The Hidden Cost of Global Trade: Evidence from Plastic Waste Trade and Its Ecological Ramifications Across Major Waste-Trading Nations

Ayberk Şeker (), Nizamettin Öztürkçü and Muhammed Fatih Aydemir
Additional contact information
Ayberk Şeker: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of International Trade and Logistics, Bursa Technical University, 16310 Bursa, Türkiye
Nizamettin Öztürkçü: Social Sciences Vocational School, Department of Management and Organization, Bursa Uludağ University, 16059 Bursa, Türkiye
Muhammed Fatih Aydemir: Social Sciences Vocational School, Department of Foreign Trade, Bursa Uludağ University, 16059 Bursa, Türkiye

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-18

Abstract: The rapid expansion of plastic waste trade has intensified environmental pressures, accelerating ecosystem degradation and climate change. We examine the long-term impacts of plastic waste imports and domestic waste production on ecological footprints and greenhouse gas emissions across 20 countries representing 70% of global plastic waste trade and 45% of world GDP. Under the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) framework, we explore nonlinear interactions among economic growth, urbanization, and sustainability goals. Using a panel simultaneous equations approach, we apply Pedroni, Kao, and Westerlund cointegration tests and Fully Modified and Dynamic OLS estimators to address endogeneity and heterogeneity. Robustness checks include alternative environmental indicators and the Dumitrescu–Hurlin panel causality test. Results demonstrate a stable long-run equilibrium: plastic waste imports substantially increase ecological footprints and emissions, while progress on sustainable development goals mitigates some damage. The negative GDP squared coefficient supports the EKC hypothesis, indicating that environmental impacts rise initially with growth but decline once income exceeds a threshold. These findings highlight the need for stronger international regulations, enhanced waste management infrastructures, and circular economy strategies. Focused investment in sustainable technologies and global cooperation is essential to lower environmental costs of plastic waste trade.

Keywords: plastic waste trade; Environmental Kuznets Curve; greenhouse gas emissions; waste management; sustainable development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/13/6176/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/13/6176/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:13:p:6176-:d:1695537

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().