Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.9
4.6
Journals
Recycling
Special Issues
Advancing the Circular Economy: A Life Cycle Perspective on Waste...
share announcement

Advancing the Circular Economy: A Life Cycle Perspective on Waste Valorization

A special issue of Recycling (ISSN 2313-4321).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 2126

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Sébastien M. R. Dente

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Ritsumeikan Global Innovation Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu 525-8577, Japan
Interests: life cycle assessment (LCA); material flow analysis (MFA); input–output analysis; circular economy; waste valorization; bioenergy systems; resource policy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global transition towards a circular economy necessitates a fundamental shift in our perception of waste, reimagining it as a valuable secondary resource. This Special Issue examines four defined valorization pathways where robust, system-level comparison is essential. We invite contributions employing Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Material Flow Analysis (MFA), or Life Cycle Costing (LCC). Each paper should compare the proposed pathway with (1) a linear alternative, such as landfilling or incineration without recovery, and/or (2) the most established recycling method currently available.

The target pathways include the following:

  1. Secondary metals—metal scrap dismantling and sorting followed by secondary smelting and refining.
  2. Sludge-derived carbon materials—production of activated carbons or graphitic materials from textile or wastewater sludge.
  3. Carbon dioxide mineralization or alkali activation—utilization of incineration bottom ash or steel slags as binders or aggregates, with durability and leaching evaluations.
  4. Waste-to-chemicals and fuels—thermochemical and biochemical conversion of plastics and organics, such as pyrolysis to fuels, gasification to methanol, anaerobic digestion to biomethane, and fermentation to ethanol or lactic acid.
  5. Sustainability impact assessment—comprehensive evaluation of economic viability, environmental consequences, and social implications of the proposed valorization technologies, ensuring alignment with circular economy principles that prioritize sustainable outcomes.

Submissions are expected to clearly define system boundaries, functional units, allocation or substitution methods, and uncertainty analysis. The use of consequential or dynamic modelling is encouraged where relevant. This collection aims to provide a critical, data-driven foundation to support academics, policymakers, and industry leaders in advancing sustainable circular economy strategies that balance technical feasibility with environmental and social responsibility.

Dr. Sébastien M. R. Dente
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Recycling is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • circular economy
  • waste valorization
  • upcycling
  • life cycle assessment (LCA)
  • material flow analysis (MFA)
  • secondary raw materials
  • resource efficiency
  • recycling systems

