Advancing Circular Practices and Resource Recovery in Waste Management Systems
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Waste and Recycling".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 18
Special Issue Editors
Interests: sustainable waste management; life cycle assessment (LCA); material flow analysis (MFA); theory of eco-industrial parks (EIP); urban environmental management of developing countries
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: waste management; geoinformatics analysis; life cycle assessment (LCA); machine learning; optimization; greenhouse gas (GHG) emission modelling and mapping
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of cutting-edge examples and analyses of the advanced practices in the technologies and social systems that support resource recovery and the implementation of circular economies. This Special Issue will cover all types of waste and all aspects of waste management, including treatment, final disposal and recycling. It hopes to disseminate high-quality research and stimulate interdisciplinary discussions—original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
Technologies
- Innovative technologies and strategies on waste generation, collection, separation, and supply and demand matching, using model simulation, ICT (information and communication technologies), and AI (artificial intelligence).
- Advanced image identification, machine and deep learning, and blockchain techniques used in waste management systems.
Systems analysis
- Resource and product management and innovative business models using model simulation, ICT, and AI.
- Designs and practices for optimal management systems (from economic and environmental viewpoints) and zero-waste systems.
- Environmental and health risks assessment related to waste management.
Policy
- Policy frameworks supporting the management of the transition to the circular economy in the waste management system
- Recent developments in waste reduction, recycling, and resource recovery methods.
- Policy and regulatory measures towards sustainable waste management.
Social aspects
- Identification and analysis of consumers’ role in promoting circular economy in waste management systems.
- Challenges and opportunities of the transition to the circular economy in developing countries, especially in the Global South.
We would like to offer Sustainability’s readers stimulating research, providing the latest advancements and prospects in advancing resource recovery and circular practices. Case studies presenting sufficient, reliable, and accurate investigations in a particular region are welcome for this Special Issue. We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Prof. Dr. Toru Matsumoto
Dr. Richao Cong
Guest Editors
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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 transition management
- assessment methodologies and simulation
- innovative recycling technologies
- resource recovery
- sustainable waste management
- ICT and AI applications
- utilization of information platforms
- consumers’ awareness and behaviour
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