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This study aims to examine the young Malaysian consumers’ switching intention from synthetic to biodegradable plastics. This research shows the factors affecting young Malaysian consumers’ switching intention towards biodegradable plastic rather than traditional plastic (synthetic plastics). In this study, there are three factors to be considered whether they influence the young consumers in Malaysia to change their intention towards biodegradable plastic. The three factors are environmental concern, knowledge and the perceived value of biodegradable plastic. However, biodegradable plastic’s switching intention is also affected by biodegradable plastic’s attitude, where the three factors influence this attitude. Thus, all variables are considered in this research to investigate the reasons for switching intention from synthetic to biodegradable plastics among young Malaysian consumers.

In line with the recent economic growth, especially in developing countries, human concern for the environment has increased over time. This paradigm shift has influenced Malaysians to pay more attention to the issues related to synthetic plastics, especially in Malaysia itself. To reduce the use of synthetic plastic in Malaysia, this research is conducted to identify the young consumer’s behaviour in Malaysia towards the use of biodegradable plastics. In this study, the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) is broadened into three additional factors that potentially enhance the young consumer’s attitude and increase switching intention towards biodegradable plastics: environmental concern, knowledge and perceived value. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire via an online survey method. The structural equation modelling with SmartPLS 3 was used to analyse the data from a total of 162 respondents. The study’s key findings confirmed that switching intention towards biodegradable plastics is significantly influenced by environmental concern, perceived value, and attitude. This study also provided empirical evidence that the attitude acts as a mediator for the relationship between environmental concern and perceived value towards the switching intention. These results could help the government establish a new policy to encourage citizens to use biodegradable plastics while reducing environmental pollution.

The study’s key findings confirmed that switching intention towards biodegradable plastics is significantly influenced by environmental concern, perceived value and attitude. Furthermore, this study extends the TPB to include the intention to switch from synthetic to biodegradable plastics, where attitudes towards the environment, environmental concern and perceived value all have an impact on the intention to switch from synthetic to biodegradable plastics in the first place. As an additional contribution to the existing body of knowledge, this study provides empirical data about the variables influencing decision-makers’ intentions towards the transition from synthetic to biodegradable plastics. The findings of this study may also be useful for future research by academic institutions, the Department of Research and Development and the government. As a result, this research is important for future academics who want to better understand the intentions of young Malaysian consumers when it comes to biodegradable plastics.

This research might provide direction to a firm considering implementing a new business strategy to develop creative and sustainable products that will contribute to the protection of the environment. More importantly, this research contributes to improving government policy and regulation in environmental preservation by integrating environmental knowledge and attitude into Malaysian cultural practices. Also possible are even greater levels of environmental awareness and environmentally friendly activities on the part of the government and the commercial sector, such as various initiatives and events to encourage green and environmentally friendly purchasing habits. As a result, given that sustainability has emerged as one of the most pressing issues facing society today, this research is important in that it provides insights for stakeholders (policymakers, marketers and others) to strategise the government’s plan to reduce the use of synthetic plastics and promote the use of biodegradable plastics. As the analysis of consumer behaviour is one of the most important aspects of improving the profitability of businesses, the collaboration between marketing and the research and development department to examine consumer behaviour is extremely important to meet the needs of consumers. This research could serve as a reference for them during the decision-making process, particularly in the plastics industry, which is highly recommended. Aside from that, the findings of the study may be used as a guide for the government in developing new policies to attain the objective of sustainable development in the future. As a result, it can aid in introducing environmentally friendly products and raising public knowledge about them.

The purpose of this paper is to present an original model for the production-recycling-reuse of plastic beverage bottles.

It is assumed that discarded two-liter plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles are collected from the market. The bottles are then sorted into non-contaminated and contaminated streams. The non-contaminated PET bottles are either remanufactured or used as regrind mixed with virgin PET to produce new bottles to satisfy varying demand. The contaminated bottles are either sold to industries using low-grade plastic or disposed of in a landfill. Numerical studies are used to illustrate the behaviour of the model, with an emphasis on exploring the reduction of total system cost and the amount of bottles going into a landfill.

Numerical analyses conducted on the model found that the amount of bottles collected had the largest influence on the outcome of the total system unit time cost. Alternative materials to PET are surveyed and used to demonstrate a significant reduction in the cost of landfill disposal due to their more rapid degradation in the landfill.

