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Sustainability
Volume 17
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10.3390/su17094092
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Article

Zero Waste for All? Sustainable Practices in a Small-Scale Zero Waste Community from a Universal Design Perspective

by
Anna-Sara Fagerholm
1,2,
Henrik Haller
2,
Anders Warell
1 and
Per-Olof Hedvall
1,2,*
1
Department of Design Sciences, Lund University, LTH, Box 118, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
2
Department of Natural Science, Design and Sustainable Development, Mid Sweden University, Holmgatan 10, 852 30 Sundsvall, Sweden
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2025, 17(9), 4092; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17094092
Submission received: 14 March 2025 / Revised: 11 April 2025 / Accepted: 23 April 2025 / Published: 1 May 2025
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Abstract

Since 2003, Kamikatsu in Japan has established a sustainable zero-waste practice that has achieved a recycling rate exceeding 80%. By exploring how the community has shaped itself around the zero-waste concept, this paper aims to enhance our understanding of zero waste in practice from a universal design perspective. Interviews and photo documentation were used to gather data. The zero-waste concept was not driven by technical solutions. Instead, the results highlight what initiatives contributed to the design of the zero-waste concept. Key themes presented include fostering a lifestyle shift, changing norms, creating co-located experiences, establishing an incentive system, and developing self-awareness routines. The paper also addresses the challenges and opportunities from a universal design perspective when applying zero waste, emphasizing the importance of designing for diverse needs while promoting long-term environmental sustainability. This research contributes to the understanding of zero waste practices, combining the ecological dimension with the social dimension of sustainable development.
Keywords: zero waste; universal design; community of practice; circular design zero waste; universal design; community of practice; circular design

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MDPI and ACS Style

Fagerholm, A.-S.; Haller, H.; Warell, A.; Hedvall, P.-O. Zero Waste for All? Sustainable Practices in a Small-Scale Zero Waste Community from a Universal Design Perspective. Sustainability 2025, 17, 4092. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17094092

AMA Style

Fagerholm A-S, Haller H, Warell A, Hedvall P-O. Zero Waste for All? Sustainable Practices in a Small-Scale Zero Waste Community from a Universal Design Perspective. Sustainability. 2025; 17(9):4092. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17094092

Chicago/Turabian Style

Fagerholm, Anna-Sara, Henrik Haller, Anders Warell, and Per-Olof Hedvall. 2025. "Zero Waste for All? Sustainable Practices in a Small-Scale Zero Waste Community from a Universal Design Perspective" Sustainability 17, no. 9: 4092. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17094092

APA Style

Fagerholm, A.-S., Haller, H., Warell, A., & Hedvall, P.-O. (2025). Zero Waste for All? Sustainable Practices in a Small-Scale Zero Waste Community from a Universal Design Perspective. Sustainability, 17(9), 4092. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17094092

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