A review of plastic waste circular actions in seven developing countries to achieve sustainable development goals

Abstract

Plastic waste circularity is a priority at a global level. Sustainable development goals (SDGs) set the ways to go, and the circular economy principles underlined the ‘green’ strategies to be employed. However, in practice, there is still much to do, especially in developing countries, where open burning and open dumping still represent the common way of plastic waste disposal. This review aims to analyse current plastic waste circular approaches in low-middle income settings. Seven countries were selected based on the economic level and data availability from the authors, and analysed to collect and critically discuss the actions implemented at a city level. Examples of waste minimization and recycling strategies, selective collection systems and public campaigns are reported from Africa, Asia and Latin America. First, a background analysis related to physical and governance aspects of municipal solid waste management systems of the chosen settings was conducted. The assessment was focused on the treatment processes or minimization actions. Then, the applicability of the projects to achieve the SDGs was commented on. The outcomes of the research underline the need to: (1) scale up small-scale and pilot projects, (2) disseminate good practices in more low- to middle-income settings, (3) create synergies among international partners for further replications in cities. Urgent solutions to plastic waste pollution are needed. The review presented practical actions to be implemented now to boost plastic waste circularity in developing cities.

Transforming E-Waste Management: Challenges and Opportunities

“…To address this issue, transitioning to a Circular Economy (CE) is necessary, where products are reused and recycled to reduce CO2 emissions and raw material consumption [6]. CE serves as a guiding principle to attain numerous sustainable development goals (SDGs) and advocates for a collaborative sharing economy that optimizes material resources through cooperative engagement, resulting in the generation of increased employment opportunities [7]. However, the adoption of a circular economy requires significant restructuring of the current working system, which can potentially disrupt the economy.…”

Policy Measures, Practices and Challenges of Waste-to-Energy: Perspectives from Nigeria and Nepal

“…Despite the increasing waste production, waste management practices are still inadequate in many countries, with developing countries facing major issues (Ferronato et al, 2023). According to the World Bank (2018), about 37% of MSW is disposed of in landfills globally, 8% in sanitary landfills, 4% in controlled landfills, and 25% are unspecified, while 33% of waste is still openly dumped.…”

Role of Informal Waste Workers for Sustainable Waste Management in Nigeria and Nepal

“…In Shanghai, China, the informal recycling sector involves nearly 200,000 people and accounts for approximately 17 ~ 38% of municipal recycling activities (Linzner and Salhofer, 2014). It is necessary to scale up small projects, share best practices in low-to middle-income areas, and foster global partnerships to promote plastic and circular actions (Ferronato et al, 2023).…”