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

33 pages, 1655 KB  
Article
Exergy-Based Evaluation of Ecodesign Strategies for Recyclable and Disassemblable Plastic Components in Automotive Applications
by Samuel Alcoceba-Pascual, Nicolás I. Villanueva-Martínez, Abel Ortego, Ricardo Magdalena, Sofia Russo, Marta Iglesias-Émbil and Alicia Valero
Recycling 2026, 11(5), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling11050085 (registering DOI) - 2 May 2026
Abstract
The automotive sector is the third-largest consumer of plastics in Europe, after packaging and construction, and its demand is expected to grow. Plastic recycling at the end of vehicle life remains low, with 80% of plastics ending up in energy recovery or landfills. [...] Read more.
The automotive sector is the third-largest consumer of plastics in Europe, after packaging and construction, and its demand is expected to grow. Plastic recycling at the end of vehicle life remains low, with 80% of plastics ending up in energy recovery or landfills. Three vehicle models (SEAT Ibiza Gen. IV and SEAT Leon Gen. II and III) with two trim versions (Reference and Formula Racing) were examined to identify the most critical plastic components from an exergy perspective. Ecodesign measures were defined by considering both the disassemblability of vehicle components and their recyclability potential as key criteria to evaluate end-of-life recovery pathways and guide material and design optimization strategies. The proposed methodology classified the measures into three types: (1) substitution of high-exergy plastics with lower-impact alternatives; (2) use of recycled plastics instead of primary materials, with substitution rates depending on the material; and (3) reuse of components in new models, evaluated by disassemblability and end-of-life condition. Results show that Type 1 measures achieved savings up to 70 MJ, mainly in the floor covering and engine compartment insulator, while Type 2 measures provided larger reductions, up to 1.7 GJ, mainly in bumpers and carpets. Type 3 measures showed reuse potential for paddings and insulators but faced limitations in carpets and dashboards. Findings highlight the importance of material selection and implementing disassembly and recycling strategies to reduce the exergy of vehicle plastics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing the Circular Economy: A Life Cycle Perspective on Waste Valorization)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 1000 KB  
Article
Ex Ante Life Cycle Assessment of High-TRL Non-Ferrous Metal Recycling: Waste-Specific Environmental Impacts
by Andrea Margheri, Matteo Cordara, Andrea Ballarino and Carlo Brondi
Recycling 2026, 11(5), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling11050082 - 30 Apr 2026
Abstract
Variability in life cycle assessment (LCA) results for metal recycling technologies arises from multiple sources, including allocation methods, recycling route, regionality of impacts, and type of waste treated. Among these factors, waste composition is particularly critical, as it directly influences process performance by [...] Read more.
Variability in life cycle assessment (LCA) results for metal recycling technologies arises from multiple sources, including allocation methods, recycling route, regionality of impacts, and type of waste treated. Among these factors, waste composition is particularly critical, as it directly influences process performance by affecting auxiliary material consumption and emissions. This work investigates four waste categories: metals from incineration bottom ash (MBA), waste-printed circuit boards (WPCBs), industrial waste from gold refining (GRA), and spent automotive and industrial catalysts (SCs). The Climate Change (CC) for 1000 kg of waste was estimated at 3251 × 103 kg CO2eq for WPCBs, 3923 × 103 kg CO2eq for MBA, 1569 × 103 kg CO2eq for GRA, and 2101 × 103 kg CO2eq for SCs. A sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the influence of allocation methods on results for 1kg of recycled metal. The highest variability in CC across waste categories was observed for gold (up to 8477%) with the black-box economic allocation method, while different allocation methods reached 21,700% for WPCBs. These results highlight the strong influence of methodological choices and waste characteristics, emphasizing the need for transparent and consistent LCA reporting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing the Circular Economy: A Life Cycle Perspective on Waste Valorization)
20 pages, 2141 KB  
Article
From Waste to Resource: An Evaluation of Circular Economy Practices in Furniture Production
by Inês Costa, Bruna Machado, Bruno Silva, Catarina Dias, Luís Silva, Isabel Carvalho, Vera Sá, Alexandre Pereira and Catarina Basto-Silva
Recycling 2026, 11(5), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling11050081 - 30 Apr 2026
Abstract
The European woodworking and furniture sector faces increasing sustainability challenges, including dependence on virgin raw materials and low recycling rates of furniture waste, highlighting the need for integrated environmental and economic assessments to support circular solutions. The purpose of this study is to [...] Read more.
The European woodworking and furniture sector faces increasing sustainability challenges, including dependence on virgin raw materials and low recycling rates of furniture waste, highlighting the need for integrated environmental and economic assessments to support circular solutions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the environmental and economic performance of boards produced with different proportions of Polyethylene Recycling Waste (PRW) sourced from a Portuguese plastic recycling company, using an integrated Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Costing approach. The environmental performance was assessed following ISO standards using the ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) method, while the economic analysis included internal and external costs. First, the environmental and economic performance of PRW was assessed per 1 kg of material. Subsequently, four board formulations produced at pre-industrial scale, in a Portuguese company, were compared per 1 m3 of board: 100PRW; 80PRW20FW (with 20% furniture waste, FW); 80PRW20PE (with 20% virgin polyethylene, PE); and 80PRW20PU (with 20% virgin polyurethane, PU). Results show that waste-based boards (100PRW and 80PRW20FW) consistently present lower environmental impacts and improved cost-efficiency compared to formulations incorporating virgin polymers, particularly PU. Global warming and terrestrial ozone formation were the main contributing impact categories, largely driven by energy consumption. The dominant impact stage varied by formulation, with pressing prevailing in waste-based options and raw material production in virgin-polymer-based boards. These findings demonstrate that increasing the share of waste materials can significantly improve both environmental and economic performance, supporting the transition towards circular material solutions in the furniture sector. This study provides a novel contribution by integrating LCA and LCC in the assessment of pre-industrial PRW boards, offering practical insights for industry decision-making and sustainable material design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing the Circular Economy: A Life Cycle Perspective on Waste Valorization)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 581 KB  
Article
Research on Producing Boiler Fuel from Sunflower Oil Wastes
by Denis Miroshnichenko, Yurii Parkhomov, Yurii Lypko, Vladislav Reivi, Yurii Rohovyi, Mariia Shved, Bohdan Korchak and Serhiy Pyshyev
Recycling 2026, 11(4), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling11040072 - 2 Apr 2026
Viewed by 413
Abstract
The effective utilization and effective valorization of various organic industrial wastes have become increasingly important issues. One significant area for enhancing the circular economy is the processing of waste generated from vegetable oils and animal fats. This article focuses on the processing and [...] Read more.
The effective utilization and effective valorization of various organic industrial wastes have become increasingly important issues. One significant area for enhancing the circular economy is the processing of waste generated from vegetable oils and animal fats. This article focuses on the processing and use of soapstocks, which result from the chemical reaction between fatty acids and alkali. These soapstocks represent the most significant portion (approximately 70–90 wt% by weight) of waste produced by the oil and fat industry. The raw material for this study was soapstock obtained from the neutralization of sunflower oil at the PJSC “Zaporizhzhya Oil and Fat Plant,” designed by the Belgian company “De Smet.” The soapstock yield was found to be 9.95 wt% based on 100 wt% oil. Through a series of treatments involving water, acid, and multiple washes, a low-sulfur fuel component was produced that nearly meets the standards for boiler fuels as outlined in DSTU 4058-2001 and PN-C-96024:2020, except for the heat of combustion. It fully complies with the requirements specified in ISO 8217:2024. The sulfur content of the final product was determined to be 0.12 wt%. Additionally, the fuels produced contained 75.33 wt% carbon, 11.64 wt% hydrogen, and 12.00 wt% oxygen. Due to the relatively low oxygen content, the resulting product exhibits approximately twice the heat of combustion of similar fuels derived from other waste streams in the oil and fat industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing the Circular Economy: A Life Cycle Perspective on Waste Valorization)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

