Assessing the determinants of intentions and behaviors of organizations towards a circular economy for plastics

Catalysing Environmental Action: a Governance Framework for Enhancing Individual Participation in Sub-Saharan Africa's Plastic Circular Economy

Plastic waste poses a significant challenge to achieving sustainable production and consumption of resources, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where effective governance and waste management systems are lacking. In this paper, we develop an empirical understanding of the influence of public governance system on promoting circular economy (CE) for plastic actions among individuals. Through a survey of 1475 participants across five sub-Saharan African countries, we tested five hypotheses drawing on New Governance Theory and CE Action Recipe to explore the relationship between governance and individual's actions supporting CE for plastic. We found that a governance system that supports CE practices and exhibits governance efficiency is positively associated with individuals' actions supporting CE for plastic. The awareness of government policies, laws and regulations, institutions, processes, and programmes have a significant impact on individuals' engagement in plastic circularity practices. The paper's theoretical and governance implications highlight the relevance of public governance in shaping action towards a CE for plastic at the individual level.

Revolutionizing construction: A cutting-edge decision-making model for artificial intelligence implementation in sustainable building projects

This study examines how certain artificial intelligence (AI) drivers affect the industry's adoption of this technology in the construction industry. The research methods comprised a comprehensive analysis of previous studies to pinpoint the primary factors influencing AI adoption in the construction industry. Data collection was carried out through a well-structured survey involving relevant stakeholders in the building construction sector. The three main constructs of technological devices, advancement, and knowledge were found from the set of drivers with the technique of exploratory factor analysis. The deployment of AI in construction has the potential to improve health and safety and expedite project completion, as this research has evaluated. To figure out how these factors relate to the adoption of AI in the construction industry, partial least squares structural equation modeling was used. The study's conclusions showed that the influence of AI installation in the construction industry is reasonably significant thanks to the technology, advancement, and knowledge, contributing around 15 % of the effects that have been directly witnessed. The practical implications of AI for policy makers, engineers, and construction stakeholders are extensive and provide valuable insights for customized strategies aimed at using AI's potential to improve projects, promote sustainability, and elevate health and safety standards.

The social and environmental responsibility of informal artisanal and small-scale mining in Ghana: An Akan philosophical perspective

Informal artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) continues to grow globally, raising both challenges and opportunities in terms of economic, social, and environmental impacts. The ASM literature explores the formalization and transfer of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices from larger firms as the pathway to minimize negative impacts and maximize benefits. But we know very little about environmental and social responsibilities of informal mining operations (and informal economy actors in general, who are often portrayed as devoid of these responsibilities). This paper aims to theorize and empirically explore principles and practices of social and environmental responsibility in informal mining. We combine elements of relational stakeholder theory with Ghana's Akan philosophy to develop our theoretical framework. Through a qualitative research process involving thematic analysis - of field notes from field observations and 81 interviews with ASM miners, community leaders/residents and executive members of Small-Scale Mining Association-Prestea Branch in Ghana - and pattern-matching technique, we find that: a) informal ASM is culturally and relationally motivated to be socially and environmentally responsible, b) there is a model of informal social and environmental responsibility (ISER) that is characterized by commonality, solidarity, tradition, and human-nature interdependencies, and c) social and environmental responsibilities are interpreted in a distinctive, non-Western way and comply with two main informal norms: gifting for social responsibilities and taboos for environmental responsibility. We conclude by suggesting that governments should collaborate with traditional authorities to promote ISER practices as cultural norms.

Exploring the factors influencing the intention to clothing and textiles recycling among Chinese college students': a study based on TPB and VBN

