Deposit or garbage?
Today's economy predominantly follows a linear model that consumes and disposes of resources. The circular economy counters this with a model that keeps materials in the cycle for as long as possible. One key to this is deposit systems, which promote the return of packaging through monetary incentives. While they are established in many European countries, the focus of research is mostly on households. On the other hand, the role of companies, especially in the horeca sector, has been little investigated, although there is great potential for resource conservation here. In practice, however, deposit packaging is often not returned. Successful recycling therefore depends both on the behaviour of consumers and on the design of the collection structures. Against this background, the study "Motivating recycling behaviour: The role of deposit return systems and collection point design" by two Dutch scientists examines how guests in a university cafeteria can be motivated to recycle correctly through nudging, prompting and the design of sustainable collection points. The study was published in "Cleaner Waste Systems".
