Knowledge, awareness and behavior for discarded mobile phone management among people in Bongwai sub-district, Warin Chumrap district, Ubon Ratchathani province

Abstract

This cross-sectional descriptive study investigated knowledge, awareness, and behavior for discarded mobile phone (DMP) management among people in Bung Wai sub-district, Warin chamrap district, Ubon Ratchathani province. The sample consisted of 284 subjects by cluster sampling. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results found that most of the sample was female (57.8%), with a mean age of 40.9 years (SD=12.24), and 68.3% of people had dropped DMP waste within one year. The average score of knowledge for discarded mobile phone handling was 8.4 points (SD=1.83). Most of them knew about DMP waste management; the average score was 8.4 (SD=1.83). However, there is still some misunderstanding, such as that DMPs contain a valuable metal that can be recycled (36.6%), DMPs are classified as hazardous waste in the community (26.8%). Therefore, DMPs cannot be disposed of along with general waste (20.1%). As for the awareness of DMP management, the average score was 28.1 (SD=3.83), but they think that DMP can drop with general waste (7.4%). For DMP handling behavior, the average score was 18.7 (SD=2.53). The most inaccurate handling behavior was throwing DMPs into the dealer’s hazardous waste trash (81.3%) and separating used batteries before being disposed of in the garbage (75.0%). Therefore, the local government should educate and raise public awareness about the importance of DMP disposal at collection points and establish enough collection points to support the amount of DMP and cover the service area.