Roles of mobile applications in removing barriers to individual recycling: Case of Türkiye

Abstract

Recycling literature lists barriers that deter individuals from engaging in recycling behavior. These barriers comprise cost-related barriers such as the behavior being challenging, personal barriers such as lack of knowledge or laziness, social barriers such as lack of support from family, believing that others do not recycle, and structural barriers such as hard-to-access recycling bins or lack of incentives. Removing or alleviating these barriers is critical for increasing source separation and recycling rates. In addition to other measures taken, mobile applications (recycling apps) developed to support recycling may also have a significant potential for removing certain barriers. This study aims to evaluate the functions of recycling apps used in Türkiye and highlight their potential to support the behavior through removing the barriers. For this purpose, content analysis of recycling apps was performed. Following the PRISMA protocol, 19 applications were identified and reviewed in detail. The findings revealed ten distinct functions provided by apps. The role of each function in removing specific barriers is evaluated. It was found that recycling apps have huge potential to promote individual recycling by alleviating critical barriers when apps are widely used and their functions consistently meet user expectations. Problems related to some neglected barriers and low usage rates are discussed, and implications of findings are provided.