Emerging digital platforms force waste management rethink

The emergence of crowd-sourced waste disposal services provided by digital platforms is challenging traditional waste management routines and raising legal and ethical questions, according to a study conducted by KTH researcher Rob Comber and Chiara Rossitto from Stockholm University. The study focused on a legal case involving Stockholm Municipality and Tiptapp, a digital platform that connects individuals in need of waste disposal with workers who can assist them.

Initially, Tiptapp was banned from operating due to concerns about the transfer of waste between private individuals. However, Tiptapp argued that its service was primarily about facilitating arrangements between individuals and on-demand workers, rather than waste disposal itself. After several years of legal proceedings, the ban was eventually overturned.

The researchers highlight the broader implications of digital platforms like Tiptapp for sustainable Human-Computer Interactions (HCI). They argue that these platforms not only create new markets and behaviors but also reshape the understanding of responsibilities and monopolies within established public services like waste management. The power and influence of such platforms, as seen in the case of Tiptapp and Airbnb in the short-term rental market, can lead to deregulation and evading important sustainability-related regulations.

Comber and Rossitto emphasize the need for HCI researchers to consider the legal context of technological systems to ensure more sustainable living. They call for a deeper understanding of the role of technology in relation to regulations and advocate for responsible practices that do not undermine sustainability goals.