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Waste Treatment/Recycling, Circular Economy and Sustainable Development

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Waste and Recycling".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 141

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Riga Technical University, LV-1048 Riga, Latvia
Interests: geochemistry; pollution remediation; geotechnics; geology; prevention; sorbents
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Environment and Water Management, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, LV-3001 Jelgava, Latvia
Interests: environmental engineering; waste management; climate change; sustainability; emission control and monitoring
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge research, technological advancements, and innovative solutions that address the global challenges of waste management, recycling, and the circular economy. Its scope will focus on interdisciplinary approaches to waste treatment and recycling technologies, with an emphasis on their role in driving sustainable development and supporting the transition toward a circular economy.

Moreover, it will cover a broad range of topics, from waste treatment techniques (such as mechanical, biological, and thermal methods) to advanced recycling technologies (including chemical recycling and waste-to-resource processes). Additionally, we encourage contributions that explore new materials, waste valorization strategies, and innovative approaches to waste reduction and resource recovery. These contributions should consider not only technical advancements but also the societal, economic, and environmental impacts, aligning with the principles of sustainable development.

Research articles, case studies, and reviews submitted to this Special Issue should highlight how effective waste treatment and recycling practices can reduce environmental impacts, conserve natural resources, and contribute to the circular economy framework. Special consideration will be given to papers that address the integration of these practices into urban planning, policy development, and industrial sectors, as well as those that examine the lifecycle impacts and long-term sustainability of different approaches.

  1. Advancements in Waste Treatment Technologies: Research focused on novel or improved waste treatment processes that enhance recycling efficiency, reduce energy consumption, or minimize the environmental footprint of waste management systems.
  2. Circular Economy in Action: Papers that examine how businesses, municipalities, and industries can incorporate circular economy principles into waste management systems, including strategies for product life cycle management, resource recovery, and reducing waste generation.
  3. Sustainable Development and Policy Integration: Contributions that discuss the role of governmental policies, regulations, and incentive schemes in promoting sustainable waste management and the circular economy. This includes exploring models of public–private partnerships and the integration of sustainability in the policy-making process.
  4. Technology and Innovation in Recycling: Contributions showcasing innovative recycling methods, particularly those that deal with complex or difficult-to-recycle waste streams (such as electronic waste, plastics, and organic materials). Special emphasis will be placed on scalable solutions that can be adopted globally.

Dr. Juris Burlakovs
Dr. Inga Grīnfelde
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

  • waste management
  • recycling technologies
  • environmental monitoring
  • resources recovery

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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