Several areas for future work are highlighted. Potential modifications to the model could focus on accommodating bottles made of material other than plastic, incorporating the effects of learning on manual tasks, and on accommodating shortages or excess inventory.

The model incorporates several unique aspects, including accounting for the cost of land use and associated environmental damage through the calculation of a present value that is charged to the manufacturer.

Approaches based on social marketing have led to the proposal of systemic interventions to achieve individual behaviour that takes into account the benefits for society as a whole. The use of plastics is having significant negative effects on the environment and so numerous policies such as the use of biodegradable packaging, have been implemented to ensure sustainable production and consumption patterns (Sustainable Development Goal 12). This paper aims to analyse the background factors that explain consumer intention to use bioplastics with the aim of guiding company and government social marketing campaigns designed to encourage such behaviour.

To gather data, a survey was carried out using a sample of 3,612 people obtained via an online panel made up of participants over 18 years of age. The model and its hypotheses were tested by structural equations with the PLS technique using six independent variables obtained from the literature review.

The results of the variables “attitude towards bioplastics”, “subjective norms” and “activity to reduce plastic use” show a significant influence on intention to use bioplastics. This paper will also discuss the implications for governments and environmental managers to be taken into account when developing social marketing campaigns.

Given the importance of perceived social pressure in terms of behaviour regarding the use of recyclable bioplastics, social marketing campaigns may be developed to encourage environmentally-responsible behaviour amongst different social agents such as consumers, businesses, governmental organisations and suppliers.

This study demonstrates the factors that explain intentions to use bioplastics, which until now had been subject to very little research.

The purpose of this paper is to reveal the cultural script of the teaching of a lower secondary science lesson on the topic “Classification of Non-living Things” in Singapore through the eyes of Japanese and Singaporean researchers and teachers. In particular, the study analyzes the structural content, i.e. organization of learning activities of a lower secondary science lesson of Singapore and the culture of teaching, i.e. views about teaching held as tacit knowledge of science teachers. It focusses on students’ inquiry skills in a participative and problem-driven science lesson in the Singapore classroom.

This exploratory study adopts a cultural approach of viewing teaching and learning and compares classroom practice in two countries – Japan and Singapore. Contextually, the cultural differences in beliefs and values define how educators learn about what is “good” teaching.

The cultural script of teaching of the science lesson case values the setting of learning tasks that encourage a variety of ideas. It also sets a tone of inquiry-based learning where students are open to questioning, the formulation of ideas and the presentation of solutions. In the science lesson case, the teacher aimed at providing opportunities for students to think for themselves and to engage in group discussion. This study identifies key aspects of the science lesson for revealing the teaching script based on a cross-cultural lesson analysis. Figure 1 summarizes such facets of teacher teaching and student learning in detail as a result of the lesson analysis. Furthermore, it draws attention to recognizing areas of the lesson script which the Japanese team found effective/ineffective as well as identifying the Singaporean team's reflections on feedback from Japanese educators.

Through this study, the research team raises the following questions. Are there common practices that make for effective learning and if so what are these? From the perspectives of Japanese and Singaporean researchers and educators, what might be the different elements of teaching that will bring about better student learning?

An important avenue for inquiry in teaching is how to create teaching-learning processes that nurture students’ ability to deal with the unexpected as well as their application skills – competencies that are required of students to function in the twenty-first century. The research team suggests a cross-cultural analysis approach for future research investigating the cultural script of teaching.

This study aims to assess young customers’ repurchasing intentions toward green plastic products by incorporating green trust model into green purchase intention model. It also evaluates the role of gender moderation in the green repurchase intention formation model.

A total of 314 young consumers of green plastic products in Bandung, Indonesia were determined for this study. This study used variance-based partial least squares (PLS) to evaluate the proposed model and examine the hypothesized relationship, by means of SmartPLS 3. The construct validity and reliability were evaluated by testing the measurement model, while the proposed hypotheses were examined by testing the structural model.

The assessment of the proposed model using PLS reveals that the incorporation of green trust model increases the prediction strength of green repurchase intentions model on green plastic products. Further, this study shows that, in general, gender did not moderate the formation of green repurchase intentions.