Recycling apparel and fabrics is essential for preserving resources and protecting the environment, providing considerable global advantages for ecology and society. This study sought to explore the participation of Chinese college students in the recycling of clothing and fabrics by combining the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Value-Belief-Norm theory (VBN), self-identity, school education, and perceived policy effectiveness to create a comprehensive model. A total of 1,027 valid samples were obtained through stratified sampling and random sampling, primarily sourced from Eastern China, and analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) utilizing AMOS. The results of the research suggested the following: (1) College students' biospheric values emerged as the most influential factor in predicting their inclination to participate in recycling behavior. (2) VBN (encompassing biospheric and altruistic values) and self-identity significantly contributed to shaping attitude and perceived behavioral control, which in turn impacted individuals' intention to participate in recycling. (3) School education exerted a stronger moderating influence than perceived policy effectiveness on the relationship between attitude, perceived behavioral control, and intention. The comprehensive model proposed in this study demonstrated superior predictive capability in explaining college students' willingness to participate in clothing and textiles recycling. It has been proven to be practical and effective. Lastly, schools should promote the practice of clothing and textiles recycling, cultivate good values, and utilize the power of social influence to encourage college students to participate in clothing and textiles recycling. The government should improve relevant laws and regulations, collaborate with academia, and adopt measures like incentives to create a pro-environment atmosphere.

Investigating the Role of Goals and Motivation on Waste Separation Behavior Through the Lens of the Theory of Reasoned Goal Pursuit

Nowadays the prediction and change of waste-related behaviors represent a key topic for scholars and policy makers. The theoretical mainstays applied to waste separation behavior, such as the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Norm Activation Model and the Value Belief Norm, do not include the construct of goal in their formulation. Other goal-focused theories, such as the Goal Systems Theory (GST), lack applications on separation behavior. Recently, Ajzen and Kruglanski (2019) have proposed the Theory of Reasoned Goal Pursuit (TRGP) which combines TPB and GST. Considering TRGP has the potential to offer further insights on human behavior and, to our knowledge, there is no application of TRGP to recycling behavior yet, this paper analyses waste separation behavior of households in Maastricht and Zwolle (The Netherlands) under the lens of TRGP. Although waste separation behavior represents a kind of habitual behavior, this paper highlights the influence of goals and motivation on intention to separate waste. Furthermore, it offers some indications to promote behavior change and some suggestions for future research directions.

Identifying the determinants of face mask disposal behavior and policy implications: An application of the extended theory of planned behavior

A study in Nigeria examined the psychological factors affecting face mask disposal behavior (DB) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was used, with awareness of consequences and institutional barriers added. 1183 respondents completed an online survey, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The original TPB model revealed that attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms explained 65% of the variance in respondents' behavior. Behavioral intention and perceived behavioral control accounted for 59.3% of the variance in DB. The extended TPB model, which included awareness of consequences and perceived institutional barriers, improved the model's explanatory power by 12.8%. Both TPB models adequately predicted face mask (FM) disposal behavior, with implications for policymakers and waste management authorities to design interventions to promote proper FM disposal behavior.

Factors for the implementation of the circular economy in Big Data environments in service companies in post pandemic times of COVID-19: The case of Colombia

In emerging economies, Big Data (BD) analytics has become increasingly popular, particularly regarding the opportunities and expected benefits. Such analyzes have identified that the production and consumption of goods and services, while unavoidable, have proven to be unsustainable and inefficient. For this reason, the concept of the circular economy (CE) has emerged strongly as a sustainable approach that contributes to the eco-efficient use of resources. However, to develop a circular economy in DB environments, it is necessary to understand what factors influence the intention to accept its implementation. The main objective of this research was to assess the influence of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral norms on the intention to adopt CE in BD-mediated environments. The methodology is quantitative, cross-sectional with a descriptive correlational approach, based on the theory of planned behavior and a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM). A total of 413 Colombian service SMEs participated in the study. The results show that managers' attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived norms of behavior positively influence the intentions of organizations to implement CB best practices. Furthermore, most organizations have positive intentions toward CE and that these intentions positively influence the adoption of DB; however, the lack of government support and cultural barriers are perceived as the main limitation for its adoption. The research leads to the conclusion that BD helps business and government develop strategies to move toward CE, and that there is a clear positive will and intent toward a more restorative and sustainable corporate strategy.

