Single-Use Plastic Bans: Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on Best Practices for Reducing Plastic Pollution
In this study, we conducted and documented workshops and interviews in Norway and Slovenia to identify stakeholder and future generation opinions and mitigation strategies for solving one of the most prominent environmental issues: plastic pollution. As part of the EU H2020 project <i>GoJelly&...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Environments |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/8/8/81 |
| _version_ | 1797523927196499968 |
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| author | Emily Cowan Andy M. Booth Andreas Misund Katja Klun Ana Rotter Rachel Tiller |
| author_facet | Emily Cowan Andy M. Booth Andreas Misund Katja Klun Ana Rotter Rachel Tiller |
| author_sort | Emily Cowan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, we conducted and documented workshops and interviews in Norway and Slovenia to identify stakeholder and future generation opinions and mitigation strategies for solving one of the most prominent environmental issues: plastic pollution. As part of the EU H2020 project <i>GoJelly</i>, stakeholders were brought together to explore their perceptions on considering jellyfish mucus as a new resource to contribute to reducing plastic pollution from entering the marine environment. The study was conducted in the spring of 2019, in a context directly after the European Union (EU) announced its Directive to ban the most commonly used single-use plastic (SUP) items. The study applied the snowball method as a methodological choice to identify relevant stakeholders. Systems thinking was utilized as a participatory modelling approach, which allowed for the creation of conceptual mind maps from the various workshops and interviews, to understand consumers’ consciousness, and to map out ideas on plastic pollution reduction. Plastic pollution takes place on a global scale and stakeholders discussed their individual perceptions of national and international solutions that could be put in place to solve it, including the opportunities around utilizing jellyfish mucus to filter and capture micro- and nanoplastic. We found that industry stakeholders in both case areas were generally more accepting of policy and increased innovation moving forward, but placed weight on the scientific community to conduct more research on the pollution issue and propose solutions. Future generation stakeholders (youth aged 14–18), however, put emphasis on consumer behavior and buying patterns of single-use products fueling the plastic crisis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:50:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c1f2fd67ff6940d3ba7ee5330b15a303 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3298 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:50:04Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environments |
| spelling | doaj.art-c1f2fd67ff6940d3ba7ee5330b15a3032023-11-22T07:36:27ZengMDPI AGEnvironments2076-32982021-08-01888110.3390/environments8080081Single-Use Plastic Bans: Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on Best Practices for Reducing Plastic PollutionEmily Cowan0Andy M. Booth1Andreas Misund2Katja Klun3Ana Rotter4Rachel Tiller5Department of Climate and Environment, SINTEF Ocean, 7010 Trondheim, NorwayDepartment of Climate and Environment, SINTEF Ocean, 7010 Trondheim, NorwayDepartment of Climate and Environment, SINTEF Ocean, 7010 Trondheim, NorwayNational Institute of Biology, Marine Biology Station, 6330 Piran, SloveniaNational Institute of Biology, Marine Biology Station, 6330 Piran, SloveniaDepartment of Climate and Environment, SINTEF Ocean, 7010 Trondheim, NorwayIn this study, we conducted and documented workshops and interviews in Norway and Slovenia to identify stakeholder and future generation opinions and mitigation strategies for solving one of the most prominent environmental issues: plastic pollution. As part of the EU H2020 project <i>GoJelly</i>, stakeholders were brought together to explore their perceptions on considering jellyfish mucus as a new resource to contribute to reducing plastic pollution from entering the marine environment. The study was conducted in the spring of 2019, in a context directly after the European Union (EU) announced its Directive to ban the most commonly used single-use plastic (SUP) items. The study applied the snowball method as a methodological choice to identify relevant stakeholders. Systems thinking was utilized as a participatory modelling approach, which allowed for the creation of conceptual mind maps from the various workshops and interviews, to understand consumers’ consciousness, and to map out ideas on plastic pollution reduction. Plastic pollution takes place on a global scale and stakeholders discussed their individual perceptions of national and international solutions that could be put in place to solve it, including the opportunities around utilizing jellyfish mucus to filter and capture micro- and nanoplastic. We found that industry stakeholders in both case areas were generally more accepting of policy and increased innovation moving forward, but placed weight on the scientific community to conduct more research on the pollution issue and propose solutions. Future generation stakeholders (youth aged 14–18), however, put emphasis on consumer behavior and buying patterns of single-use products fueling the plastic crisis.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/8/8/81single-use plasticstakeholder integrationplastic pollutionsystems thinking |
| spellingShingle | Emily Cowan Andy M. Booth Andreas Misund Katja Klun Ana Rotter Rachel Tiller Single-Use Plastic Bans: Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on Best Practices for Reducing Plastic Pollution Environments single-use plastic stakeholder integration plastic pollution systems thinking |
| title | Single-Use Plastic Bans: Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on Best Practices for Reducing Plastic Pollution |
| title_full | Single-Use Plastic Bans: Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on Best Practices for Reducing Plastic Pollution |
| title_fullStr | Single-Use Plastic Bans: Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on Best Practices for Reducing Plastic Pollution |
| title_full_unstemmed | Single-Use Plastic Bans: Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on Best Practices for Reducing Plastic Pollution |
| title_short | Single-Use Plastic Bans: Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on Best Practices for Reducing Plastic Pollution |
| title_sort | single use plastic bans exploring stakeholder perspectives on best practices for reducing plastic pollution |
| topic | single-use plastic stakeholder integration plastic pollution systems thinking |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/8/8/81 |
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