Driven by the need for increased resource efficiency and sustainability, policy initiatives, e.g. the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, require transformations in waste management systems. Present initiatives, however, largely neglect the role of consumers and do not differentiate between public and private spaces.

Both spaces are highly relevant in cities.

The goal of the project is to understand the generation of municipal solid waste flows at source, their alterability by design and infrastructural measures. Thereto knowledge and methodologies of three disciplines (waste management, social psychology, industrial design) are combined and applied to two Austrian case study cities (Vienna, Krems).

Firstly, the project team will jointly investigate factors for participation in waste source segregation in urban spaces. Contextual factors will be considered as well as the effects of urbanisation. Secondly, designs to promote source segregation will be developed and tested during field research studies. Field research will focus on public spaces (e.g. metro stations) and will include data collection on waste composition and quantity. Thirdly, impacts on the urban waste management system, its circularity and environmental impacts due to potential changes in source segregation will be assessed. Finally, the findings will be synthesized in a planning tool in order to support decision makers in enhancing source segregation to benefit Circular Economy and reduce environmental burdens.