The Evolutionary Trend and Impact of Global Plastic Waste Trade Network

Changping Zhao, Mengru Liu, Huanzheng Du and Yu Gong
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Changping Zhao: Business School, Changshu Institute of Technology, Changshu 215500, China
Mengru Liu: School of Maritime Economics and Management, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China
Huanzheng Du: UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Yu Gong: Southampton Business School, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 7, 1-19

Abstract: Marine plastic waste, global warming, and ozone holes have become global environmental problems that need to be resolved urgently. With the promulgation of plastic bans in many countries, the global plastic waste trade will undergo tremendous change. In order to explore the future evolutionary trend of the global plastic waste trade network, this paper focuses on the analysis of the import and export of plastic waste from major trading countries around the world. Based on the bilateral trade volume of plastic waste from 1990 to 2019, a global plastic waste trade network is constructed, and the structure and characteristics of the network are studied. The results show that the global plastic waste trade network has shifted its center of gravity, and the import center has gradually shifted from China to Southeast Asia. The global plastic waste trade network presents a sparse state. Moreover, the dependence of related countries on plastic waste trade decreases, whilst the closeness of trade links also decreases. Sudden factors such as plastic waste import bans have a disruptive impact on plastic waste management.

Keywords: global plastic waste; international trade; complex network (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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