Plastic Waste Supply Chains. Is a Just Circular Economy Possible?

The circular economy is often heralded as a transformative vision, promising to replace the linear (extract, produce, dispose) model with a sustainable one based on recycling, repairing, and reusing. This paper critically examines the feasibility of the circular economy by analysing its environmental, social, and labour dimensions, with a specific focus on the notion of a just transition within plastic waste supply chains.

By tracing the global and often illegal dimensions of plastic waste management, the research highlights how significant volumes of recyclable waste from Western countries are exported to regions with weaker labour protections and environmental standards. Focusing on Germany, a leader in recycling efforts, it follows the pathways of plastic waste as it is transported to Turkey, Poland, and Malaysia—countries where much of Germany’s so-called recyclable waste ultimately ends up. The study explores what actually happens to this waste upon arrival, investigating whether it is genuinely recycled or disposed of in ways that perpetuate environmental injustice.

Adopting an interdisciplinary lens that blends critical human geography, political economy, and work sociology, this research interrogates the extent of recycling practices and exposes the socio-spatial power dynamics that shape circular economy supply chains. It draws attention to how these processes often ignore the rights, health, and safety of workers involved in waste handling and recycling, questioning whether the circular economy can truly support a just transition for all workers.

The analysis is grounded in 25 semi-structured interviews with diverse stakeholders, including representatives from Global Trade Union Federations, national unions, the International Labour Organisation, EU-OSHA, Greenpeace, and local environmental groups.