Plastic Waste–Driven Industrial Transformation and Circular Economy Pathways toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Evidence from India and Indonesia

Abstract

Plastic pollution has emerged as a pressing environmental, economic, and social challenge worldwide. India and Indonesia, among the highest contributors to mismanaged plastic waste, provide a critical context for understanding how industrial systems can pivot toward circular economy (CE) models and contribute to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper examines how plastic waste management practices are driving transformations at product, process, and plant levels and how these transformations enable the systemic adoption of CE principles aligned with SDGs. Adopting a mixed‑methods research design integrating municipal data, industrial case syntheses, and community surveys, the study demonstrates statistically significant associations (e.g., recycling infrastructure density with circular adoption rates) and thematic qualitative insights. Results indicate that integrated policy frameworks, digital tracking systems, and value chain collaborations are primary enablers, while infrastructural deficits and informal sector marginalization remain key barriers. Recommendations focus on actionable public–private interventions and multi‑stakeholder governance mechanisms. The findings contribute to CE scholarship and provide practical pathways for sustainable industrial transformation in emerging economies.