In this thesis we provide a theoretical framework for a dichotomous-choice contingent valuation survey for plastic and reusable shopping bags and consequential analysis of that data. By using interval regression analysis, a mean willingness to pay for continued use of plastic grocery bags and a mean willingness to accept to use reusable bags for all grocery shopping trips are estimated. The subsidy level was statistically robust while the tax level was not; this led us to the conclusion as cited from previous studies that people are very elastic to a plastic bag tax, and consequently a small tax provides tremendous consumptive declines.

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

<p>Date: 6/16/2008</p><p>Institution: School of Sustainable Development of Society and Technology, Mälardalen University, Västerås (Sweden)</p><p>Authors:</p><p>Brüning, Andrea</p><p>830111</p><p>Västerås</p><p>Curtolo,Anna</p><p>820517</p><p>Västerås</p><p>Tutor: Tobias Eltebrandt</p><p>Title: A Study of Switch Pac: what would be the efficient ways for Switch Pac to increase potential demand and capitalize on green attitudes and behavior in the Swedish market?</p><p>Problem: What would be the efficient ways for Switch Pac to increase potential demand and capitalize on green attitudes and behavior in the Swedish market?</p><p>Purpose: The aim of our project is to see the potential of Switch Pac’s oxo-biodegradable plastic bags on the Swedish market by capitalize on green attitudes and behaviour.</p><p>Method: The report is based on primary data collected through questionnaires (end consumer/ B2B customers). For the investigation of Switch Pac’s macro- and microenvironment secondary data was used (books, journals, newspaper and the Internet)</p><p>Conceptual Framework: The conceptual framework consists of certain models to investigate the following topics:</p><p>Consumer behavior</p><p>AIDA-Model</p><p>STP-Model</p><p>Switch Pac´s business environment</p><p>PESTEL</p><p>Conclusion/ Recommendations: In our conclusion based on our frameworks PESTEL, AIDA and STP we concluded that peoples’ awareness regarding environmental friendly plastic bags are not very high based on our questionnaire. The efficient ways for Switch Pac to increase potential demand is to target the customer in the age range from 20 – 49 years and cooperate with supermarkets and (department) stores. Furthermore, Switch Pac needs to position its products in the consumers mind through create brand awareness by using certain elements of the marketing mix model.</p>

Date: 6/16/2008 Institution: School of Sustainable Development of Society and Technology, Mälardalen University, Västerås (Sweden) Authors: Brüning, Andrea 830111 Västerås Curtolo,Anna 820517 Västerås Tutor: Tobias Eltebrandt Title: A Study of Switch Pac: what would be the efficient ways for Switch Pac to increase potential demand and capitalize on green attitudes and behavior in the Swedish market? Problem: What would be the efficient ways for Switch Pac to increase potential demand and capitalize on green attitudes and behavior in the Swedish market? Purpose: The aim of our project is to see the potential of Switch Pac’s oxo-biodegradable plastic bags on the Swedish market by capitalize on green attitudes and behaviour. Method: The report is based on primary data collected through questionnaires (end consumer/ B2B customers). For the investigation of Switch Pac’s macro- and microenvironment secondary data was used (books, journals, newspaper and the Internet) Conceptual Framework: The conceptual framework consists of certain models to investigate the following topics: Consumer behavior AIDA-Model STP-Model Switch Pac´s business environment PESTEL Conclusion/ Recommendations: In our conclusion based on our frameworks PESTEL, AIDA and STP we concluded that peoples’ awareness regarding environmental friendly plastic bags are not very high based on our questionnaire. The efficient ways for Switch Pac to increase potential demand is to target the customer in the age range from 20 – 49 years and cooperate with supermarkets and (department) stores. Furthermore, Switch Pac needs to position its products in the consumers mind through create brand awareness by using certain elements of the marketing mix model.