Besides broadening the green repurchase intention theory, this finding offers a direction for green plastic businesses to improve their capability and their marketing strategies. This study offers an important contribution in understanding young consumers’ intentions to buy green plastic products, although it has several drawbacks. In the future, to increase its generalization, this study can be replicated on young consumers in other developing and developed countries, and this model can also be tested in other segments.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there are no published studies that have tested the repurchase intention model for green plastic products, and none of the past studies have incorporated these models to explain repurchase intention toward green plastic products. Furthermore, the inclusion of gender roles in green repurchase intentions for green plastic products is important to be explored.

Human activities in household and industries generate an enormous amount of waste material, both organic and non-biodegradable matter, which substantially contribute to land, water and air contamination. The study aims to highlight the possible methods in solid waste management (SWM) and its influence on economy and environment. The paper is an attempt to bring out the necessity of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the management of solid waste.

The paper is prepared after an elaborate review of literature connected with SWM.

The paper emphasizes the need of SWM and the role of corporate bodies in building a robust system in the management of solid waste, creating a healthy environment to all.

The paper is entirely based on literature review and reports and not on individual's research.

The paper has a multi-level faceted approach where real-time practices in different countries have been explored.

This study can enable the collaboration of corporates, scientific community and the municipal local bodies in the area of SWM.

This paper deliberates on how CSR can be a driving force for a sustainable model for SWM.

This paper aims to present and describe the main actions carried out in six different faculties and common areas such as cultural and research centres and administrative buildings in the Ferrol campus at the University of A Coruña to achieve the second green flag on a Galician University.

A case study describing the steps for implementing a green campus programme in a medium-size, young university campus integrated into a small city. An Environmental Campus Committee was created to assess the main factors that affect environmental footprint, discuss sustainability initiatives and develop a guide to action regarding different goals related to sustainable transport options, energy, water conservation and waste reduction. The actions included several fields such as education, circular economy and healthy life and involved the on and off-campus community.

The programme achieved a decrease in water consumption and electrical energy. An important change in educational values and behaviours regarding sustainability was observed in and out of the campus community. The measurements adopted mainly in waste management, mobility and education led the Ferrol campus to achieve a green campus flag on November 2019.

This experiment can serve as a guide to establish the Green Campus philosophy in other similar university campuses.

The aim of this paper was to investigate the possibility of reusing frying oil, obtained during thermal treatment of food in fast-food restaurants for production of plastic greases.

In accordance with the proposed research concept, the used frying oil was to be the base oil of biodegradable plastic greases thickened with calcium 12-hydroxystearate and lithium 12-hydroxystearate. These studies included the determination of the effect of variable amounts of used oil component in the base oil on the properties of the resultant plastic greases.

It was found that the optimum amount of the component in the base oil is 10-15 per cent. Calcium and lithium greases prepared in such a way possess a quality to that of greases prepared with fresh rapeseed oil.

Higher concentrations of used frying oil in the base oil adversely affect the degree of thickening, thixotropic properties and dropping point of the grease, as well as, creating technological problems.

The investigations, beside their research goals have also a practical character – recycling waste material in place of its present method of disposal.

One of the least expensive material, and most commonly used to produce biodegradable lubricants are vegetable oils. In recent years, besides introducing biodegradable lubricating oils, increasing interest is observed in the use of plastic greases of high biodegradability. Now, it is possible to obtain such greases with additive of used frying oils. Biodegradable greases are used as lubrication of open gear, food production equipment, central lubrication system in cars and railway engineering.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the development of a novel test instrument to quantify the eco‐functional properties of various shopping bags. One of the main properties, which lies at the interface of both ecological and functional properties, is the reusability of shopping bags. Other properties at this juncture also include the impact strength and weight holding capacity of a shopping bag.

The developed tester can be used to assess these three properties (reusability, impact strength and weight holding capacity) of any type of shopping bag. This study discusses the concept and development of an eco‐functional tester for shopping bags. It also reports test results of the reusability, impact strength and weight holding capacity of different types of shopping bags. Reusability and impact strength are expressed by two variants: absolute maximum capability and comparative maximum capability.

According to the test results, plastic bags outscore paper bags in the single use category and woven bags top the reusable bags category.

To date, there is no scientific instrument reported in the literature that quantifies the reusability of different shopping bags. The value of reusability can be directly utilized for LCA calculations. Other functions derived from this instrument are equally important, since they decide the useful life time of shopping bag and they assist the LCA practitioner to decide the functional unit of the study. This unit is the base of any LCA study and upon it comparisons are made.