BACKGROUND The circular economy framework for human production and consumption is an alternative to the traditional, linear concept of 'take, make, and dispose'. Circular economy (CE) principles comprise of 'design out waste and pollution', 'retain products and materials in use', and 'regenerate natural systems'. This commentary considers the risks and opportunities of the CE for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), acknowledging that LMICs must identify their own opportunities, while recognising the potential positive and negative environmental health impacts. MAIN BODY The implementation of the CE in LMICs is mostly undertaken informally, driven by poverty and unemployment. Activities being employed towards extracting value from waste in LMICs are imposing environmental health risks including exposure to hazardous and toxic working environments, emissions and materials, and infectious diseases. The CE has the potential to aid towards the achievement of the SDGs, in particular SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). However, since SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) is critical in the pursuit of all SDGs, the negative implications of the CE should be well understood and addressed. We call on policy makers, industry, the health sector, and health-determining sectors to address these issues by defining mechanisms to protect vulnerable populations from the negative health impacts that may arise in LMICs as these countries domesticate the CE. CONCLUSION Striving towards a better understanding of risks should not undermine support for the CE, which requires the full agency of the public and policy communities to realise the potential to accelerate LMICs towards sustainable production and consumption, with positive synergies for several SDGs.

中文翻译：

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中低收入国家的循环经济与环境健康。

背景技术用于人类生产和消费的循环经济框架是对“获取，制造和处置”的传统线性概念的替代。循环经济（CE）原则包括“设计废物和污染”，“保留使用中的产品和材料”以及“再生自然系统”。本评论在可持续发展目标（SDG）的背景下考虑了中低收入国家（CE）的CE风险和机遇，同时承认LMIC必须发现自己的机遇，同时认识到潜在的积极和消极环境对健康的影响。主要机构在贫穷和失业的驱动下，低收入和中等收入国家实施CE的方式大多是非正式的。为从中低收入国家的废物中获取价值而开展的活动正在带来环境健康风险，包括暴露于有害和有毒的工作环境，排放物和材料以及传染病。行政长官有潜力协助实现可持续发展目标，特别是可持续发展目标12（负责任的消费和生产）和可持续发展目标11（可持续城市和社区）。但是，由于可持续发展目标3（良好的健康和福祉）对于追求所有可持续发展目标至关重要，因此应充分理解和解决行政长官的负面影响。我们呼吁政策制定者，行业，卫生部门和健康决定部门通过定义保护弱势群体免受中低收入国家在CE驯化时可能产生的不利健康影响的机制来解决这些问题。