The rise of deposit collecting. A study of how the practice of collecting deposits in urban area is (re)produced in everyday life

Abstract

Since the expansion of the deposit return scheme in 2021, 'the deposit collector' has become a familiar sight in every major Dutch city. The media often labels them negatively, as a vagrant or scavenger. Ignoring that they are heroes responsible for a 70% reduction in public waste. But, who exactly is this deposit collector? And what drives people to engage in an activity that is so widely dismissed? And if we are not satisfied with the work provided by the deposit collector, how can we influence them? In this thesis the invisible work behind collecting deposits in urban spaces is investigated. Based on 91 field observations, 29 interviews, this thesis describes how the elements of Social Practice Theory (By Shove et al., 2012) interact in the (re)production of this practice. The research shows how complicated collecting deposits can be; access to certain materials, knowledge of the environment, and the skills to apply this connection at the right moment. As a perceived solution to the nuisance, the environment is simultaneously changing. Holders attached to bins for separating waste with- and without deposit value, bins with locks, and bulk return locations. The practice is clearly shaped in and with the densely populated city. And although the collection of deposits is still too often associated with survival strategies and scraping a living together, the carrier of this practice is strongly changing too.