Toward Sustainable Development Through Industrial Symbiosis: Enabling Circular Economy in the Plastic Supply Chain

The plastics sector faces serious sustainability challenges, and recent literature emphasizes the need for collaborative networks to support its transition to a circular economy (CE). This study investigates how industrial symbiosis (IS) can support the transition of the plastic supply chain in the Basque Country toward a CE by identifying key barriers and drivers and proposing a conceptual framework that integrates sustainability dimensions. Adopting a qualitative approach, the research combines thematic content analysis with abductive reasoning to examine data from semi‐structured interviews with key stakeholders across the plastics value chain. Based on these insights, the study: (1) conceptualizes the structure of the plastic supply chain; (2) analyzes the economic, technical, sociocultural, legislative, and cooperation factors influencing IS and CE adoption; and (3) proposes a novel conceptual framework that integrates the plastic supply chain in an IS network centered on a waste hub model. The proposed framework delineates the key stakeholder roles and influencing factors, in addition to an IS network that supports sustainability. This positions sustainability not only as an end goal but also as a catalyst for successful IS implementation. Significant contributions include an in‐depth analysis of IS potential in the plastics sector and a practical framework to support the development of IS networks. The study provides actionable insights for policymakers, industry leaders, and academics while offering transferable lessons for other resource‐intensive sectors engaged in CE transitions.