DEBRIS DATA - The first global consumer to business waste reporting app

The application that enables both activists and corporations to make a difference

Debris Data The first global consumer to business waste reporting app
Royal National Lifeboat Institution x Royal College of Art

Role: UX & UI Design (fully), Qualitative Research, Paper & Digital Wireframes, Low and High-Fidelity Prototypes, Usability Studies, Competitive Audit, Brand Design, Design System
Tool: Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Miro, Adobe Premiere, Balsamiq
Team: Marta, Mo, Molly - 3 weeks

DEBRIS DATA - An app that brings activists and big companies together to create bespoke, regional sustainability initiatives

Reporting at the end-of-life stage made feasible

The briefing:

At the beginning of 2022, we were given a mandate as part of the "Grand Challenge" to team up with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and develop concepts aimed at preserving the oceans. The focus should be on the topic of "cooperation". In order to better understand the context, each team was assigned an RNLI volunteer. The project had a deadline of 3 weeks for completion.

Video: Royal College of Art

Our research:

Our conversation with volunteer Pauline proved to be invaluable, providing us with fantastic insights into the Sandgate area and RNLI education. Several issues stood out, including the amount of rubbish left behind by tourists, especially during peak seasons, and the influx of marine debris brought in by storms. We also learned how neighboring towns impact Sandgate due to the tidal waves from Plymouth. Pauline's perspective on RNLI education highlighted the importance of safety and sustainability, which involves promoting behavior change. The wide reach of RNLI's mission for water safety demonstrated the potential to educate and influence large audiences.

During our visit in January, which is a low season for tourism, we observed firsthand how significant the issue of waste and marine debris was. As we discussed potential intervention ideas for Sandgate, we recognized the importance of creating a more extensive impact beyond just the local level, as this issue is prevalent across the UK.

We learned:

Beach cleaning is a necessary post-waste solution, but it fails to address the underlying problem of changing people's behavior towards sustainability. To make a real difference, we need to inspire environmental concern among both individuals and corporations. Currently, these entities operate separately, but by closing the loop that connects them, we could create a more effective approach to promoting sustainable habits.

One way to achieve this is through data tracking and sharing. By collecting and sharing data, we can hold companies and individuals accountable for their roles in promoting sustainability and closing the loop. This could lead to more effective habit change and a brighter future for our planet.

We asked ourselves:

„How can we bring together young activists and big companies to jointly design tailor-made regional sustainability initiatives?”

Competitor analysis:

The applications and reporting websites we have discovered focus primarily on reporting illegal landfills to government authorities. However, they do not inform companies about the disposal of their end-of-life products.

“Our app helps climate activists who want to minimize packaging waste found at local beaches by reporting it to linked companies and directly rewards the user with local treats.”

– Value proposition

The solution:

Debris Data is the first global consumer-to-business waste reporting app. Users can report waste by photographing the product, barcoding it, and answering a few simple questions. When submitting a report, users are encouraged to dispose of the waste correctly and are prompted to indicate if there are enough bins around.

The app features a news feed with tailored waste-related news to keep users up-to-date with current solutions. The reporting area shows visual summaries of brands and materials found.

Additionally, the app includes a user profile where users can see rewards they have earned by taking part and their rankings on the leaderboards.

Service Ecosystem:

Let’s zoom into

KEY FEATURES

  • Documentation, traceability of packaging found

  • Weekly location-based summary

  • Local feedback to government on bins

  • Personalized news feed

  • Local stories & achievements

  • Brand specification, packaging type & location

  • Reports summary

  • Rewards

  • Leaderboard

The app connects corporations, supply chains, localities, and individuals to encourage responsible waste management. Individuals are incentivized to use it, and companies receive hyper-local data to improve their impact. The app's data can also help boroughs and regions target waste reduction efforts.

Additionally: Companies are now required to report packaging data for EPR fees. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is an environmental policy that makes producers responsible for managing a product's end-of-life. They pay EPR fees based on the amount of packaging or products (e.g., electronics, textiles) they release onto the market. The app would highlight which companies realistically perform good and bad in this context.

Our key stakeholder

  • The council worker

    John, a council worker, learned about the app from his child, who received water safety training from RNLI education. Utilizing data on the local area, he has been able to develop effective hyper-local initiatives. Thanks to the app's regular and visual round-up of regional data, John has been able to quickly identify trends and areas in need of improvement in his local community. Since downloading the app, John and the council have identified the need for increased summertime beach clean-ups and have taken action to address this issue.

  • The activist

    After seeing the app advertised on BBC's 'Saving Lives at Sea' in partnership with the RNLI, a Sandgate resident downloaded the app and became an activist. Each time they report litter using the app, they earn credits that can be redeemed for a free coffee at a local coffee shop. In addition to earning rewards, using the app also allows this resident to track their contributions to the community and see where they rank on the leaderboard compared to other users in the area. This sense of involvement and contribution to climate initiatives helps foster a stronger sense of community engagement.

  • The FMCG CEO

    As the CEO of a Fast moving consumer goods company, Julian’s head of customer service brought to their attention that they have been receiving weekly reports about their packaging data from Debris Data. Just last week, twenty items from their company were found on Sandgate beach. The report has suggested they can offer a tailored solution to the region by sponsoring more bins in the area or donating money to the fund for activists’ rewards.

„I can very well imagine that young people and the activists like my grandson would use this app, it would be a great tool for them - they are digital natives. In addition, we could advertise it directly during the training and on TV as RNLI!”

– Pauline

Let’s zoom into

PROTOTYPING

Persona picture: Pexels Andrea Piacquadio