Reflexiones teóricas e hipótesis de economía circular para la reducción de residuos

In the face of rapidly increasing waste, circular economy (CE) represents an alternative that can transform production and consumption processes. However, despite the rise of CE, there is no conceptual and theoretical clarity. This work aims to identify and clarify the economic theory behind CE; generate a CE model; and propose economic, environmental, and social hypotheses that can be tested in subsequent research. The methodology used was a critical literature review based on the snowball method, through which 143 articles were reviewed using a scientific article search engine. Results included the identification of three basic economic models along with their limitations for correct interpretation; the generation of a CE model; and the proposal of new hypotheses and indicators that can be tested in subsequent studies.