Plastic waste circularity is a priority at a global level. Sustainable development goals (SDGs) set the ways to go, and the circular economy principles underlined the 'green' strategies to be employed. However, in practice, there is still much to do, especially in developing countries, where open burning and open dumping still represent the common way of plastic waste disposal. This review aims to analyse current plastic waste circular approaches in low-middle income settings. Seven countries were selected based on the economic level and data availability from the authors, and analysed to collect and critically discuss the actions implemented at a city level. Examples of waste minimization and recycling strategies, selective collection systems and public campaigns are reported from Africa, Asia and Latin America. First, a background analysis related to physical and governance aspects of municipal solid waste management systems of the chosen settings was conducted. The assessment was focused on the treatment processes or minimization actions. Then, the applicability of the projects to achieve the SDGs was commented on. The outcomes of the research underline the need to: (1) scale up small-scale and pilot projects, (2) disseminate good practices in more low- to middle-income settings, (3) create synergies among international partners for further replications in cities. Urgent solutions to plastic waste pollution are needed. The review presented practical actions to be implemented now to boost plastic waste circularity in developing cities.

Centre of Excellence for Biomass Utilization 02600 Arau Perlis Malaysia

Department of Agriculture Fishery resources and Agro industry University of San Pedro San Pedro Côte d'Ivoire

Department of Agro Environmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition Faculty of Agrobiology Food and Natural Resources Czech University of Life Sciences Prague Prague Czech Republic

Department of Sanitation Water and Solid Waste for Development Zurich Switzerland

Department of Sustainable Engineering Environment TERI School of Advanced Studies New Delhi India

Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences University of Insubria Varese Italy

Department of Waste and Resource Management University of Rostock Rostock Germany

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Technology University Malaysia Perlis 02600 Arau Perlis Malaysia

IIT Bombay Mumbai India

KEO Dubai United Arab Emirates

MVW Lechtenberg and Partner Duisburg Germany

Newster System S r l Cerasolo di Coriano Italy

Research Department D Waste Athens Greece

Saïd Business School University of Oxford Oxford UK

Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment School of Geography and the Environment University of Oxford Oxford UK

University of Leeds Leeds UK

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