Household characteristics on the disposal of plastics in Malaybalay City, Province of Bukidnon

Improper plastic disposal significantly contributes to pollution, especially in urbanized areas like Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. This study aimed to assess the awareness, knowledge, practices, management, and values formation of the respondents regarding plastic waste disposal. The study was conducted at the urban barangays of Malaybalay City, using a stratified random sampling 109 respondents were interviewed through a researcher-made instrument. Findings showed that most respondents were 25-44 years old (46.80%), predominantly female (70.60%), majority were college graduates (53.20%), primarily business owners (40.40%), and most respondents earned ₱10,957 and below (58.70%), mostly in Barangay Casi sang (36.70%). This reflects the role of working-age adults and women in managing household waste. Low-income residents in densely populated barangays indicate that socioeconomic and geographic factors affect plastic waste disposal. The respondents demonstrated high awareness (= 3.63) and knowledge (= 3.70) indicating that they are well-informed of plastic waste issues while showed low practices (= 3.33), management (= 3.27), and values formation (= 3.28), which were notably concerning, while respondents understood proper plastic waste disposal, their practices and values were not consistently applied. This gap highlights the need for stronger reinforcement of sustainable practices. The most common plastic products that are disposed of by the respondents are sachet wrappers and plastic bags (94.50%), while the most recycled were plastic bottles (78.90%). These findings showed the importance of improving the implementation of the Malaybalay City Ordinance 962. Strengthening education campaigns and extending enforcement efforts beyond business establishments are essential to bridging the gap between awareness and action.