New Policy Framework with Plastic Waste Control Plan for Effective Plastic Waste Management

Sun-Kyoung Shin, Namil Um, Yong-Jun Kim, Na-Hyeon Cho and Tae-Wan Jeon
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Sun-Kyoung Shin: Environmental Resources Research, National Institute of Environmental Research, Hwangyeong-ro 42, Seo-gu, Incheon 404-708, Korea
Namil Um: Environmental Resources Research, National Institute of Environmental Research, Hwangyeong-ro 42, Seo-gu, Incheon 404-708, Korea
Yong-Jun Kim: Environmental Resources Research, National Institute of Environmental Research, Hwangyeong-ro 42, Seo-gu, Incheon 404-708, Korea
Na-Hyeon Cho: Environmental Resources Research, National Institute of Environmental Research, Hwangyeong-ro 42, Seo-gu, Incheon 404-708, Korea
Tae-Wan Jeon: Environmental Resources Research, National Institute of Environmental Research, Hwangyeong-ro 42, Seo-gu, Incheon 404-708, Korea

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 15, 1-13

Abstract: With an increasing use of plastic, considerable plastic waste is generated, threatening the environment and public health. In particular, changes in living patterns in urban areas have significantly impacted the rate at which plastic waste increases every year. Thus, governments in many developed countries have implemented numerous policies to reduce plastic waste generation. Among them is the concept of circular economy that aims to protect the environment from plastic pollution and promote growth and innovation in industry and human life through overall changes in designing, producing, using, and recycling plastic products. The Korean government has implemented the Resource Circulation Act (RCA), which includes the concept of circular economy and resource efficiency policy for overall waste management. Following the concept of RCA, the Plastic Waste Control Plan (PWCP) was established for the comprehensive management of plastic waste. Therefore, this study introduces the goals and strategies of PWCP, which has a circulation system of four stages of production, consumption, discharge, and recycling, as well as the major roadblocks in the stages impeding the achievement of the goals and strategies. This study also suggests countermeasures at the government level for solving the major problems in the four stages.

Keywords: plastic waste; plastic waste control plan; circular economy; resource circulation; policy framework (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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