Research Article

THE CONTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLDS IN IMPLEMENTING CIRCULAR ECONOMY: CASE OF NORTH MACEDONIA

ABSTRACT

Taking into consideration the rising level of waste, and the improper management of the scarce resources in the economy, there is a need for a system that will maximize the usage of these resources and minimize waste. The so-called circular economy tends to repair, reuse, recycle and repurpose products to achieve economic development and to increase the efficiency of products used. North Macedonia is actively involved in the process of implementing a circular economy, so that using resources will be as efficient as possible. Although several initiatives and programs are being used nationally, it is considered that the most important contribution comes from the smallest units such as the consumers and households, therefore a large contribution is expected through small daily choices of consumers to achieve the best results. There is also a gap in literature regarding the behavior of households for implementing circular economy. Considering that the purchasing decisions, the lifespan of the usage of products and their transfer into wasted resources come primarily from households, this paper focuses on gathering information from a questionnaire delivered to households located in North Macedonia to give a conclusion on how informed they are and what is their contribution for moving towards a circular economy. According to the results there are still changes necessary to be made in the daily practices of households, mostly in the possibility of using solar panels, and the practice of purchasing second-hand clothing and appliances to reduce waste. Therefore, this paper gives contribution to a more comprehensive approach to circular economy and to serve as a way of informing households and policymakers regarding the focus points that need to be addressed more to achieve the implementation of circular economy and the benefits that come with it.

Keywords

Circular economy households practices efficiency of resources recycling biodegradable