PhD defence Merel Anna Molenbuur

Keywords: Plastic, Packaging, stakeholder perceptions

"One System, Many Lenses: Actor Perceptions Towards a Sustainable Plastic Packaging Ecosystem"

Plastics play an important role in modern society, particularly in packaging, but their production and end-of-life management pose major sustainability challenges. Improving the sustainability of the plastic packaging ecosystem requires not only technological innovation, but also an understanding of how different actors perceive key concepts such as quality, value, and responsibility. This thesis investigates how actor perceptions shape the transition toward a more sustainable plastic packaging ecosystem. Through interviews with actors across the ecosystem, the research shows that perceptions of quality, value, and responsibility differ substantially depending on actors’ roles and positions. The findings demonstrate that quality and value are not fixed concepts, but are interpreted differently across the system. A case study on flexible mixed polyolefins illustrates how combining circularity and sustainability metrics can support decision-making regarding recycling pathways. The research also reveals a diffusion of responsibility among actors, highlighting governance and coordination challenges. Overall, the thesis contributes to understanding one important dimension of sustainability transitions: how actors interpret, evaluate, and respond to system challenges and opportunities.

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