International trade of waste in the sector-spatial dimensions

Abstract

Introduction. Global circular trade involves countries that specialize in exporting goods in which they have a comparative advantage and import other goods from their trading partners. This process of international exchange requires the transportation of goods from the country of production to the country of consumption. Therefore, the expansion of international trade is likely to increase the use of transport. It is confirmed that the leading countries in the export-import of waste in various industries are at the same time components of circular core, around which circular value chains are formed.The aim is to do a systematic analysis of the spatial-component structure of trade in waste and scrap and to identify leading countries, development priorities in industries (pharmaceuticals, clinical, household, rubber waste, polymers, silk and cotton waste).Results. The paper analyzes the spatial-component structure of trade in waste and scrap and identifies the leading countries, development priorities in the industries (pharmacy, clinical, household, rubber waste, polymers, silk and cotton waste). The main problematic aspects are illegal waste trade and growing smuggling, which cause serious negative social consequences and actualize the inclusive component in substantiating the paradigm of the global inclusive circular economy. It has been investigated that waste reduction combined with prudent use of resources has the potential to address the gap due to natural resource scarcity and global growing population or consumption. It is substantiated that the formation of circular trade will contribute to: the definition of priority materials for trade and the required level of processing capacity; harmonization of material quality standards; promoting the demand for used goods and secondary raw materials; removing unnecessary regulatory barriers and avoiding environmentally harmful activities such as non-compliance, poorly regulated nature and informal recovery.Perspectives. Further research on international waste trade in the sectoral-spatial dimension will need to be continued in the context of the environmental and economic impacts of COVID-19, which diversifies and increases the amount of medical waste.