| Title | Implementing circular economy and sustainability policies in Rwanda: Experiences of Rwandan manufacturers with the plastic ban policy |
|---|---|
| ID_Doc | 3556 |
| Authors | Ogutu, MO; Akor, J; Mulindwa, MS; Heshima, O; Nsengimana, C |
| Title | Implementing circular economy and sustainability policies in Rwanda: Experiences of Rwandan manufacturers with the plastic ban policy |
| Year | 2023 |
| Published | |
| Abstract | Despite the rise of plastic waste regulation and rising trends in the adoption of circular economy (CE) policies globally, investigations of their impact on businesses remain limited. Research on adoption of CE policies in Africa is particularly limited despite African countries leading the uptake of plastic ban laws and CE-related policies. This paper examines how the 10-R principles of CE feature in Rwanda's sustainability policies, and provides the experiences of Rwandan manufacturers following the implementation of the plastic ban. A qualitative review of key environmental sustainability policies in Rwanda shows alignment to different levels of 10-R principles of the circular economy. Meanwhile, field interviews with leading manufacturers comprising producers and users of single-use plastics in Rwanda indicate that businesses have faced internal and external challenges complying with the plastic ban and CE-related policies. These challenges range from limited capital to acquire new industrial technology, lack of expertise to develop circular business models, lack of alternative packaging to plastics, to loss in market competition since Rwanda's competitors in the international market still use cheap plastic packaging. Consequently, our findings indicate that insufficient government support such as lack of finance and capacity development to develop new business models, ambiguous regulatory framework, and inadequate stakeholder consultations impedes business uptake of CE and other sustainability policies. In addition to providing policy and managerial implications, we conclude by underscoring the importance of continued collaboration between government in terms of regulation, innovation from businesses, and consumer actions, in tackling environmental challenges caused by plastic waste and implementation of CE and other green policies. |
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