Selective waste collection and recycling in the university environment / Coleta seletiva e reciclagem do lixo no ambiente universitário

The problem of solid waste in Brazil, resulting from productive economic activities, has caused the decades amounts of products are discarded, mostly in inappropriate places. The University, being a disseminator of knowledge and forming opinions, can approach and present ways to address this problem. The objective of this study was to analyze the design of the students regarding the selective collection and recycling as a means of reducing waste in the academic environment. Semi-structured questionnaires with 30% of all undergraduates of Pedagogy morning and Biological Sciences, State University of Alagoas were applied - I UNEAL campus containing questions regarding the reuse of materials and the disposal of garbage after collection on the streets and in their homes. Through data analysis, the results reveal that 88% of students of Biology Pedagogy and expressed concern over the amount of waste generated in their home, 96% of students and 94.2% of Pedagogy of biology know the materials that are suitable for recycling. Considering these results, it is necessary to implement an effective environmental education program that operates primarily in universities, as a tool for spreading knowledge and methods to correctly perform the selective collection and recycling of waste