An evaluation of online Edcraft gamified learning (EGL) to understand motivation and intention of recycling among youth

Recycling is a process carried out by various organizations and individuals to enhance the environment's long-term sustainability. Some youth think that recycling is a monotonous action as it may seem inconvenient, less aware of the environmental issues and more time-consuming than they think and rather go for video games. Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between motivation and recycling intention in gamified learning among youth. To address the research aim, this study uses gamification as a motivational driver for a game-like learning experience to improve recycling intentions among youth. Self-determination theory (SDT) and the theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) will be this study's main motivational and behavioral theories. (n = 124) high schools and college students were invited to take part in an online gamified recycling activity, Edcraft Gamified Learning (EGL), consisting of two levels of gamified unused plastic-crafting recycling activities. After the activity, the participants will answer a post-event questionnaire and the data collected were analyzed. The result shows that controlled motivation (CM) and autonomous motivation (AM) positively influenced youth attitudes and social norms. Besides, attitude is the only psychosocial determinant that positively influences the recycling intention of the youth. Gamification only moderates positively between attitude and recycling intention. This study has clearly shown the effectiveness of gamified learning activity towards recycling intention directly and as a component that moderates the relationship between attitude and recycling intention, which shows a favorable evaluation towards recycling intention with gamified learning involved. Moreover, the findings showed that not all relationships are positive in a gamified learning environment, and it gives a good view on the weakness and strengths with the guideline of SDT and TPB.

Voluntary commitments made by the world's largest companies focus on recycling and packaging over other actions to address the plastics crisis

Plastic pollution has caused significant environmental and health challenges. Corporations that contribute to the make, use, and distribution of plastics can play a vital role in addressing global plastic pollution and many are committing to voluntary pledges. However, the extent to which corporation voluntary commitments are helping solve the problem remains underexplored. Here we develop a novel typology to characterize voluntary commitments to reduce plastic pollution made between 2015-2020 by 974 companies including the top 300 of the Fortune Global. We find that 72% of these companies have made commitments to reduce plastic pollution. About 67% of companies participating in voluntary environmental programs (VEPs) and 17% of non-VEPs participants made measurable and timebound commitments. However, rather than tackle virgin plastics, most companies target general plastics and frequently emphasize end-of-life controls with a primary focus on recycling. Growing commitments on plastic pollution are made by large and important companies, but significantly more efforts beyond plastic recycling are required to effectively address plastic pollution challenges.

What makes residents more willing to participate in source separation of waste masks under the COVID-19 pandemic?

With the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the generation of a large amount of medical waste brought a rude shock to the existing solid waste management system. Since masks constitute the most common household medical waste under the COVID-19 pandemic, their effective collection and treatment can significantly reduce the potential risks for secondary transmission, and this concern has attracted worldwide attention. Taking Macau City as a case study, this research tried to identify factors that can influence residents' behavioral intentions toward the source separation of COVID-19 waste masks. The extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) model is used to examine the influence factors of the source separation behaviors of 510 respondents. The results show that the main factors that positively affected respondents' behavioral intentions toward waste-mask source separation are: cognitive attitude, convenience, and perceived behavioral control, and among these, cognitive attitude has the highest influence. Subjective norm is also proved to be the weak factor to improving behavioral intention. Policy advocacy, and demographic variables have no significant effect on behavioral intention. The results of this study can help decision makers and managers formulate effective strategies to increase residents' participation in the source separation of waste masks.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10163-022-01513-7.

Regional representation of wind stakeholders' end-of-life behaviors and their impact on wind blade circularity

The growing number of end-of-life (EOL) wind blades could further strain US landfills or be a valuable composite materials source, depending on stakeholders' behaviors. Technical solutions based on circular economy (CE) principles have been proposed but are not guaranteed to solve the issue of EOL management. Transitioning to CE implies changing how business models, supply chains, and behaviors deal with products and waste. A spatially resolved agent-based modeling combined with a machine-learning metamodel shows that including behavioral factors is crucial to designing effective policies. Logistical barriers and transportation costs significantly affect the results: lowering blade shredding costs by a third before transportation makes EOL blades a source of valuable materials, decreasing the 2050 cumulative landfill rate below 50%. In another scenario, parameter settings simulating policy interventions aiming at boosting early adoption incites new social norms favorable to recycling, lowering the cumulative landfill rate below 10%.