Den här undersökningen har studerat hur Systembolagets plastpåses visuella kommunikation och marknadsföring sett ut och hur den har förändrats genom åren. Syftet var att skapa en förståelse kring förändringarna i relation till samhällets och marknadsföringens utveckling. Tanken var även att tillföra kunskap till historien om utvecklingen av visuell kommunikation och marknadsföring. Systempåsen har alltid varit en central del i företagets marknadsföring och funnits med i samma format under många årtionden, vilket gjorde området intressant för studiens syfte. Denna studie har genomförts med en kvantitativ innehållsanalys av Systembolagets plastpåse. För att behandla frågeställningen utgick studien från ett antal variabler som berört element, färg och kommunikation. Variablerna används för att identifiera förändringarna i plastpåsens visuella kommunikation och marknadsföring över tid, samt hur detta har förhållit sig till eller påverkades av samhälls- och marknadsföringsteoriers historia. Efter en förfrågan till Systembolaget blev empirin tilldelad, vilket bestod av över hundra systempåsar från 1970 till 2018. Vissa avgränsningar gjordes, såsom att enbart undersöka de Systembolagspåsar som är gjorda av plast och dess framsida. Detta på grund av att det är den sida som syns utåt och att det var då plastpåsen kom med den traditionella form som vi ser än idag. De resultat som gick att utläsa av studien var att en stor förändring skett från 70-talet till idag när det gäller påsens kommunikation. Uttrycken och budskapen har förändrats i takt med samhället och marknadsföringens utveckling. Det gick från ett rörigt uttryck till ett enhetligt. När påsen kom var det maffiga innehåll med stor variation. Under ett och samma årtionde varierade det till exempel mellan mängden bild, text och färg. Ett stort skifte skedde i uttrycken i början på 90-talet då ett och samma uttryck återanvändes och det gick att se ett tydligt samband mellan påsarna. Budskapen berörde aktuella ämnen från dess samtid under årtiondena, men framförallt anpassades budskapen efter marknadsföringens krav på en tydlig identitet och nya sätt att synas på. I och med utvecklingen mot ett samhälle där vi ständigt möts av nya reklambudskap. Budskapen gick därmed från att primärt kommunicera risker och säkerhet till att idag lägga ett större fokus på den egna verksamheten i sin kommunikation. / This study analyzed how the visual communication and marketing regarding Systembolaget’s plastic bags appearance and how it has changed over the years. The purpose with this study was to create an understanding regarding the alteration in relation to the changes in the development of society and marketing. The idea was to add knowledge to history regarding the development of visual communication and marketing. The plastic bag has always been a key part in Systembolaget’s marketing and has had the same overall formatthroughout the decades. What has been changed – on the other hand – is its graphic appearance. This leads to an interest to study how the design has developed in relation to societal changes, and thereby create a wider understanding of the history of visual communication and marketing as a field. This study has been conducted with a quantitative content analysis of Systembolaget’s plastic bags. Toaddress the question at issue this study used several variables that involved element, color and communication. This was to identify the changes of the plastic bag regarding visual communication and marketing over time, but also how it was related or affected by the history of society and marketing. After a query to Systembolaget the empirical data, which consisted of over a hundred plastic bags from Systembolaget between 1970 and 2018, was assigned to us. Certain delimitations have been done. We only examined the bags made of plastic, and only the front of the plastic bag. The results that could be read from the study were that there was a big change from the 70s until today, regarding the communication of the plastic bag. The expressions and messages has changed in the same pace as the development of society and marketing. When the plastic bag first came, the content had a big variation. The amount of images, text and color changed a lot during a decade. The message on the plastic bags concerned current topics from its present day. The main message went from communicating risks andsafety to today communicating Systembolaget’s vision as a company.

