Develeopment of (micro/nano)plastic literacy scale for sustainable environmental management

Plastic particles pollute water, air, and soil through the breakdown of industrial, textile, and plastic waste and their dispersion into the environment from personal care products. Due to their small size, they can pose risks to human health. The aim of this study is to develop a (micro/nano)plastic literacy scale to measure individuals' knowledge, awareness, and behavior regarding pollution caused by plastic particles. A systematic scale development process was carried out in the study, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed on the data collected from university students in two stages to establish and validate the structure of the scale. The final form consists of three main dimensions: knowledge, action, and awareness. The reliability of the scale was tested using Cronbach's alpha, and high reliability was achieved with values ranging from 0.898 for the overall scale to 0.849 to 0.894 for the sub-dimensions. The results showed that participants' knowledge and awareness levels were similar, but their action rates were low. This finding reveals that although individuals are aware of (micro/nano)plastics, they do not take sufficient action. Therefore, it is important to translate knowledge and awareness into action for sustainable plastic management. In conclusion, the developed (Micro/Nano)Plastic Literacy Scale is a valid and reliable tool that can be used across a wide range of applications, from academic research to policy development.