Spotting the gaps in your local system
Every circular economy model is different – shaped by the people, place, and resources around it. But wherever you’re working, it’s likely that your project will uncover a few common gaps along the way.
Some might be easy to spot. Others will only become clear once you’re up and running. Based on what we’ve learned, here are nine gaps you might come across… how many do you recognise?
1. Limited awareness of the full impact of waste: Many people understand that waste is a problem – but might not see how it connects to other areas like health, food security, the local economy, or the wider environment. See Local Outreach for guidance on engaging with your community and building awareness.
2. No separation at source: Sorting waste at household or business level is often the foundation for everything that comes next. If this isn’t happening, recovery becomes much more difficult. The Feedstock section of this toolkit offers advice on collecting plastics efficiently.
3. Not enough local data: To build the right solutions, you need to understand what’s happening on the ground. But in many areas, up-to-date research is hard to come by – especially when it comes to plastic flows, dumping hotspots, or informal systems. Explore Tracking Impact for tips on collecting important data.
4. Policy gaps: Sometimes the laws or guidelines to support circular systems aren’t in place yet. Or they may exist on paper, but not be widely known or properly enforced. The Policymaking section is a good place to start.
5. Unclear roles and responsibilities: In some cases, there may be no official body responsible for managing marine litter, legacy waste, or dumpsite rehabilitation – which can make progress feel slow or uncertain. Read more about roles and responsibilities in the Partnerships section.
6. Limited infrastructure: Even with strong local will, poor road access, no transport links, or a lack of storage space can make it hard to collect and move materials. For more advice see the Feedstock section.
7. Skills gaps: You might find that technical knowledge around recycling equipment, health and safety, or business operations is hard to come by locally – but that can be built over time (and with the help of this toolkit!). See the Recycling section of the Toolkit for advice on building your team and managing operations.
8. Low collaboration or trust: There may be hesitancy or mistrust between different groups, particularly if past efforts haven’t worked well. But circular economy models thrive on collaboration, and this can shift with the right approach. Read more in the Partnerships section.
9. Unregulated production: In some cases, there may be no controls on hard-to-recycle imports or low-value plastic packaging – which makes local recovery efforts much more difficult. Learn about effective Campaigning for change.
The important thing to remember is: you don’t need to fix all of this at once.
What matters is building a model that responds to your context, listens to your community, and takes practical steps towards something better. Once you know what’s missing, you can start thinking creatively about how to fill the gaps – and who to bring with you.