Neste trabalho, foram estudadas blendas de poliésteres sintéticos e de fonte renovável - poli(tereftalato de butileno-co-adipato de butileno) - PBAT e poli(ácido láctico) - PLA, respectivamente, utilizados em sacolas de supermercado. Amostras destes materiais foram pesadas e enterradas em solo simulado por quatro meses para simular uma compostagem tradicional. As amostras foram então analisadas por Calorimetria Exploratória Diferencial (DSC), Termogravimetria e Termogravimetria Derivada (TG e DTG, incluindo uma Análise Cinética não isotérmica comparativa com sacolas de PE aditivadas com agente pró-degradante, Espectroscopia Vibracional Raman com Transformada de Fourier (FT-Raman), Difração de Raios X e Cromatografia de exclusão por tamanho. Embora não tenha havido perda de massa significativa no período do envelhecimento por compostagem tradicional, foram constatadas importantes alterações estruturais nas amostras, tais como a redução nas energias de ativação (Ea) para os processos de decomposição térmica, a redução na intensidade da banda relativa ao estiramento da carbonila presente nos poliésteres e também uma drástica redução da massa molecular dos polímeros. Em paralelo, a aceleração do processo de biodegradação com Vermicompostagem foi investigado, com resultados bastante promissores, incluindo a degradação total da amostra após um tratamento prévio de exposição à luz solar. / In this study, blends of the synthetic polyester poly(butylene adipate-cotherephtalate) - PBAT - and the natural one poly(lactic acid) - PLA - used as biodegradable plastic shopping bags were studied. Samples of these materials were weighed and buried in simulated soil for four months to simulate domestic composting. These samples were then studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetry (TG, including a comparative non-isothermal Kinetic Analysis with PE shopping bags containing prodegradation agents), Transformed Fourier Raman Vibrational Spectroscopy (FT-Raman), Wide Angle X-Ray Diffraction (WAXD) and Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC). It was observed that even though there was no significant mass loss in the period of the ageing when using conventional home composting, important structural changes were detected in the samples, such as the reduction of activation energies (Ea) for the thermal decomposition processes, the reduction of intensity of the peak associated with the stretching of the carbonyl present in both polyesters and also a dramatic decrease in molecular weights. In parallel, the acceleration of the biodegradation process with vermicomposting was investigated, with very promising results, including the total disintegration of the samples when submitted to a previous treatment of sun light exposure.

Rapporten behandlar ämnet att göra det enklare att öppna plastpåsar och görs på uppdrag av Leif Gustavsson vid Binar Elektronik AB i Trollhättan. Arbetetet utförs i kursen Examensarbete för högskoleingenjörsexamen i innovationsteknik och design, MSGC12 vid fakulteten för hälsa, natur- och teknikvetenskap på Karlstad universitet under våren 2013. Idag sker öppnandet av påsar ofta genom att ett tumme-pekfingergrepp skjuvar isär påsens väggar. Informationssökningen visar att behovet av en lösning som gör det enklare att öppna olika typer av plastpåsar i butik och inom hushåll är mycket stort för människor både med och utan funktionsnedsättning. Dels ur ett användningsperspektiv, då operationen kräver en hög motorisk förmåga men även ur ett smittspridningsperspektiv, då fingrarna ofta måste blötas med saliv för att åstadkomma tillräckligt hög friktion mot påsen för att skjuva upp den. Eftersom individen då får i sig de bakterier hon har på handen och för sina munhålebakterier vidare när hon tar i ett annat föremål. Även om ett fåtal patent påträffas inom området finns inga lösningar tillgängliga på marknaden för föreskrivna hjälpmedel eller för produkter inom egenansvar. Utifrån uppdragsgivarens krav, egna premisser, vad som observeras i butik och framkommit från intervjuer med butiksvan säljare, hygiensköterska, arbetsterapeut, utredare vid socialtjänsten samt vid samtal med Reumatikerförbundet har en produktspecifikation gjorts. Specifikationen ställer bland annat krav på användarvänlighet, att kunna brukas i butik och inom hushåll, att minimera smittspridning, att