Engaged citizens drive circular practice

A large-scale pilot in Belgium, Spain and Slovenia on small digital health devices has confirmed that convenience, proximity and integration into everyday routines are critical for securing a circular return at the devices’ end-of-life.

The four-year research, carried out since 2022 by the EU-funded Digital Health in a Circular Economy (DiCE), considered digital health technologies from smart pillboxes to wearable sensors and targeted every stage of the product lifecycle from design to disposal. 
The pilots involved 414 people in Geel (Belgium), Valladolid (Spain) and Maribor (Slovenia) and results suggest 60% of citizens are likely to responsibly dispose of end-of-life devices.

Drop-off points

Those taking part said they prefer simple and accessible return options such as local drop-off points in places they regularly visit (eg healthcare facilities, public buildings and everyday commercial locations like supermarkets), or the simple possibility of returning devices by post.

A total of 25 smart collection machines were installed across the three participating European cities, allowing people easy access. The smart collection machines, which were simple to use, facilitated secure returns with real-time monitoring, ensuring that collected items remained safe from unauthorised access. In total, the machines collected 320 pillboxes across the three regions: 127 in Spain, 61 in Slovenia and 132 in Belgium.

Motivation

Researchers found that motivational strategies can help increase the likelihood of people returning digital health devices. The pilots also highlighted that behavioural nudges integrated in the packaging alone are not enough. For circular systems to work in practice, they found, the entire chain must function smoothly: collection points must be easy to access, instructions must be clear and reverse logistics must be well organised. 

‘The pilots demonstrate that involving citizens from the start, through co-creation, testing and feedback, can help design circular systems that work in real life,’ says Sascha Vermeylen from Thomas More University, the coordinator of the pilots. ‘It became clear that citizens are willing to participate in and engage with the design process and have the potential to contribute with meaningful, smart solutions.’