Characterizing plastic disorder in consumption systems: A statistical entropy analysis to target circular economy interventions

Résumé fourni par la source

Addressing plastic pollution requires understanding of the drivers shaping material flows and waste generation. This study applies Statistical Entropy Analysis to evaluate its potential as a circular economy metric to quantify disorder within plastic systems and identify its drivers. Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos Archipelago, was used as a bounded system to empirically test Statistical Entropy Analysis within a real-world plastic consumption system. A mixed methods approach combined maritime imports data, shop audits, litter transects, recycling characterization and human movement tracking. Statistical analyses were used to examine the relationships between system characteristic and plastic systems, followed by Statistical Entropy Analysis to assess system disorder. Results showed that packaging, particularly multi-material, is a major contributor to low circularity and increased system disorder. Litter distribution was more strongly associated with area characteristics rather than with human movement, with higher accumulation in commercial and recreational areas, while the presence of bike paths was linked to reduced littering. Statistical Entropy values were highest in leaked plastic systems, especially in urban areas, and lowest in recycling streams due to material separation. Supermarkets’ products exhibited higher statistical entropy due to packaging complexity. System disorder is shaped by spatial context, retail format, product design and consumption preferences, highlighting the need for targeted upstream and downstream interventions. Compared with conventional circular economy metrics focused on resource efficiency, statistical entropy analysis captures material dispersion and mixing, providing a complementary and comparable indicator of circularity across contexts. This study supports the design of policies and business strategies for circularity.

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