Assessment of Awareness, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Environmental Pollution Caused by Single-Use Plastic Bags: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Single-use plastics like bags, bottles, and straws are commonly used, but they degrade slowly, causing major hazards to the environment. Despite efforts such as recycling and bans, their use remains high. Toxic chemicals produced during degradation endanger humans, marine life, and ecosystems, emphasizing the absolute need for effective plastic waste management strategies. Methodology This community-based cross-sectional study included 320 participants from the field practice area of a tertiary care hospital in Chengalpattu. Participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data collection was conducted using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019 (Microsoft® Corp., Redmond, WA) and IBM SPSS Version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results Only 42% of participants were aware of single-use plastics. Lower socioeconomic status and living in semi-pucca or kutcha houses were linked to non-receptiveness toward reducing plastic use. While 47% had started reducing usage, about 52% had adopted sustainable alternatives to combat plastic pollution. Conclusion The study identified limited awareness of single-use plastic bags, with usage patterns influenced by socioeconomic status and housing type. A significant number of participants showed non-receptiveness toward reduction efforts, and only a few acknowledged the environmental impact. These findings emphasize the need for enhanced awareness campaigns and targeted interventions to encourage sustainable practices and reduce plastic consumption.