North–South Waste Trade: Prime Example of the Circular Economy or Major Environmental Threat?

Traditional linear economic models have long since proven their unsustainability in our finite world. Consequently, recent years have seen a steady increase in calls for a transition to circularity. The implementation of the circular economy (CE) in production and consumption practices should allow for growth while preventing irreversible damage to the environment. However, in some sectors, this process hides drawbacks that, if not properly addressed, risk giving rise to problem displacement situations. Waste management is emblematic in this respect. While North–South trade in discarded goods and materials has the potential to powerfully drive a desirable paradigm shift, it also represents a major environmental threat to importing countries in the developing world. Against this background, this paper analyses the current state of affairs at a global level, through a literature review on the subject. It first frames the CE concept and subsequently examines the pros and cons of international waste trade, focusing on second-hand clothing, electronic waste, and plastics. A case study on China’s recent waste import ban shows the repercussions of unrestricted waste imports and reflects on the future of the CE, both in the waste industry and more broadly.