From Waste to Opportunities: Progress in Plastic Waste Industrialization, Policy Implementation and Indicators in Ecuador

Plastic waste management remains a significant environmental and economic challenge in developing countries, where insufficient recovery infrastructure hinders the transition toward sustainability. This study evaluates the industrialization of post-consumer plastics in Ecuador under the 2020 Law on Reuse and Reduction of Single-Use Plastics. Official 2024 datasets were quantitatively analyzed to calculate national indicators of per capita plastic waste generation, estimated annual plastic waste generation, and the plastic recovery index. The results show that Ecuador recovered and industrialized 106,145 tons of post-consumer plastics in 2024, achieving a recovery rate of 16%, which positions the country among the top performers in Latin America; however, direct comparisons with global recycling estimates should be interpreted cautiously. Per capita plastic waste generation reached 37.13 kg cap−1 yr−1, yet approximately 664,633 t yr−1 of plastic waste are generated annually, representing a substantial potential risk of environmental leakage if not adequately managed, recovered, or valorized. Although Ecuador demonstrates measurable progress toward implementing the circular economy, persistent gaps in data standardization, source segregation of waste, and policy enforcement limit further advancement. Strengthening institutional coordination, market incentives, and public participation is essential to accelerate a more sustainable and circular plastics system.