Approaching the New Plastic Economy: Solutions and Their Implications on Creating New Markets Around the Plastic Packaging Industry
(2019) SMMM20 20191Department of Service Studies
- Abstract
- Background: Today, plastic packages can be found from the nature all around the world, hence it is a topic which is widely discussed among consumers, the media and politics, to name a few. Furthermore, solutions to the waste issue are pondered upon these different groups. The packaging industry constitutes for a large share of the total plastic waste, which is why the study was narrowed down to that specific industry. The aim of this study was to investigate recycling and alternative plastic materials as two possible solutions to decreasing plastic packaging waste and to investigate their potential relationship. In relation to the alternative plastic materials, potential ways to increase the growth of bioplastic market were also explored.... (More)
- Background: Today, plastic packages can be found from the nature all around the world, hence it is a topic which is widely discussed among consumers, the media and politics, to name a few. Furthermore, solutions to the waste issue are pondered upon these different groups. The packaging industry constitutes for a large share of the total plastic waste, which is why the study was narrowed down to that specific industry. The aim of this study was to investigate recycling and alternative plastic materials as two possible solutions to decreasing plastic packaging waste and to investigate their potential relationship. In relation to the alternative plastic materials, potential ways to increase the growth of bioplastic market were also explored. Furthermore, the different variables in enabling change in waste reduction were investigated.
Methods: The conducted research investigated industrial perspectives through interviews. An understanding of how the public is perceiving the issue was also considered relevant information for people working in the plastic packaging industry, hence discourse analysis was conducted as a supporting method.
Results:
The empirical results indicated that developing recycling and alternative plastic materials should be considered together instead of as two separate methods. Furthermore, together or apart, both perspectives still need development. The key enablers in their improvement lie in the hands of consumers, companies and politicians and moreover in the creation of a market around them. The market must be framed with legislation and it needs more harmonisation through standardisation of packaging labels and clarification of material-related terminology. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/8981025
- author
- Mannonen, Roosa LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SMMM20 20191
- year
- 2019
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- plastic waste, bioplastics, alternative materials, recycling, plastic economy
- language
- English
- id
- 8981025
- date added to LUP
- 2020-11-20 11:09:05
- date last changed
- 2020-11-20 11:09:05
@misc{8981025, abstract = {{Background: Today, plastic packages can be found from the nature all around the world, hence it is a topic which is widely discussed among consumers, the media and politics, to name a few. Furthermore, solutions to the waste issue are pondered upon these different groups. The packaging industry constitutes for a large share of the total plastic waste, which is why the study was narrowed down to that specific industry. The aim of this study was to investigate recycling and alternative plastic materials as two possible solutions to decreasing plastic packaging waste and to investigate their potential relationship. In relation to the alternative plastic materials, potential ways to increase the growth of bioplastic market were also explored. Furthermore, the different variables in enabling change in waste reduction were investigated. Methods: The conducted research investigated industrial perspectives through interviews. An understanding of how the public is perceiving the issue was also considered relevant information for people working in the plastic packaging industry, hence discourse analysis was conducted as a supporting method. Results: The empirical results indicated that developing recycling and alternative plastic materials should be considered together instead of as two separate methods. Furthermore, together or apart, both perspectives still need development. The key enablers in their improvement lie in the hands of consumers, companies and politicians and moreover in the creation of a market around them. The market must be framed with legislation and it needs more harmonisation through standardisation of packaging labels and clarification of material-related terminology.}}, author = {{Mannonen, Roosa}}, language = {{eng}}, note = {{Student Paper}}, title = {{Approaching the New Plastic Economy: Solutions and Their Implications on Creating New Markets Around the Plastic Packaging Industry}}, year = {{2019}}, }