A Tri-party Approach Towards Sustainable Plastic Waste Management: A Developing Economy Perspective

Plastic waste management is critical and essential for building sustainable cities in the world. This agenda has been backed by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11. Developed nations consider the impact of waste management and recognise it as a core marketing strategy for green business development, serving as an opportunity to propel a greener economy. However, solid waste management systems in developing countries have been characterised by ad-hoc strategies due to changes in political leadership and the absence of concerted effort and collaborative approaches. This chapter explores the conflicting goals among the government, firms, and consumers towards the management of plastic waste and proposes a tripartite approach towards its sustainable management. A desk-based review of relevant literature was undertaken to further knowledge on the roles and challenges of governments, firms, and consumers and their implications for sustainable plastic waste management. This chapter draws on waste management literature to propose strategies to transform behaviours and coordinated policies to achieve sustainable plastic waste management.