Numerical and experimental analysis of pyrolysis process of RDF containing a high percentage of plastic waste

The current COVID-19 pandemic situation and the associated restrictions have increased the amount of generated waste. It results from the necessity to wear personal protective equipment. Thus, the disposal of masks and gloves is a topical issue and requires immediate investigation. The main aims of this work are management and environmental studies of municipal solid wastes (MSW), which have been generated during the COVID-19 pandemic time. Effective waste management in relation to a circular economy is presented. A sample of refuse derived fuel (RDF) with a high content of plastics was used for the experimental and calculation studies. Pyrolysis was selected as the best thermal decomposition process for this kind of wastes. Proximate and ultimate analyses were performed for RDF and its products. Pyrolysis was carried out using a pilot-scale reactor with a continuous flow of 250 kg/h at 900 °C. Thermogravimetric analysis was applied during the pyrolysis investigation and showed that the main decomposition of RDF took place in the temperature range of 250-500 °C. The pyrolysis gas contained combustible compounds like CO (19.8%), H₂ (13.2%), CH₄ (18.9%) and C₂H₄ (7.1%), giving a high calorific value - 24.4 MJ/m³. The experimental results were implemented for numerical calculations. Chemkin-Pro software was applied to predict the chemical composition of the pyrolysis gas. The performed computer simulations demonstrated very good agreement with the results obtained during the experiments. They also indicated that there is a strong relationship between the chemical composition of the pyrolysis gas, the process temperature and residence time in the reactor.

Understanding Business Requirements for Increasing the Uptake of Recycled Plastic: A Value Chain Perspective

Circularity and recycling are gaining increased attention, yet the amount of recycled plastic applied in new products remains low. To accelerate its uptake by businesses, it will be useful to empirically investigate the barriers, enablers, needs and, ultimately, requirements to increase uptake of recycled plastic feedstock for the production of new plastic products. During the six focus group sessions we conducted, a value chain approach was used to map the factors that actors face regarding the implementation of recycled materials. The identified factors were structured based on three levels: determining whether a certain factor acted as a barrier or enabler, identifying the steps in the value chain that the factor directly affected and the category it could be subdivided into. The results were then further processed by translating the (rather abstract) needs of businesses into (specific) requirements from industry. This study presented eight business requirements that require actions from other actors in the value chain: design for recycling, optimised waste processing, standardisation, material knowledge, showing possibilities, information and education, cooperation, and regulation and government intervention. The main scientific contributions were the value chain perspective and the applied relevance of the findings. Future studies may delve deeper into the individual factors identified.

Extending the theory of planned behaviour to investigate the issue of microplastics in the marine environment

The attention to microplastics and the consequences of its presence in the marine environment is increasing in scientific fields as well as on common media channels. In the absence of regulation in many countries, manufacturers are not required to exclude microplastic from their products, however consumers could force the production in a more sustainable direction with their choices. This study demonstrates the utility of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) in understanding the publics' intention to avoid buying products which contain microplastics. All three TPB antecedents of intentions are important. The study, based on a sample of respondents in NSW (Australia), also reveals respondents' habitual behaviour of avoiding buying products containing microplastics strongly predicts their intended future behaviour. Last, modelling reveals direct and indirect means through which intentions to avoid buying microplastics can be increased, via increased environmental concerns and public knowledge and health concerns about microplastics.

A bibliometric analysis of circular economy in the fields of business and economics: towards more action-oriented research

In this paper, we reveal and systemize development trends in the scientific field of the circular economy (CE). Our results imply that academic research on the CE focuses heavily on theoretical conceptualizations and technological solutions. However, these advancements alone are unlikely to help prevent from ecological collapse. With this observation in mind, we explore the potential held by a more relational, action-based approach to support a faster and more efficient transition from the linear economy to the CE. A useful combination of several bibliometric techniques gave us valuable references for re-focusing this area of science to adopt action-oriented research where a group of stakeholders collaborates and co-creates solutions. An analysis of valuable action-oriented CE studies reveals that scholars focus on the techno-economic aspect, where they develop ways to create optimal circular material and energy flows and co-design processes for products/services, as well as the organizational aspect, where they study self-sustainable community networks and participatory governance. We identify three research streams that would benefit from such action-oriented research for a faster practical implementation: sustainable supply chains, waste management, and business model innovation. A practice-based agenda is proposed to stimulate the scientific community to conduct future research on a CE that better supports companies.

