Global Plastic Waste Trade: An Analysis of Sources and Trends (1996-2024)

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 1 , 20 - 43 , 31.07.2025

Handan Öztemiz , Kemal Vatansever

https://doi.org/10.55065/intraders.1659575

Cited By: 1

https://izlik.org/JA95MZ57CP

Abstract

The trade in plastic waste plays a crucial role in the advancement of global waste management and recycling systems. Developed nations export plastic waste to developing countries, reducing environmental harm and creating economic opportunities. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of 257 articles on plastic waste trade published between 1996 and 2024 in the Web of Science (WoS). The analysis highlights China's 2018 import ban as a key topic, with Chen, W.Q. identified as the most prolific author. Resources, Conservation and Recycling is the leading journal in this field. The study reveals China's unique academic characteristics compared to other countries, with the U.S. as the second most significant contributor. Key author keywords include waste, life cycle assessment, and circular economy. This research fills a gap in literature and aims to be a foundational resource for scholars in the field.

Keywords

Plastic Waste Trade , Bibliometric Analysis , Bradford , Citation Network Analysis.

Ethical Statement

I declare that the study does not require ethics comittee permission.

Supporting Institution

No financial support was received.

References

• Amadei, A. M., Rigamonti, L., & Sala, S. (2023). Exploring the EU plastic value chain: A material flow analysis. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 197, 107105.
• Bellis, D. N. (2009). Bibliometrics and citation analysis: From the science citation index to cybermetrics. Scarecrow Press.
• Bornmann, L., Mutz, R., Hug, S. E., & Daniel, H. D. (2011). A multilevel meta-analysis of studies reporting correlations between the h index and 37 different h index variants. Journal of Informetrics, 5(3), 346-359.
• Börner, K., Chen, C. and Boyack, K.W. (2003). Visualizing knowledge domains, Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, 37(1). 179-255
• Brooks, A. L., Wang, S., & Jambeck, J. R. (2018). The Chinese import ban and its impact on global plastic waste trade. Science Advances, 4(6),1-7.
• Browning, S., Beymer-Farris, B., & Seay, J. R. (2021). Addressing the challenges associated with plastic waste disposal and management in developing countries. Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering, 32, 100682.
• Chen, H. L., Nath, T. K., Chong, S., Foo, V., Gibbins, C., & Lechner, A. M. (2021). The plastic waste problem in Malaysia: management, recycling and disposal of local and global plastic waste. SN Applied Sciences, 3, 1-15.
• Chow, C. F., So, W. M. W., Cheung, T. Y., & Yeung, S. K. D. (2017). Plastic waste problem and education for plastic waste management. Emerging practices in scholarship of learning and teaching in a digital era, 125-140.
• Cobo, M.J., Lopez-Herrera, A.G., Herrera-Viedma, E. and Herrera, F. (2011), An approach for detecting, quantifying, and visualizing the evolution of a research field: a practical application to the fuzzy sets theory field, Journal of Informetrics, 5(1).146-166.
• Daim, T.U., Rueda, G., Martin, H. & Gerdsri, P. (2006). Forecasting emerging technologies: use of bibliometrics and patent analysis. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, North-Holland, 73(8). 981-1012.
• Dauvergne, P. (2018). Why is the global governance of plastic failing the oceans? Global Environmental Change, 51, 22-31.
• Derviş, H. (2019). Bibliometric analysis using bibliometrix an R package. Journal of Scientometric Research, 8(3), 156-160.
• Domenech, T., Bleischwitz, R., Doranova, A., Panayotopoulos, D., & Roman, L. (2019). Mapping Industrial Symbiosis Development in Europe_ typologies of networks, characteristics, performance and contribution to the Circular Economy. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 141, 76-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.09.016
• Donthu, N., Kumar, S., Mukherjee, D., Pandey, N., & Lim, W. M. (2021). How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines. Journal Of Business Research, 133, 285-296.
• Duque Oliva, E.J., Cervera Taulet, A., & Rodríguez Romero, C. (2006). A bibliometric analysis of models measuring the concept of perceived quality in providing internet service. Innovar, 16(28), 223–243.
• Ellegaard, O., & Wallin, J. A. (2015). The bibliometric analysis of scholarly production: How great is the impact? Scientometrics, 105, 1809-1831.
