ECONOMIC CASE FOR A CIRCULAR PLASTICS ECONOMY IN AFRICA

The report argues that transitioning to a circular plastics economy by 2050 will result in positive cumulative effects on GDP, employment, and consumer welfare in Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and South Africa compared to a business-as-usual scenario. Using computational general equilibrium (CGE) modelling, the study finds that such a transition increases economic activity and reduces the costs of environmental externalities. For Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya, immediate implementation is recommended to maximize environmental gains and avoid sunk costs. For South Africa, an incremental shift is suggested to minimize short-term negative impacts on its more established plastics sector. The report emphasizes the need for national policy instruments—such as extended producer responsibility (EPR) and deposit return schemes—alongside regional coordination via the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and a legally binding global treaty to combat plastic pollution.

• Transitioning to a circular plastics economy by 2050 is projected to increase real GDP across all three studied countries compared to a business-as-usual scenario. Côte d’Ivoire could see additional GDP growth of $1.1 billion, Kenya approximately $2.53 billion, and South Africa between $7.2 billion and $8.2 billion, depending on the implementation rate.
• The transition is expected to create a net increase in demand for both skilled and unskilled formal labour. While employment is projected to decline in primary plastics sectors, these losses are expected to be absorbed by growth in the secondary plastics and services sectors.
• A significant number of informal waste sector workers and their dependants stand to benefit from the transition. As of 2020, the report estimates there are 30,043 informal waste reclaimers in Côte d’Ivoire, 71,097 in Kenya, and 108,564 in South Africa.
• Immediate implementation of circular measures can avoid substantial costs associated with the externalities of the linear plastic packaging model by 2050: over $200 million for Côte d’Ivoire, over $425 million for Kenya, and over $475 million for South Africa.
• The report identifies distinct implementation paths based on national economic structures: Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya are suited for immediate implementation due to smaller or less developed plastics sectors, whereas South Africa may require an incremental shift to avoid short-term negative GDP impacts.
• Regional value chain localisation in Africa would benefit eastern and western African countries by 2050, as evidenced by projected shifts in the volume of imports and exports of primary and secondary plastic goods.
• The report recommends several national policy instruments to drive the transition, including mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, Deposit Return Schemes (DRS), and the establishment of product standards and certifications to mandate circular design.

APA

Benn, H., Velelo, L., Fourie, D., & Rossouw, R. (2022). ECONOMIC CASE FOR A CIRCULAR PLASTICS ECONOMY IN AFRICA. WWF South Africa. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/economic_case_for_a_circular_plastics_economy_in_africa.pdf

Chicago

Benn, Hannah, Lukhanyo Velelo, Deon Fourie, and Riaan Rossouw. ECONOMIC CASE FOR A CIRCULAR PLASTICS ECONOMY IN AFRICA. WWF South Africa, 2022. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/economic_case_for_a_circular_plastics_economy_in_africa.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Benn |first1=Hannah |last2=Velelo |first2=Lukhanyo |last3=Fourie |first3=Deon |last4=Rossouw |first4=Riaan |title=ECONOMIC CASE FOR A CIRCULAR PLASTICS ECONOMY IN AFRICA |publisher=WWF South Africa |date=2022 |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/economic_case_for_a_circular_plastics_economy_in_africa.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{benn2022economic, author = {Benn, Hannah and Velelo, Lukhanyo and Fourie, Deon and Rossouw, Riaan}, title = {{ECONOMIC CASE FOR A CIRCULAR PLASTICS ECONOMY IN AFRICA}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, year = {2022}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/economic_case_for_a_circular_plastics_economy_in_africa.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }