Circular Economy Transition on the Debate: Big Dreams but Harsh Realities

Abstract

This paper aims to reveal some discrepancies in scientific discourse related to the circular economy subtopics and to recognize some of the current and relevant shortcomings in an antagonism approach that requires more attention from scientists, policymakers, and civil organizations to reach a cohesion level between downstream and upstream measures of circular economy initiatives. These subtopics refer to the lack of basic waste management services and sanitation around the world; circular ambitions on "papers" and massive pollution in open environments; recycling and resource recovery between formal; informal, and criminal organizations; progress towards a circular economy transition and deficient waste-related statistics; Plastics Treaty between high and less ambitious countries; circular business models and greenwashing risks; smart cities and neglected rural communities. These subtopics are interlinked for circular economy discourse from local to global levels while this literature review paper reveals some pathways to overcome such societal discrepancies that act as an impediment towards a functional global circular economy.