Sustainable plastic waste management practice based on community and stakeholder participation

Abstract

Background:  Plastic is used to package food, beverages, and other products in everyday life. Plastic waste can be a significant global problem, with social, economic, and environmental impacts if not managed properly. According to data from the National Waste Management Information System in 2024, plastic waste is the second-largest type of waste in Indonesia, accounting for 19.83% of the total waste. Practices that proactively involve the community and external support have not been explicitly discussed in previous research. This paper aims to analyze the practices that play a role in reducing the use of single-use plastics in supporting sustainable lifestyles. Methods: This study uses a systematic literature review based on the PRISMA framework. The method used combines qualitative and interpretive approaches based on a post-positivist paradigm, analyzing publications from 2021–2025 from several countries on sustainable practices and reducing single-use plastics through coding, thematic grouping, and gradual filtering to ensure relevance and reliability. Findings: The results reported that practices to prevent and reduce plastic waste are grouped into four points: plastic reduction policies and their impacts, public behavior towards plastics, plastic waste management and its effectiveness, and global support. These practices can be used as a reference for the community and external parties in achieving sustainable management of single-use plastic waste. Conclusion: Achieving sustainable management of single-use plastic waste depends on the integration of strict policies, behavioral change, effective waste management systems, and global collaboration to promote a circular economy that ensures environmental preservation for future generations. Novelty/Originality of this article: The novelty of this article lies in its systematic synthesis of global practices in reducing single-use plastic use, framed within the context of sustainable lifestyle transformation. Unlike previous studies that focus separately on policy, behavior, or waste management, this research integrates these dimensions through a PRISMA-based systematic literature review using a qualitative–interpretive approach under a post-positivist paradigm