Perception of students as to the management of electronelectronic waste in a higher education unit

According to data from the United Nations, Brazil is ranked as the largest producer of electronic waste in Latin America, and seventh in the world. With an annual production of 1.5 tons of electronic waste. This fact is due to the dizzying increase in the consumption of electronic technology, as the versions are updated and modernized in a short period of time, driving consumers to purchase new products and erroneously dispose of the old devices that have become obsolete. This speed of consumption associated with the low level of knowledge of the population on the subject, has serious consequences for the ecosystem, as they have numerous harmful substances causing negative impacts on the biosystem and contamination to the population's health. Knowing the perception of environmental issues in different classes of society is an essential step towards implementing programs on environmental education more effectively. Therefore, the research aimed to assess the perception of the disposal of batteries by the academic community in a technological in Recife – Brazil. The research was conducted from June to August 2019 using the students and professors of the tourism technologist course. In total, 115 semi-structured questionnaires with 10 questions related to the topic were applied. The survey of the data was tabulated in descriptive statistics. The interviewees showed that they are aware of the dangers of incorrect electronic waste disposal to the environment and human health, despite the great majority of them discarding their electronic waste incorrectly due to the lack of knowledge of collection points for this material in the environment where they live. Thus, it is verified the importance of an effective action plan on the part of the educational institution, adviser the academic community regarding the correct disposal of batteries.