Circular economy readiness in Australian local governments: a multi-criteria assessment of waste services, governance capacity, and transition pathways

Australia’s circular economy transition depends on local governments, yet council-level readiness remains uneven and poorly understood. This study develops a Circular Economy Readiness Index (CERI) to assess whether 520 Australian councils across six states demonstrate the service, infrastructure, governance, engagement, and circularity conditions required to progress beyond conventional waste management. Using systematic content analysis of publicly available council information, the study coded household waste services, infrastructure access, policy evidence, public engagement, and higher-order circular practices. Results show that general waste and mixed recycling services are widespread, while FOGO provision remains inconsistent and separate household glass collection is rare outside Victoria. Chi-square tests and Kruskal–Wallis analysis confirmed significant state-level variation in readiness. Cluster analysis identified four readiness profiles: foundational service-limited, recycling and organics-transition, strategy-led, and community-engaged circularity councils. The findings demonstrate that circular economy implementation requires differentiated policy support, regional infrastructure planning, circular procurement, and community-based sustainability education.Kindly check and confirm whether the inserted city name is correct in affiliations 2 and 3.Yes, the city names in affiliations 2 and 3 have been checked and revised accordingly.Kindly check and confirm that the affiliation 1 has been correctly identified.Yes, affiliation 1 has been checked and revised accordingly.Graphical abstract is mandatory for publication in this journal. Please provide the graphical abstract.Yes, the graphical abstract has been prepared and attached as requested.