hjälpa funktionsnedsatta samt att tillåta storserietillverkning till låg kostnad. Konceptgenerering sker tillsammans med kurskamrater som är bekanta med den kreativa processens metodik och med reumatiker som är väl bekanta med behovet. Det leder till att ett trettiotal konceptuella lösningar tas fram som sedan utvärderas med hjälp av eliminerings-, relativ besluts- och kriterieviktsmatriser samt spindelvävsdiagram som bygger på den kravspecifikation som tidigare definierats. Den valda lösningen konfigureras och testas vid prototyptillverkning med återkoppling till den slutliga användaren, för att sedan få sin slutkonstruktion och mönsterskyddas. Lösningen är en produkt som orsakar skjuvning med sin osymmetriska u-form genom att armarna i sträcks i olika riktningar vid kompression samtidigt som dess gap är försett med friktionsmaterial som gör att påsens väggar skjuvas isär. Produktens enkla form gör det enklare att öppna plastpåsar samtidigt som den minimerar smittspridning och tillåter storserietillverkning till låg kostnad. Enkelheten gör det även möjligt att ge indirekt skydd av den tekniska funktionen genom mönsterskydd av form. Produktens material, tillverkning och dimension behöver dock specificeras noggrannare genom produkttest så att konstruktionen tillåter lämplig skjuvning för att kunna öppna en plastpåse. / The report deals with the subject of making it easier to open plastic bags and is commissioned by Leif Gustavsson at Binar Elektronik AB in Trollhättan. The work is performed within the course Degree project for Degree of Bachelor of Science in Innovation and Design Engineering, MSGC12 at the Faculty of Health, Nature and Engineering Science at Karlstad University in the spring of 2013. Today the opening of the plastic bags often is performed by a thumb-index finger grip that shears apart the walls of the bag. The research shows that the need for a solution that makes it easier to open different types of plastic bags in stores and within households is very high for people with and without disabilities. Both from a usage perspective when the operation requires a high motor performance but also from a contamination perspective when fingers often have to be soaked with saliva to provide sufficient friction against the bag to shear it up. The individual then ingests the bacteria she has on her hand and passing her oral cavity further on when she touches another object. Although a few patents were found within the area there are no solutions available in the market. Based on the requirements from the employer, the author’s own terms, what is observed in the store and emerged from interviews with experienced seller, health nurse, occupational therapist, researcher at the social services and in conversation with the Swedish Rheumatism Association a product specification was made. The specification includes requirements on ease of use, to be managed in-store and in households, to minimize the spread of infection, to help the disabled and to allow large series manufacturing at a low cost. Concept generation was performed together with fellow students who are familiar with the methodology of the creative process and with rheumatics who are well acquainted with the need of making it easier to open plastic bags. Approximately thirty conceptual solutions are developed, which is being evaluated by means of elimination, relative decision-making and criterion-weight matrixes and web charts based on the product specification previously defined. The final choice of solution is configured and prototypes constructed. Feedback from the user leads to the final product design and the design was protected. The product causes shearing with its asymmetrical U shape by stretching its arms in different directions during compression while its mouth is provided with friction material that allows the walls of the bag to be sheared apart. The product's simple design makes it easier to open plastic bags while at the same time minimizing the spread of infection and allowing large series manufacturing at a low cost. The simplicity also makes it possible to provide indirect protection of the technical function through design. Although the product’s materials, manufacturing and dimension needs to be specified more accurately by tests to confirm that the design allows adequate shear to open a plastic bag.

The Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping was enforced in July 2009. The Levy aimed to create a direct fiscal disincentive to reduce the indiscriminate use of Plastic Shopping Bags and encourage consumers to switch to reusable shopping bags. In theory, fiscal instruments are more efficient and effective to change people’s behaviour, but its impacts towards attitude are still in question. Also, the level of green citizenship, which emphasising that people have the responsibility to protect and sustain the environment, is a good indicator to know people’s attitudes towards the environment, but the Hong Kong government tends to rely on fiscal disincentives to change people’s behaviour, Green Citizenship had never been addressed. Green citizenship is a personal commitment to learn more about the environment and to take responsible environmental action. Environmental citizenship encourages individuals, communities and organizations to think about the environmental rights and responsibilities we all have as residents of the planet Earth (Environmental Canada, 2006). This study carried out a questionnaire research to identify the policy effect that the Levy in Hong Kong have on environmental attitudes and behaviours, as well as to identify the relative impact of economic incentive versus Green Citizenship on green attitudes and behaviours. The survey was conducted from 25th April to 9th May 2012 for two weeks in the form of internet survey. The research found that the Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bags affected citizens’ behaviour and attitude to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags, and also changed people’s behavioural intention to act pro-environmentally, if their beliefs are strong enough to override the disadvantages brought by pro-environmentally actions. However, the level of green citizenship in Hong Kong is still in a private level, the sense of green citizenship of the society is still weak, thus, a comprehensive education programme should be carried out by both the society (bottom-up) and the government (top-bottom) to raise the level of green citizenship of the society. / published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

Neste trabalho, foram estudadas blendas de poliésteres sintéticos e de fonte renovável - poli(tereftalato de butileno-co-adipato de butileno) - PBAT e poli(ácido láctico) - PLA, respectivamente, utilizados em sacolas de supermercado. Amostras destes materiais foram pesadas e enterradas em solo simulado por quatro meses para simular uma compostagem tradicional. As amostras foram então analisadas por Calorimetria Exploratória Diferencial (DSC), Termogravimetria e Termogravimetria Derivada (TG e DTG, incluindo uma Análise Cinética não isotérmica comparativa com sacolas de PE aditivadas com agente pró-degradante, Espectroscopia Vibracional Raman com Transformada de Fourier (FT-Raman), Difração de Raios X e Cromatografia de exclusão por tamanho. Embora não tenha havido perda de massa significativa no período do envelhecimento por compostagem tradicional, foram constatadas importantes alterações estruturais nas amostras, tais como a redução nas energias de ativação (Ea) para os processos de decomposição térmica, a redução na intensidade da banda relativa ao estiramento da carbonila presente nos poliésteres e também uma drástica redução da massa molecular dos polímeros. Em paralelo, a aceleração do processo de biodegradação com Vermicompostagem foi investigado, com resultados bastante promissores, incluindo a degradação total da amostra após um tratamento prévio de exposição à luz solar. / In this study, blends of the synthetic polyester poly(butylene adipate-cotherephtalate) - PBAT - and the natural one poly(lactic acid) - PLA - used as biodegradable plastic shopping bags were studied. Samples of these materials were weighed and buried in simulated soil for four months to simulate domestic composting. These samples were then studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetry (TG, including a comparative non-isothermal Kinetic Analysis with PE shopping bags containing prodegradation agents), Transformed Fourier Raman Vibrational Spectroscopy (FT-Raman), Wide Angle X-Ray Diffraction (WAXD) and Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC). It was observed that even though there was no significant mass loss in the period of the ageing when using conventional home composting, important structural changes were detected in the samples, such as the reduction of activation energies (Ea) for the thermal decomposition processes, the reduction of intensity of the peak associated with the stretching of the carbonyl present in both polyesters and also a dramatic decrease in molecular weights. In parallel, the acceleration of the biodegradation process with vermicomposting was investigated, with very promising results, including the total disintegration of the samples when submitted to a previous treatment of sun light exposure.

