UNPACKING INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS FOR PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT: THE CASE OF THE CìCLiCOM INITIATIVE

Francesco CALZA, Ilaria TUTORE, Laura CHIANESE | University of Naples “Parthenope”, Italy

Since the 1950s, plastic production has risen dramatically, causing the accumulation of million tonnes of plastic waste over time. The majority of which has been landfilled, incinerated, or released into terrestrial and marine ecosystems.¹ Despite growing awareness, less than 10% of global plastic waste is currently recycled, exposing major inefficiencies in waste management. This scenario highlights the limitations of the dominant linear economic model (“take-make-dispose”) and reinforces the relevance of the circular economy (CE) as a strategic paradigm. The CE promotes resource efficiency, recycling, remanufacturing, and closed-loop systems aimed at decoupling economic growth from the consumption of finite natural resources.² However, implementing CE at scale remains challenging due to systemic barriers. One key obstacle is the fragmentation of value chains and the absence of effective coordination mechanisms among stakeholders.³ Transitioning from linearity to circularity thus requires both technological innovation and multi-actor collaboration, cross-sectoral integration, and institutional alignment.⁴ This is where innovation ecosystems (IEs) become essential. IEs are dynamic configurations of actors, activities, and infrastructures that foster knowledge sharing, technological diffusion, and collective value creation.⁵ Their interactive networks and integrated value chains provide fertile ground for circular experimentation through iterative, trial-and-error processes.⁶ This paper examines the CÍCLiCOM Innovation Ecosystem, a Spanish initiative involving actors such as Aclima, Gaiker, AIMPLAS, ANARPLA, CIDAUT, and VALORIZA Environmental Services, committed to developing circular solutions for composite and complex plastics. By analyzing its governance structures, coordination mechanisms, and innovation practices, the paper seeks to uncover the operational logic that underpins its collective performance. In doing so, it contributes to a broader understanding of how innovation ecosystems can act as enabling environments for circular economy implementation and sustainable plastic waste management, offering insights applicable to other industrial and environmental contexts.