Reducing Single-Use Plastics Waste
Personalized behavioral intervention to reduce single-use plastics
Partners
Ministry of Environmental Protection
Collaborators
Dr. Daniella Shidlovski, Anat Halevy, Rotem Levin
The Problem
Plastic pollution caused by disposable tableware is a major threat to the environment globally. In Israel, the situation is extremely dire due to high rates of consumers’ usage of disposable products. To mitigate these damages, considerable resources are invested in waste treatment infrastructure. However, that does not address the root cause of the problem – the purchase and usage of disposables by Israeli consumers.
Our Approach
The Green Nudges 2.0 project develops personalized behavioral interventions to reduce single-use plastic consumption. Guided by the COM-B model - which proposes that behavior occurs when people have the capability, opportunity, and motivation to act - we design interventions that target these core behavioral components to support a shift toward reusable and sustainable alternatives. Our work includes surveys, online experiments, and real-world implementations across multiple consumption environments.
Behavioral Solutions
In the first phase, we map usage patterns of disposable products in workplaces across Israel and implement tailored interventions in four organizations, each following a diagnostic phase and customized recommendations based on behavioral barriers and existing infrastructure. Next, we are expanding our interventions to café locations to reduce single-use consumption outside the workplace and evaluate cross-context behavioral spillovers.
Results and Impact
Our approach enables organizations and policymakers to adopt evidence-based, context-specific strategies for reducing disposable use - complementing traditional policy tools such as regulation and taxation. By focusing on practical behavior change rather than awareness alone, this work supports scalable, long-term reductions in single-use plastic across diverse environments.