Journal of Economic, Finance Research and Review (JEFRR) · Research article · Open access
Circular Waste Reduction and Single-Use Plastic Elimination in Large Industrial Complexes: A Conceptual Framework for Supply Chain and Site-Level Policy Intervention
Oghenekaro Ekelemu
5 September 2026 · Vol. 2, Issue 9, pp. 602-621
DOI: 10.65150/EP-jefrr/V2E9/2026-02
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What is this article about?
A large industrial complex consumes single-use plastic in quantities that are substantial in absolute terms and invisible in its reporting, because the consumption is distributed across catering, packaging, personal protective equipment, consumables and contractor supply, and no function owns the total. Elimination programmes accordingly begin with a measurement problem rather than a substitution problem, and those that begin with substitution characteristically achieve visible change in the catering stream while the larger operational streams continue unexamined.
Article at a glance
- Published
- 5 September 2026
- Volume / issue / pages
- Vol. 2, Issue 9, pp. 602-621
- ISSN
- 3051-3650 (online) · 3051-3642 (print)
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0 — free to read and reuse with attribution
- Peer review
- Double-blind, at least two independent reviewers
- Publisher
- EP Journals Group
Abstract
A large industrial complex consumes single-use plastic in quantities that are substantial in absolute terms and invisible in its reporting, because the consumption is distributed across catering, packaging, personal protective equipment, consumables and contractor supply, and no function owns the total. Elimination programmes accordingly begin with a measurement problem rather than a substitution problem, and those that begin with substitution characteristically achieve visible change in the catering stream while the larger operational streams continue unexamined. This paper develops a conceptual framework for plastic elimination and circular waste reduction in industrial complexes, organised around the argument that the site boundary is the wrong unit of analysis and that intervention effectiveness is determined principally at the procurement and specification stage. The framework comprises four elements: a stream classification distinguishing plastic entering the site by route and by the function that controls each route; an intervention hierarchy ordering avoidance, substitution, reuse and recycling by effectiveness rather than by visibility; a supply chain specification layer treating packaging as a purchased attribute subject to specification like any other; and a measurement approach based on entry rather than on disposal, since disposal measurement systematically undercounts. The paper engages the critical literature on circular economy claims, including the rebound and displacement arguments, and takes the position that a site-level programme should be justified on waste management and stewardship grounds it can actually deliver rather than on circularity claims it cannot substantiate.
Keywords: circular economy, single-use plastics, waste reduction, industrial complexes, procurement specification, industrial symbiosis, waste measurement, environmental management.
Cite this article
Oghenekaro Ekelemu (2026). Circular Waste Reduction and Single-Use Plastic Elimination in Large Industrial Complexes: A Conceptual Framework for Supply Chain and Site-Level Policy Intervention. Journal of Economic, Finance Research and Review, 2(9), 602-621. https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jefrr/V2E9/2026-02
@article{Oghenekaro2026,
title = {Circular Waste Reduction and Single-Use Plastic Elimination in Large Industrial Complexes: A Conceptual Framework for Supply Chain and Site-Level Policy Intervention},
author = {Oghenekaro Ekelemu},
journal = {Journal of Economic, Finance Research and Review},
year = {2026},
volume = {2},
number = {9},
pages = {602-621},
doi = {10.65150/EP-jefrr/V2E9/2026-02},
url = {https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jefrr/V2E9/2026-02}
}Questions about this article
Who wrote this article?
Oghenekaro Ekelemu.
Where and when was it published?
In Journal of Economic, Finance Research and Review, Volume 2, Issue 9, pages 602-621, published by EP Journals Group on 5 September 2026.
Is this article free to read?
Yes. It is open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) licence, so anyone can read, share and reuse it with attribution.
What is the DOI of this article?
10.65150/EP-jefrr/V2E9/2026-02 (https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jefrr/V2E9/2026-02).
How do I cite this article?
APA: Oghenekaro Ekelemu (2026). Circular Waste Reduction and Single-Use Plastic Elimination in Large Industrial Complexes: A Conceptual Framework for Supply Chain and Site-Level Policy Intervention. Journal of Economic, Finance Research and Review, 2(9), 602-621. https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jefrr/V2E9/2026-02
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