Comparative Analysis of Plastic Recycling Systems and Environmental Governance in the Philippines and Romania

Abstract

Plastic waste management remains a critical environmental challenge in both developing and
transitioning economies, necessitating integrated policy and system-level interventions to enhance the
effectiveness of recycling systems and improve waste-management effectiveness. This study examined
differences in plastic recycling efficiency, policy effectiveness, and resource-recovery performance
between the Philippines and Romania using a multi-criteria comparative framework integrating policy,
infrastructure, and recycling-performance indicators derived from secondary environmental datasets
and peer-reviewed literature published from 2020 to 2025. Data were obtained from peer-reviewed
literature, government reports, Eurostat databases, World Bank publications, and international
environmental reports. Seven comparative indicators were evaluated, including recycling rate, process
efficiency, infrastructure capacity, policy enforcement, public participation, and economic incentives.
The comparative findings indicate that Romania currently maintains a more institutionally coordinated
recycling system, particularly in terms of policy enforcement, collection efficiency, and technological
infrastructure. These outcomes appear to be associated with the implementation of the Deposit Return
System and stronger alignment with European Union environmental directives. In contrast, the
Philippines exhibited lower recycling efficiency due to fragmented governance, inadequate
infrastructure, and limited integration of informal waste-management systems into formal resource-
recovery strategies. The findings emphasize that effective recycling systems depend not only on
environmental policies but also on institutional coordination, infrastructure investment, and economic
incentives. The study contributes a comparative analytical framework that may support evidence-based
policy development and recycling governance and waste-management improvement strategies in
developing and transitioning economies.