Addressing stakeholders, solutions and conditions for attaining eco-friendly usage of plastic packaging

Abstract

Single-use plastic pollution is one of the most persistent environmental challenges globally. While various mitigation strategies have been proposed and implemented, their effectiveness is frequently undermined by the complex, often conflicting aims of stakeholders within the plastics value chain. Consequently, implementing solutions that aims to reduce plastic consumption such as reusable packaging systems becomes challenging due to entrenched infrastructural and economic interests. This thesis examines the factors influencing stakeholders' adoption of eco-friendly solutions to plastic pollution, proposing an assessment that includes both the global context and a specific case study of Türkiye. Türkiye serves as a critical subject of inquiry due to its status as a major contributor to plastic waste in the Mediterranean, having the lowest municipal solid waste recovery rate within the OECD nations, and significant soil contamination issues resulting from the mismanagement of imported plastic waste. To deconstruct the barriers hindering the widespread adoption of solutions—specifically recycling, reusable packaging, and bio-alternatives—this research adopts the conceptual lens of Science, Technology, and Society (STS), specifically the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT). Within this framework, solutions are viewed as technological "artifacts," while stakeholders (consumers, providers, regulators/policymakers, and waste managers) are analyzed as "relevant social groups" whose interpretations shape the evolution and acceptance of these solutions. Methodologically, the research employs a dual approach. For the global context, a content analysis was conducted by reviewing documents such as academic literature, book chapters, and digital media blogs to map widespread stakeholder interpretations. For the specific context of Türkiye, semi-structured interviews were conducted with industrial design professionals. Industrial designers were selected as the primary data source due to their multi-dimensional practice, which inherently requires the simultaneous assessment of provider capabilities, consumer needs, and regulatory constraints. The analysis reveals that the failure of current solutions often stems from a misalignment of "interpretative flexibility" among these groups. In the case of recycling, a clear dichotomy exists: consumers demand convenience and clarity in sorting, yet often lack the knowledge to distinguish recyclable materials, whereas waste managers and providers require recovered material with high-purity to maintain economic feasibility. This disconnect leads to contamination and eventual landfilling. Similarly, regarding bio-alternatives, the "bio-" label creates consumer confusion leading to improper disposal, while waste managers struggle with the capital-intensive specific infrastructure required to process these materials, which often mimic the appearance of conventional plastics. The analysis of reusable packaging systems highlights a profound conflict between established single-use norms and the behavioral shifts required for reuse. Consumers perceive the washing and returning of reusable packaging/containers as an inconvenience and also harbor concerns regarding hygiene. Conversely, providers—driven by the imperative of profit maximization—face significant barriers regarding reverse logistics costs and the disruption of the "locked-in" petrochemical infrastructure that relies on continuous virgin plastic production. Policy makers, who theoretically bind these groups, are found to be heavily influenced by industry lobbying and plagued by ambiguity regarding technical standards and solution effectiveness The field study conducted in Türkiye corroborates these global trends but identifies unique, context-dependent variables that exacerbate the challenge. Turkish consumers could potentially exhibit a distrust toward providers and regulators regarding the hygiene standards of reuse systems, once they are implemented.. Furthermore, economic instability and uncertainty in Türkiye also creates a volatile environment that discourages providers' long-term investment in eco-friendly infrastructure. However, the research also highlights a cultural potential for "material re-evaluation," evidenced by the localized habit of repurposing plastic packaging (such as yogurt cups) for domestic uses, suggesting a latent cultural propensity for reuse that has not yet been industrialized. Ultimately, the thesis identifies four governing conditions that influence stakeholder-solution interactions: economic (profit/cost), functionality (convenience/infrastructure), hygiene/protection (health safety), and political (regulation/standardization). The findings suggest that these conditions are interlinked; and implementing the solutions according to these conditions along with strict and genuine regulatory action is the catalyst required to attain environmental goals. Based on this synthesis, the thesis proposes a gradual transformation strategy towards eco-friendly plastics usage. For Türkiye, initially implementing effective deposit-refund schemes to instill return habits and improve recycling purity is offered. Once the behavioral infrastructure is established, this deposit model could be expanded to reusable packaging systems, starting with non-ingested products to circumvent hygiene-based resistance. By addressing these specific stakeholder conditions, the transition to a eco-friendly plastic economy can be shifted from a theoretical ideal to a practical reality.