The circular economy (CE) offers a sustainable alternative to the traditional linear model of waste management by promoting recycling, reuse, and resource efficiency. This study examined the perception and barriers to the effective implementation of CE in waste management in Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, involving a sample of 3,223 participants selected from twelve rural communities using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using a validated self-structured instrument titled Perception and Barriers to Effective Implementation of Circular Economy in Waste Management Questionnaire (PBEICEWMQ) with a reliability index of 0.89. The instrument contained 24 items, including demographic variables and 20 CE-related items measured on a 4-point Likert scale. Data were analysed using SPSS version 27 employing percentage, mean and standard deviations as statistical tools. Demographic data revealed that 52.3% of respondents were female, while 47.7% were male. In terms of age, 61.8% were between 26–50 years, 22.4% were aged 15–25, and 15.8% were above 50 years. It was found that the participants had a positive perception towards the implementation of circular economy in waste management with aggregate mean score of 3.03±0.863. it was also found that despite the participants’ positive perceptions, a plethora of barriers towards effective implementation of CE in WM which included Low public awareness about circular economy (Mean = 3.40 ± 0.74); Lack of government policies and support (Mean = 3.15 ± 1.02); Cultural attitudes toward waste (Mean = 2.60 ± 0.97); and Lack of collaboration among stakeholders (Mean = 2.60 ± 0.74) among others. The study concluded that although public perception toward CE in waste management was positive, implementation was hindered by systemic barriers. It recommended enhanced public education and awareness, along with government investment in infrastructure and collaborative stakeholder engagement to support circular economy adoption and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 12(Responsible Consumption and Production and SDG 13(Climate Action)
Keywords: Effective Implementation, Perceptions, Waste Management, circular economy, perceived barriers
