Science and media framing of the future of plastics in relation to transitioning to a circular economy

Abstract

Plastics play an important role in the transition from the current linear economy to a more circular one, but ideas differ about this role. These ideas were studied in this article as a form of futurity framing. These framings may hinder or contribute to a transition toward a circular bioeconomy by opening up or closing down alternative paradigms for thinking about plastics in the future. Based on a media analysis of four Dutch national newspapers and international academic papers, three futurity frames were found regarding the role of different types of plastics in a linear economy, a circular economy, or an economy in transition. (1) In newspapers and academic sources, traditional plastics were considered part of a linear economy. (2) In both sources, all sorts of actors saw a future for plastics with improved material properties in a transition toward a circular economy, but in combination with a change in consumer behavior and waste management systems. (3) In both academic journals and newspapers, a role for plastics was envisioned in a future circular economy. However, in academic journals, the discussions focused mainly on the improvement of alternative forms of plastics such as biobased and/or biodegradable, whereas, in newspapers, recycling traditional plastics was emphasized. These findings indicate that a transition to a more circular economy may accelerate if both the closing-the-loop argument and the argument for technological innovations for biobased and biodegradable products receive equal attention in newspapers and academic journals, and are taken more into account in a societal future vision for the circular economy.