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Project title

A Community Based Social Marketing Plan for Increased Participation in WEEE Reuse and Recyling (ColectWEEE)

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

University of Limerick (UL)

Lead Applicant

Maria Lichrou

Project Abstract

Under the recast of the WEEE Directive, national targets for collection of WEEE have been substantially increased. Ireland will effectively have to double its WEEE collection rate by 2019 and current methods of collection will not be sufficient to do this. Using contemporary research on influencing sustainable consumer behaviour, the project (ColectWEEE) will deliver a detailed community based social marketing plan to enable Ireland to achieve these ambitious new targets. It will combine an extensive review of state-of-the art literature, to identify best practices and key stakeholders with multisite ethnographic research involving observation, formal interviewing with stakeholders and informal conversations with members of the community in specific (WEEE-significant) settings examining barriers involved in WEEE reuse and recycling practices. Rather than focusing on overcoming the �attitude-behaviour gap� and the inclusion of environmental criteria in individual consumer decision-making, ColectWEEE examines the role that consumption practices, social networks, material infrastructures, and different forms of organisations play in enabling or discouraging WEEE reuse and recycling. From this perspective, failure to engage is less about individuals� values and more about the practices and infrastructures that facilitate unsustainable practices. Transforming unsustainable practices thus requires �situated interventions� rather than a focus on promoting ethical values. - A final report. - A synthesis report. - One peer reviewed journal article in Environmental Science & Technology (I.F. 5.257). - A 2-page summary report for inclusion on the EPA website - An oral presentation at Electronics Goes Green 2016+ in Berlin or equivalent high impact international conference. - An oral presentation at the Macromarketing conference 2016 in Dublin or equivalent high impact international conference. - A recorded webinar suitable for the general public which can be disseminated using social media such as @EPAResearchNews and @ULPressOffice - A dedicated webinar for the Southern Waste Region, Eastern & Midlands Waste Region & Connaught Ulster Waste Region with a focus on the most relevant outcomes. - Presentation of the results to the National WEEE Monitoring Group, as many of the identified target audience are members of the group. - It will be offered to the WEEE compliance schemes to present the findings at the general meetings of their members. - A press release about the final report will be issued by the UL Press Office. -The overall impact of the project will be a clear path to achieving the ambitious collection targets outlined in the recast of the WEEE Directive

Grant Approved

�89,509.82

Research Hub

Green and Circular Economy

Research Theme

Resource efficiency

Start Date

01/12/2016

Initial Projected Completion Date

30/11/2017