Ecologically Unequal Exchange of Plastic Waste?

Yikang Bai,Jennifer Givens

doi:10.5195/jwsr.2021.1026

Abstract

Plastic production has been increasing since mass production of plastics started in the 1950s. As plastic production has continued to rise, so has plastic waste. Meanwhile, international trade in plastic waste has increased as well. The narrative about global trade in plastic waste oftentimes is that the Global North transfers waste to the Global South. However, little is known quantitatively about the extent to which the Global North shifts environmental harms of plastic waste to the Global South. We examine the extent to which global trade in plastic waste provides evidence for ecologically unequal exchange relationships from 2003 to 2013. We then explore whether plastic waste can be a resource for some countries. Specifically, we investigate how trade in plastic waste is associated with level of economic development in high-income countries and non-high-income countries. The findings provide nuanced evidence of ecologically unequal exchange relationships between high-income countries and non-high-income countries in plastic waste trade. The results also indicate that higher plastic waste import is associated with greater economic development in non-high-income countries. This research advances our understanding of the theory of ecologically unequal exchange in the context of international trade in plastic waste.

Highlights

This journal is published by the University Library System, University of Pittsburgh as part of its D-Scribe Digital Publishing Program and is cosponsored by the University of Pittsburgh Press
The theory of ecologically unequal exchange contends that the unbalanced trade structure between developed countries and less-developed countries contributes to the externalization of environmental harms from developed countries to less-developed countries
The results from the previous analyses provide some evidence of ecologically unequal exchange relationships between high-income countries and non-high-income countries when it comes to global trade in plastic waste

Summary

Introduction

This journal is published by the University Library System, University of Pittsburgh as part of its D-Scribe Digital Publishing Program and is cosponsored by the University of Pittsburgh Press. The positive association between export as percentage of GDP and plastic waste import trade value may indicate that when the share of export is large in non-high-income countries’ GDP, these countries may export greater amounts of products made from plastics. Percentage of exports to low and middle-income countries outside the region is negatively associated with the trade value of plastic waste import.

Results

Conclusion