A review of circular economy applications and challenges in African plastic waste management

Abstract

Plastic waste presents a critical environmental challenge in Africa. This systematic review evaluates business model types, environmental and socio-economic benefits, and implementation challenges associated with circular economy innovations adopted by African entrepreneurs to mitigate pollution. The search strategy systematically combined indexed databases including Web of Science and ScienceDirect with Google Scholar and grey literature via organizational websites to mitigate geographic and publication bias. Data were analyzed using thematic synthesis and categorized by: (1) plastic waste business models, (2) environmental benefits, (3) socio-economic outcomes, and (4) implementation challenges. Results indicate that African entrepreneurs primarily adopt downcycling business models, which effectively divert waste and create significant green employment. However, limitations in current material recovery systems persist despite these benefits. Entrepreneurs face high upfront costs and socio-cultural biases that restrict access to formal credit and advanced processing technologies. Given that the circular economy is a socio-economic necessity for Africa, policy interventions should prioritize technical training and specialized green finance to de-risk high-value technologies, dismantle social barriers, and ensure the long-term viability of green start-ups.