NERS NEWS — Nursing Profession students from the Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga, conducted a health education activity entitled “Let’s Sort Our Waste: Start at Home, Keep the Environment Cleaner” on Monday, August 3, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. The activity was part of the Community Nursing practice under the Occupational Health Efforts Working Group (Pokja UKK) and was aimed at workers in the coastal area. The activity was carried out to increase workers’ knowledge and awareness of the importance of proper waste sorting and management, considering that improper waste disposal was still observed in the surrounding coastal environment.
The educational activity was conducted through interactive lectures and discussions using leaflets as educational media. The materials covered the definition of waste, the importance of waste sorting, types of organic and inorganic waste, waste requiring special handling, and the application of the 3R principles (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) in daily life. Participants were also introduced to examples of organic waste, such as food scraps, fruit peels, leaves, and grass, as well as inorganic waste, including plastic bottles, plastic cups, food packaging, cardboard, paper, cans, and glass bottles.
In addition, participants received education on how to sort waste at its source. Organic waste can be utilized or processed into compost, while inorganic waste that is still usable can be reused or sent for recycling. Participants were also informed about several types of waste requiring special handling, such as used batteries, certain types of lamps, chemical packaging, and products containing hazardous materials.
Participants showed enthusiasm throughout the activity. One resident shared that the education helped them better understand the importance of sorting waste before disposal. “Usually, we just throw all the waste away together. After the explanation, I realized that waste can be separated and some of it can still be reused or recycled,” said one of the participants.
Participants also expressed that sorting waste can be a simple habit that can be practiced together to maintain the cleanliness of the coastal environment. “Once you know how to do it, sorting waste is actually not difficult. Hopefully, the environment around here will become cleaner in the future,” said another participant.
Through this educational activity, the students hoped that workers in the Pokja UKK would begin implementing the habit of sorting waste according to its type, reducing the use of single-use items, reusing items that are still suitable for use, and recycling waste that can be utilized. These habits are expected to help reduce pollution and maintain the cleanliness of the coastal environment, thereby creating a healthier and more comfortable environment for the community.
The activity was conducted by Nursing Profession Students of Batch B27, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga, as part of their Community Nursing practice under the Occupational Health Efforts Working Group (Pokja UKK). The activity was independently carried out by the students after obtaining permission from the relevant authorities at the activity location.
Writer: Yekti Fitria Ardian