Investigating the influencing factors of incentive-based household waste recycling using structural equation modelling

Household waste recycling management is one of the primary challenges of urban development. Incentive-based recycling systems have been used worldwide to increase the willingness of residents to take part in waste recycling. However, the factors that influence the amount of recyclables collected under the current incentive-based recycling systems have not been investigated thoroughly. In this study, the relationships between influencing factors and recycling behaviour were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling under a proposed analysis framework. A real-world case study in Shanghai of China was employed to demonstrate the framework's effectiveness. Six major observations were uncovered based on the studied communities: (1) The amount of recyclables collected increased by 190.9% during the pilot period of the new incentive-based recycling policy. (2) The recycling promotion effect of the new policy reached a peak after approximately three months during the pilot period. (3) Recycling motivation and publicity efforts improved recycling behaviour significantly, but the sense of community belonging and exogenous factors like rainy days and holidays did not necessarily have direct impacts on recycling behaviour. (4) Recycling motivation significantly mediated the relationship between the sense of community belonging and waste recycling behaviour. (5) Although publicity efforts in the studied communities did not necessarily enhance recycling motivation, publicity efforts promoted recycling behaviour significantly in the incentive-based recycling system in Shanghai. (6) Although the studied recycling company has made substantial efforts to formulate attractive recycling prices, its current pricing mechanism still has much room for improvement. This analysis framework and our observations offer insights for government authorities to move towards an enhanced incentive-based recycling system.

Evaluation of urban metabolism assessment methods through SWOT analysis and analytical hierocracy process

The interconnection of urbanization trends and environmental pressures, are due to the rising demand for resource consumption, waste production and greenhouses gas emissions. Taking into consideration the massive reduction of natural resources, the deprivation of the life quality and the climate change, the scientific community indicates the necessity to emphasis and understand the relationship between cities and the environment as a dynamic concept. Consequently, cities are facing the challenge to implement alternative strategies towards more sustainable management of urban resources. This research aims to shed light on the concept of urban metabolism, the methods that are been used to gauge urban metabolism (i.e Emergy Analysis, Material Flow Analysis, Ecological Footprint etc.), as well as the assessment of the proposed methodologies through SWOT analysis and Analytical Hierocracy Process, considering multi-criteria analysis and how those reflect to Circular Economy and European Green Deal Strategy. The results showed that, the existing methodologies needs refreshment to cover the needs for the cities of tomorrow and a new hybrid approach which will include new set of Key Performed Indicators is essential. Furthermore, the results could serve as a beneficial reference point for policy makers, consultants, rural developers as the new hybrid approach can be used to measure and assess the level of metabolism in one area in order to prevent future expansion.

Which region and which sector leads the circular economy? CEBIX, a multivariant index based on business actions

The circular economy encompasses a sustainable economic model based on a production, consumption, distribution and maintenance process that reuses as much as possible. In this research, the two-step composite Circular Economy Business Index was created, based on 17 environmental practices that companies have implemented to reduce the generation of waste and emissions and to increase the reuse and efficiency of materials and energy, among other actions. The use of a sample of 26,783 companies from 49 countries and 10 sectors for the period 2014-2019 allowed the aggregation of these initiatives at the country and industry levels. In this sense, our results show less progress in the circular transformation worldwide and can be used in the design of policies aimed at promoting changes in production and consumption systems in specific geographic or industrial contexts.

Household Waste Separation Intentions in Mongolia: Persuasive Communication Leads to Perceived Convenience and Behavioral Control

This study contributes by developing a set of household waste separation (HWS) attributes to address waste mishandling and to enhance waste separation intentions in households. In Mongolia, a lack of waste separation at the household level needs to be addressed to improve municipal solid waste management systems. However, prior studies have not established attributes in a hierarchical structure, nor do they understand their cause-effect interrelationships. First, the fuzzy Delphi method (FDM) was used to screen out the unnecessary attributes in qualitative information. The fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (FDEMATEL) was then applied to understand the hierarchical structure of the attributes and their cause-effect interrelationships. The study identifies a valid set of attributes consisting of five aspects and 17 criteria under uncertainties. A hierarchical framework consisting of environmental attitudes, social norms, perceived behavioral control, perceived convenience, and persuasive communication is provided. The findings reveal that persuasive communication and environmental attitudes are causal group aspects. Furthermore, persuasive communication has a strong causal impact and higher importance in improving HWS intentions, and it leads to perceived convenience and behavioral control. For policymakers, credibility of information, knowledge and information, awareness of consequences, willingness to sort, and perceived policy effectiveness are the key causal criteria for enhancing HWS intentions. Theoretical and practical policy implications are discussed.

