Digital innovations for transitioning to circular plastic value chains in Africa

TLDR

The paper examines how digital innovations adopted by African entrepreneurs can support a circular plastic economy and identifies policy changes needed to scale local start‑ups and create markets for recycled plastics. The authors review plastic waste trade flows into African countries and assess existing digital solutions that could facilitate the transition to a circular plastic economy. Case studies reveal that entrepreneurs use web platforms, mobile apps, and 3D printing, while multinational consumer brands act as seed funders and buyers of recycled plastics, indicating positive progress toward reducing environmental and social impacts of plastic value chains in Africa.

Abstract

The paper analyzes the current state of plastic value chains in Africa and the potential of digital innovations adopted by African entrepreneurs to contributing to a circular plastic economy. We provide an overview of plastic waste trade to African countries and an assessment of existing digital solutions that can support the transition to a circular plastic economy. The findings show that various digital innovations are being applied by entrepreneurs including web-based solutions, mobile apps and 3D printing. The case studies also show that multinational companies, especially consumer facing brands, are major players in the national plastic value chains in African countries, acting as seed funders for start-ups as well as buyers of recycled plastics. Current initiatives that are underway are positive signs that changes are in progress to address the environmental and social impacts of plastics value chains in Africa. However, to achieve a transition to sustainable circular value chains, changes at policy level will be required to enable scaling-up of local start-up businesses, address regulatory barriers to digital solutions, create markets for recycled plastic materials and implement extended producer responsibility regulations.