understanding what people know and do about plastic pollution is important because individual actions, like reducing single-use plastic, can meaningfully lower microplastic exposure for both people and the environment.
A systematic literature review and future research agenda on the reducing single use plastic in the context of consumer intention
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This review study looked at nearly a decade of research on why people do (or don't) cut back on single-use plastics like bags, bottles, and takeout containers. The findings show that reducing plastic waste isn't just about willpower—it depends on how available alternatives are, store and restaurant policies, and how people perceive the problem in their daily lives. This matters because less plastic waste means less of it breaking down into microplastics that end up in our water, food, and eventually our bodies, so understanding what actually changes behavior could help design better policies and habits that protect both the environment and our health.
From Awareness to Action: A Critical Review of Public Knowledge and Behavioral Gaps in Addressing Plastic Pollution
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This review examined why public awareness of plastic pollution has not translated into meaningful behavioral change. The study found that most people focus on visible plastic waste like bottles and bags but have limited understanding of sources like microplastics from clothing and tires, with key barriers to action including convenience, cost, social norms, and distrust in recycling systems.
From Awareness to Action: A Critical Review of Public Knowledge and Behavioral Gaps in Addressing Plastic Pollution
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This review examined why public awareness of plastic pollution has not translated into meaningful behavior change. Researchers found that most people focus on visible plastic items like bottles and bags but have limited knowledge about microplastics from clothing or tires. Key barriers to action include convenience, cost, social norms, and distrust in recycling systems, suggesting that education alone is insufficient without strategies targeting specific behavioral changes.
The Impact of the plastic waste on the Environment
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Researchers surveyed 50 respondents in a mixed primary-secondary analysis of plastic pollution awareness and behavior, finding that while public knowledge of plastic degradation into microplastics was high, actual behavioral change remained low — with convenience and lack of alternatives cited as primary barriers to reducing plastic use.
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