This study was conducted in South Africa. South Africa is the first country within the Southern African Development Community to have regulated plastic shopping bags waste through the imposition of both a standard on thickness and a levy. Given this scenario, the Plastic Bags Regulations present an illustrative case for researching complexity, uncertainty and controversies surrounding a new trend in environmental policy making, namely waste product regulation. The thesis focuses on understanding and investigating tensions, debates and responses emerging from the policy process as actors and actor-networks put not only the Plastic Bags Regulations asfocal actant (token) but also other actants and actant-networks as well. To this end, a research question that addressed environmental policies, tensions, debates and responses that informed the development of South Africa's Plastic Bags Regulations was spelt out. The research objectives included the need to: (I) analyse selected international environmental policy processes surrounding plastic shopping bags litter and waste regulation and how these influenced developments in South Africa; (2) identify actors, actants and actor/actant-networks that shaped and were being transformed by South Africa's Plastic Bags Regulations and explain the tensions, debates and responses arising in the policy processes; (3) identify environmental policy outputs and assess outcomes emerging from the formulation and implementation of South Africa's Plastic Bags Regulations; and (4) establish patterns in environmental policy process reforms around South Africa's Plastic Bags Regulations. The language of actors (human), actants (non-human) and actor/actant-networks brings to the fore the aspects of processes and relationships that exist around them. As such, insights from the actor/actant-network theory (AANT) were drawn upon to inform the research. AANT enquiry framework collapses binaries such as nature/society, art/science, structure/agency and global/local historically associated with a particular type of social theory. AANT also denies that purely technical, scientific or social relations are possible (the notion of quaSi-objects or token). Data sets were generated following' the Plastic Bags Regulations as token actant with time frames ranging from prior to, during and after the formulation of the regulations. Similarly, data analysis drew insights from AANT's four moments of translation namely problematisation, interessement, enrolment and mobilisation, with the intervention theory providing an evaluative perspective that complemented AANT. The findings were that after the promulgation of the first draft of the Plastic Bags Regulations in May 2000, tensions emerged around the nature of regulation (whether command and control - preferred by government or self regulation - preferred by industry and labour). In this regard the latter group raised concerns about jobs, income and equipment loss as well as the need to have a holistic approach to waste management rather than targeting a single product at a time whilst the former maintained that this would not be so. As such, education, awareness and stringent antilitter penalties were proposed by industry and labour as sustainable responses to the problem of plastic shopping bags waste rather than regulation. These debates continued and resulted in minor amendments to the original regulations as finalised by Government in May 2002. However, industry and labour continued lobbying government resulting in the conclusion of the Plastic Bags Agreement in September 2002 and the ultimate repulsion of the May 2002 regulations in May 2003. As revealed by this research, these responses led to broader social responses and further tensions as demand for plastic shopping bags went down by about 80% although an estimated 1000 jobs were lost and a number of companies lost equipment and business (with some closing down) following the implementation of the regulations. During implementation, debates emerged around the need to promote locally made carry facilities with two alternatives in sight namely: the Green Bag and the Biodegradable Plastic Bag. Debates also took place regarding enforcement of the new law resulting in the amendments of various pieces of legislation including the Environmental Conservation Act, Environmental Management Act and the Revenue Laws Act. Overall, a 15-year policy reform cycle and sub-cycles was determined. The research also established that the government considered the regulations a success and was already implementing simi lar initiatives to regulate other waste products, among them, used tyres, used oil and glass, confirming the trend towards waste product regulation in South Africa. From these research findings, a series of conceptual frameworks were drawn up to clarify the nature of tensions, debates and responses surrounding certain lead actors, actants and actorlactant-networks. Some of the conceptual frameworks that emerged around the actors and actor-networks include Organised Government, Organised Industry and Organised Labour. Conceptual frameworks that emerged around key actants and actant-networks include the Integrated Pollution and Waste Management, Plastic Bags Regulations as well as the discourses surrounding the Green bag and biodegradable plastic bags. The thesis concludes by reflecting on how the above and the grand actor/actant-network conceptual frameworks emerging from this research might be adopted with varying degrees of flexibility to research environmental and waste management policy processes in different waste product regulation set-ups. / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in