The concept of a circular economy is proposed as a solution to many of the environmental challenges society currently faces. The transition to a circular economy requires a complete reimagining of the predominant economic system and relies on actors at every stage of a material’s life-cycle: producers, manufacturers, retailers, (re)users, disposers, and waste managers. When confronted with such significant change, important questions are raised around the efficacy and equity of any solution(s). Who gets a say in (re)designing the economy? Who gains and who loses out? How are these risks and benefits distributed across different actors and segments of society?

My PhD aims to contribute to these discussions, looking specifically at how households can successfully be engaged as “circular citizens” (active participants in the transition to the circular economy) and to what extent digital technologies can play a role in this process. The town of Wantage in Oxfordshire, UK is adopted as an overarching case study in the research, with studies looking at how digital tools are adopted by community groups, researchers, NGOs, local authorities, and by individuals, with the aim of reducing waste and increasing circularity (for example, through sharing, hire and repair). 

The overall objectives of my PhD are: (i) to demonstrate that, with the right support, households can make a more effective contribution to the circular economy than the current system allows; and (ii) to highlight the potential role of digital solutions in this process.

Research Questions:

My PhD explores what role digital technology can play in engaging individuals with the circular economy (at the local scale), in particular asking: 

• What are the key elements of the circular economy at the local scale that individuals can engage with? 

• How do different actors view the use of digital technologies to engage individuals with the circular economy?