Grant no.: NCN 2022/47/D/HS4/03444
Funding agency: National Science Centre (NCN), Poland
Funding scheme: SONATA
Funding period: 14.07.2023-13.07.2026 (36 months)
Budget: 413 580 PLN
Title in Polish: MoSAic: Model czworościenny zrozumienia I zwiększenia społecznej akceptacji gospodarki o obiegu zamkniętym

Research team:

Principal Investigator (Kierownik):

• Yash Chawla

Investigators (Wykonawcy):

• Anna Kowalska-Pyzalska
• Przemysław Zaleski

Collaborators (Współpracownicy):

• Natalia Kosińska 
• Maciej Machnik 
• Agata Marszałek 

 – Ph.D. / M.Sc. / B.Sc. student

Aims and scope:

The project aims to address the pressing environmental challenges posed by linear consumption models through the implementation of Circular Economy (CE) principles. By recognizing the finite nature of Earth’s resources and the detrimental effects of waste accumulation, the project seeks to shift the focus towards sustainable practices that mimic natural closed-loop systems. Specifically, the objectives include developing a comprehensive understanding of the barriers hindering the transition to CE within the Polish municipal waste management sector. Through empirical research, the project aims to construct a tetrahedral model elucidating the socio-economic, psychological, technological, and macroeconomic factors influencing social acceptance of CE. Additionally, the project endeavors to formulate practical recommendations to enhance social acceptance and facilitate the successful transition to a circular economy model. Through the following tasks, the project aims to contribute to the mitigation of environmental degradation and the promotion of sustainable resource management practices.

Tasks:

1. Advanced desk research on previous literature, policy regulations, and business investments for transitioning to Circular Economy in the municipal solid waste management sector.
2. Exploring the factors affecting the social acceptance of the Circular Economy and deducing the linkages between them based on empirical evidence from Poland.
3. Integrating the identified elements in Task 2 to develop a tetrahedral model, which can be used to comprehend the level of social acceptance using Agent-Based Modeling.
4. Based on the model determined in Task 3, building a set of recommendations to increase social acceptance of the Circular Economy (CE) to aid in the transition from a linear economy to CE for the Polish municipal waste management sector.
5. Dissemination of results via scientific publications, conference presentations, and science for society (for business and community) initiatives.

Expected impact:

The projected impact of the research encompasses several crucial dimensions. Firstly, it aims to significantly contribute to the advancement of behavioral economics and the diffusion of innovation fields. Through the introduction of a robust model for analyzing the social acceptance of Circular Economy (CE), the research endeavors to provide a framework that may prove beneficial to researchers, policymakers, and industries alike. Furthermore, by exploring the intricate interplay between micro-level social interactions and macro-level economic variables, the project seeks to offer nuanced insights into the complexities of societal acceptance and innovation diffusion. From an economic and societal perspective, the research aspires to deepen our comprehension of consumer motivations and behaviors, particularly concerning the transition towards CE. Such insights could potentially inform the development of targeted marketing campaigns and policies aimed at fostering acceptance of sustainable innovations.

Publications:

Peer-reviewed articles in JCR-listed journals

2025 (1+), 2024 (0), 2023 (1)

1.  Y. Chawla, K. Chojnacka, M. Paca, A. Pudełko, R. Weron, P. Zaleski (2025) Cost-benefit analysis of a municipal waste management project: Using a survey of professional forecasters to provide reliable projections until 2035, Journal of Cleaner Production 494, 144945 (doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.144945). Working paper version available from RePEc: https://ideas.repec.org/p/ahh/wpaper/worms2501.html
2.  D. Skrzypczak, K. Trzaska, F. Gil, Y. Chawla, K. Mikula, G. Izydorczyk, M. Samoraj, K. Tkacz, I. Turkiewicz, K. Moustakas, K. Chojnacka (2023) Towards anaerobic digestate valorization to recover fertilizer nutrients: Elaboration of technology and profitability analysis, Biomass and Bioenergy 178, art. 106967 (doi: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2023.106967).

Peer-reviewed articles in non JCR-listed journals

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Book chapters

2025 (0+), 2023-2024 (0)

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Conference papers/posters

2025 (0+), 2024 (0), 2023 (1)

1. Y. Chawla, A. Kowalska-Pyzalska (2023) Agent-Based Modeling for Analyzing Customer Behavior in the Context of Circular Economy. Social Simulation Conference 2023, University of Glasgow, UK (Poster).

Forthcoming publications, submitted papers and work in progress 

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