Reusable vs. Plastic: An Examination of Lebanese Pharmacy Students' Bottle Habits

Single-use plastic bottles (SUPBs) are a significant contributor to plastic waste, posing a major environmental threat. Pharmacy students play a crucial role in advocating for sustainable practices in their future careers as healthcare providers. This study aimed to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of Lebanese pharmacy students towards plastic use in July 2023 at Lebanese International University (LIU). A structured questionnaire was used to examine the frequency and circumstances of SUPBs usage, personal versus professional disparities in consumption, awareness of environmental issues, recycling practices among students, and barriers preventing them from switching to reusable options. A key finding was the disconnect between awareness and behavior: although most students (61.6%) recognized the environmental impact of plastic waste, they still consumed one to three plastic water bottles daily. Additionally, most students (76.1%) assumed that plastic water bottles were meant for single use. Furthermore, 28.4% of those interviewed admitted to not recycling at all. Barriers to adopting reusable alternatives included convenience and lack of access. Our analysis identified a statistically significant correlation between age and environmental concerns, suggesting a decline in environmental awareness as age increases. These findings underscore the need for targeted sustainability initiatives to encourage reusable bottle adoption and prepare future pharmacists to advocate for environmental responsibility.