A study of the economic evaluation of water refill spots for reusable bottles using conjoint analysis

Abstract

Plastic pollution has become a global environmental problem. Plastic pollution in the oceans is serious and significantly impacts ecosystems. Most of this plastic debris in the ocean is discharged from land areas through rivers, and most of this plastic debris is disposable household waste such as plastic bottles and plastic bags. In order to promote the use of "My Bottle," which is effective in reducing the use of beverage plastic bottles, which account for a large portion of the plastic litter collected in oceans and rivers, this study examined the actual use of My Bottle and what kind of refill spots consumers desire, based on conjoint analysis. The results showed that while many people had a high willingness to pay and supported a refill spot where not only water but also soft drinks were available as an alternative to existing vending machines, there was also some support for an inexpensive service that could be refilled only with water or sparkling water.