• Hirsch, J. E., & Buela-Casal, G. (2014). The meaning of the h-index. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 14(2), 161-164.
• Hulme, E.W. (1923). Statistical Bibliography in Relation to the Growth of Modern Civilization; Grafton & Co.: London, UK.
• Garfield, E. (1980). Bradford’s Law and related statistical patterns. Essays of an Information Scientist, 4(19), 476-483.
• Geyer, R., Jambeck, J. R., & Law, K. L. (2017). Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made Science advances, 3(7), e1700782..
• Khatun, R., Xiang, H., Yang, Y., Wang, J., & Yildiz, G. (2021). Bibliometric analysis of research trends on the thermochemical conversion of plastics during 1990–2020. Journal of Cleaner Production, 317, 128373.
• Liang, Y., Tan, Q., Song, Q., & Li, J. (2021). An analysis of the plastic waste trade and management in Asia. Waste Management, 119, 242-253.
• Lotka, A. J. (1926). The frequency distribution of scientific productivity. Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences. 16, 317-323.
• Narin, F., & Hamilton, K. S. (1996). Bibliometric performance measures. Scientometrics, 36(3), 293-310.
• Nguyen, B., Claveau-Mallet, D., Hermandez, L.M., Xu, E.G., Farner, J.M. & Tufenkji, N. (2019). Separation and Analysis of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Complex Environmental Samples. Accounts of Chemical Research 52(4). 858-866.
• OECD (2022). Cost Financing for a Future Free from Plastic Leakage. Policy Highlights. https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/financing-a-future-free-from-plastic- leakage_32424f03-en.html
• Pritchard, A. Statistical bibliography or bibliometrics. Journal of Documentation. 1969, 25, 348–349
• Rosenboom, JG., Langer, R. & Traverso, G.(2022). Bioplastics for a circular economy. Nat Rev Mater 7, 117–137 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-021-00407-8
• Singh, R. K., & Ruj, B. (2015). Plastic waste management and disposal techniques-Indian scenario. International Journal of Plastics Technology, 19(2), 211-226.
• Sharkey, M, Harrad, S., Elwafa Abdallah, M.A., Darage,D.S. & Berresheim, H. (2020), Phasing-out of legacy brominated flame retardants: The UNEP Stockholm Convention and other legislative action worldwide. Environment International. 144 (), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106041
• Stoll, T., Stoett, P., Vince, J., & Hardesty, B.D. (2020). Governance and Measures for the Prevention of Marine Debris. In: T. Rocha-Santos. M. Costa, & C. Mouneyrac (eds), Handbook of Microplastics in the Environment. Springer. Doi: 10.1007/978-3030-10618-8_26-1.
• Sumathi S, Chai, S.P., & Mohamed, A.R. (2008). Utilization of oil palm as a source of renewable energy in Malaysia. Renewable And Sustainable Energy Reviews. 12(9). 2402- 2421.
• UNCTAD (2022). Global plastics trade hits records $1,2 trillion. https://unctad.org/data- visualization/global-plastics-trade-reached-nearly-1.2-trillion-2021
• UNCTAD (2022). Plastics trade by partner, annual (experimental) https://unctadstat.unctad.org/datacentre/dataviewer/US.PlasticsTradebyPartner
• UNEP (2022), Green Transitions Guidance Note . IBS Training Programme on the Green Transition. https://uneuropecentralasia.org/sites/default/files/2023- 05/Guidance%20IBC%20Training%20Programme%20on%20the%20Green%20Transit ion%20%28plastics%29.pdf
• Urbanek, A.K., Rymowicz, W. & Mirończuk, A.M. (2018) Degradation of plastics and plastic- degrading bacteria in cold marine habitats. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 102, 7669–7678 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-018-9195-y
• Wang, C., Zhao, L., Lim, M. K., Chen, W. Q., & Sutherland, J. W. (2020). Structure of the global plastic waste trade network and the impact of China’s import Ban. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 153, 104591.
• Wen, Z., Xie, Y., Chen, M. et al. (2021). China’s plastic import ban increases prospects of environmental impact mitigation of plastic waste trade flow worldwide. Nat Commun 12, 425 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20741-9
• Zhao, C., Liu, M., Du, H., & Gong, Y. (2021). The evolutionary trend and impact of global plastic waste trade network. Sustainability, 13(7), 3662.Ashing‐Giwa, K. T., Padilla, G., Tejero, J., Kraemer, J., Wright, K., Coscarelli, A., Clayton, S., Williams, I., & Hills, D. (2004). Understanding the breast cancer experience of women: A qualitative study of African American, Asian American, Latina and Caucasian cancer survivors. Psycho‐Oncology, 13(6), 408-428. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.750