Potential assessment for waste prevention and segregation at educational institutions.

Waste prevention takes precedence over recycling in the European Union and Austria. In order to achieve this goal, measures beyond the field of waste management are crucial. Environmental education plays a special role and is already integrated in many Austrian kindergartens and schools. The integration and implementation of the waste hierarchy, especially in kindergartens and compulsory schools, raises children's and young people's awareness at an early stage and promotes sustainable changes for future generations. There is a need for information on the current state of implementation. Therefore, as part of a research and an online survey, the current status and the potential for waste prevention and separation at compulsory schools and kindergartens in Austria were examined and potential for improvement was identified.