Factors for Implementation of Circular Economy in Firms in COVID-19 Pandemic Times: The Case of Peru

The circular economy can contribute to the eco-efficient use of resources. Firms can obtain relevant benefits if they implement a circular economy. In Peru, the circular economy would create benefits, but it is not fully clear what factors explain the acceptance of firms of implementing a circular economy. Following the theory of planned behavior, the current research assesses the influence of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral norms, intentions, and pressures on behaviors towards the circular economy. A total of 71 medium-size firms based in Peru participated in an online survey. Six questions were focused on general information, and forty-seven questions evaluated the circular economy behavior of firms. A partial least square structural equation modeling technical analysis was used. It was found that attitudes (0.144), subjective norms (0.133), and perceived behavioral control (0.578) had a positive influence on intentions; also, perceived behavioral control (0.461) had a positive influence on behaviors towards the circular economy. Finally, pressures had a positive influence (0.162) on behaviors towards the circular economy. The model explained 64.3% of the behaviors towards the circular economy. The outcomes of the bootstrapping test were used to evaluate if the path coefficients are significant. This study showed that attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral norms, intentions, and pressures explained circular economy behaviors. This information can help firms develop strategies to move forward a circular economy and provide governments information about the current situation of circular economy implementation to generate new norms and strategies for more implementation of circular economy measures in enterprises. The novelty is based on using the PLS-SEM technique.

Bibliographic mapping of post-consumer plastic waste based on hierarchical circular principles across the system perspective

The current dominating production and consumption model is based on the linear economy (LE) model, within which raw materials are extracted-processed-consumed-discarded. A circular economy (CE) constitutes a regenerative systemic approach to economic development which views waste as a valuable resource to be reprocessed back into the economy. In order to understand the circular strategy for a systemic change from an LE to a CE as a means of resolving the issue of plastic waste, this research aims to map current circular strategy trends across the system perspective contained in the literature relating to plastic CE literature. The novelty of the research lies in the mapping and review of the distribution of comprehensive circular strategies within the 9R framework across the entire system perspective (e.g. micro-meso-macro) down to its sub-levels in the literature on a plastic CE. The bibliographic mapping and systematic literature review iindicateed that the majority of the research focused on recycle (R8), followed by refuse (R0), reuse (R3), and reduce (R2). Certain circular strategies are more appropriate to handling certain plastic materials, despite CE's favoring of prevention and recycling over incineration. Recover (R9) is often used to process mixed and contaminated plastic. Recycling (R8) is the most popular circular strategy and the most applicable to plastic material with three recycle trends, namely; mechanical recycling, chemical recycling and DRAM (Distributed-Recycling-and-Additive-Manufacturing). Prolonging the product life through refurbishing (R5) is not applicable to plastic due to its material limitations. Reduce (R2) popularity as circular strategy reflects the preference to reduce consumption, either by launching campaigns to prevent waste or increasing production efficiency. Research on Rethink (R1) has largely focused on rethinking product design, consumer and organization behavior and perceptions of CE. Refuse (R0) strategy is an adoption of bio-based plastics which have a similar function to fossil-based plastics.

Comparing the Influence of Residual Stress on Composite Materials Made of Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and Amorphous Hydrogenated Carbon (a-C:H) Layers: Differences Caused by Single Side and Full Substrate Film Attachment during Plasma Coating

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a bio-based, biodegradable and commercially used polymer, which in its native form is unfortunately not generally applicable. A widely used technique to adapt polymers to a wider range of applications is the surface modification with amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H) layers, realized by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD). However, this process creates intrinsic stress in the layer–polymer system which can even lead to full layer failure. The aim of this study was to investigate how the carbon layer is affected when the basic polymer film to be coated can follow the stress and bend (single side attachment) and when it cannot do so because it is firmly clamped (full attachment). For both attachment methods, the a-C:H layers were simultaneously deposited on PHB samples. Ex-situ characterization was performed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for surface morphology and contact angle (CA) measurements for wettability. In addition, the stress prevailing in the layer was calculated using the Stoney equation. Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFT) measurements were used to investigate the chemical composition of the coating surface.