New Technologies for the Transition to a Circular Economy in the Plastic Materials Value Chain

Plastic waste has risen to the forefront of scientific and political debate as a global problem that needs to be addressed urgently. The circular economy model, supported by politicians, academics and corporations, represents a viable pathway to achieving a more sustainable level of development. New and disruptive technologies can accelerate the transition to a circular economy, but their application to the plastics transition is not yet fully understood. Based on a systematic literature review, this paper aims to understand the role of key emerging technologies in the transition to a circular economy in the plastics value chain, their potential impact, and the barriers to their adoption and diffusion. Using the ReSOLVE framework, the analysis shows that four technology sets related to Industry 4.0, the distributed economy, biological systems and chemical recycling are the main enablers of the transition to a circular economy, rather than individual technologies. The complementarity of technologies and the changes required from a systemic perspective are discussed, as well as governance and implementation proposals to overcome barriers and resistance to the transition. To date, the research literature has not systematically analysed how new technologies that have been identified as enablers of the circular economy relate to the dynamics of plastic value chains. In addition, there is a great need to better understand how innovative technologies can provide more sustainable solutions in value chains and how more circular alternatives to plastic waste management and recycling can be leveraged. Understanding the opportunities not only from the perspective of individual firms and business models in plastics value chains, but also from a systemic perspective, is key to developing meaningful and effective forms of governance to shape and support the transition to a circular economy. Intending to fill this gap in the literature, the paper seeks to understand the role of key emerging technologies in the transition to a circular economy in the plastics value chain, their potential impacts, and barriers to adoption and diffusion.