34 pages, 1940 KB  
Article
Mapping Polyester Waste Stream and Recyclability: A Material Flow Analysis of Indonesia’s Textile and Clothing Industry
by Siti Nurkomariyah, Dodik Ridho Nurrochmat, Dikky Indrawan and Harianto
Recycling 2026, 11(3), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling11030062 - 19 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1105
Abstract
Indonesia, as a major global textile exporter, faces substantial sustainability challenges due to its linear production model, which generates massive volumes of post-industrial polyester waste (PIPW). However, reliable data and recycling pathways remain critically lacking. This study quantifies the volume, composition, and textile-to-textile [...] Read more.
Indonesia, as a major global textile exporter, faces substantial sustainability challenges due to its linear production model, which generates massive volumes of post-industrial polyester waste (PIPW). However, reliable data and recycling pathways remain critically lacking. This study quantifies the volume, composition, and textile-to-textile (T2T) recyclability potential of PIPW across Indonesia’s national textile and clothing production chain, employing a mixed-methods approach that integrates material flow analysis (MFA), site visits, and stakeholder interviews. The results indicate that 572 kilotonnes of PIPW were generated in 2023, with garment manufacturing identified as the most waste-intensive. Nineteen waste types were identified; 61% comprise fibre blends, which significantly constrain closed-loop recycling. A novel five-tier waste typology was developed to classify waste streams based on material characteristics, technological availability, and economic feasibility. The circularity map reveals that Indonesia is trapped in pseudo-circularity. Scenario analysis suggests that up to 184 kilotonnes of PIPW could be feasibly redirected towards higher-value chemical recycling. The research recommends mandatory source segregation, fiscal incentives, investment in chemical recycling infrastructure, and the integration of circular design into national standards. The study provides the first national-level MFA of PIPW in Indonesia and establishes an empirical baseline to advance T2T recycling in emerging economies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing the Circular Economy: A Life Cycle Perspective on Waste Valorization)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop