Leveraging Technology to Improve Sustainable Plastic Waste Management in the Retail Sector: A Triple Bottom Line Approach

Abstract

Humans produce more than 350 million tons of plastic waste each year (Alves, 2024). However, plastic waste has a significantly negative impact on the environment and human health. The retail sector is a major contributor to plastic waste generation, with plastics accounting for nearly 46% of the total waste generated therein (MacCathmhaoil, 2022). It is thus essential to use scientific and technological means to enhance the management and recycling of plastic waste in order to mitigate pollution (Ritchie et al., 2023). This need is illustrated by recent data from El-Rayes et al. (2023), which confirmed that global plastic production is expected to increase to 500–600 million metric tons by 2025 and plastic waste by 2050 to 12 billion tons. Therefore, in this research project, I will focus on the role of technology in plastic waste management within the retail sector. This is of particular interest to me because I am deeply interested in how retail companies manage plastic waste by using technology to achieve environmental, social, and economic change. I hope that my research will lead to discovering how technology can be utilised to create more sustainable practices that can solve the problem of plastic waste pollution worldwide; I believe that technology can play a major role in reducing plastic waste, especially within the retail sector. In addition to being important to me, sustainability in plastic waste management from a technological perspective is crucial since it aligns with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s vision, i.e., Saudi Vision 2030 (2019), which emphasises sustainability as the foundation for national development and the Kingdom’s commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2060 (Kamboj, 2023). My research will be of value to many stakeholders. One of the key groups that will benefit from my research is retailers, including those ranging from international supermarkets to small local grocery stores, who are under pressure to achieve technological sustainability, meet consumer expectations, and satisfy regulatory demands. In addition, consumers whose demand for sustainable products is driving the need for change are important stakeholders. For example, millennials prioritise sustainability when purchasing products (Gomes et al., 2023). They are also affected by the environmental impacts of plastic waste. Furthermore, environmental organisations and government agencies are valuable stakeholders in this research, as they can use this research to inform environmental conservation efforts, create more stringent laws, and make better policy decisions to combat plastic waste. This research can also be used to support global initiatives aimed at reducing plastic waste. Since sustainability is becoming increasingly important to businesses, there will be a need for professionals who can solve environmental concerns by using suitable technological and business management practices. Therefore, this research will support my future career aspirations in sustainability management. Specifically, it will provide me with specialised scientific knowledge about important areas of sustainability and make me an effective contributor to employers or projects in this field. In terms of my master’s, the main contributor to the development of my research approach will be the Organisational Sustainability: Analysis and Evaluation course (Subject 221832 at master’s level). This course helped me analyse and understand sustainable practices and technological solutions from an organisational perspective through basic frameworks and theories such as the triple bottom line (TBL) approach, which will form the basis of my analysis, as well as how these practices can be implemented for long-term sustainability. It also reinforced my belief that technology can be used to manage plastic waste effectively. With my research, I aim to understand how retail companies can adapt to a sustainability-driven and digitally transformed world and thus address the critical environmental issue of plastic waste management.