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Advanced Technologies and Management Systems for Resource Reuse, Recycling and Recovery

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Dear Colleagues,

Research and policies concerning the circular economy have progressively advanced to address the pressing issues of waste pollution and carbon emissions, including recycling and material recovery form the core of circular economy systems. Recently, the introduction of the EU Circular Economy Package marks a significant step in promoting resource reuse, recycling, and recovery. Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the urgency of climate change has heightened global awareness. The resolution of these challenges hinges on two key strategies, including green energy solutions and the circular economy. This has spurred the proliferation of green new deals and policies worldwide.

In light of the current global environmental challenges, recycling management philosophies must evolve to align with broader sustainability objectives, such as achieving a circular economy and net-zero emissions. Therefore, this Special Issue aims to explore the latest advancements and emerging concepts in resource reuse, recycling, and recovery, with a focus on the following sub-topics:

Innovative processing solutions and management frameworks for resource reuse and recycling;
Comprehensive reviews and cost–benefit analyses of recycling policies in various countries and regions;
Examination of the interconnections between resource reuse, recycling, the circular economy, and net-zero emissions;
Exploration of new directions and future requirements for resource reuse and recycling research and management;
Evaluation of green finance mechanisms in resource reuse and recycling management.

We are looking forward to receiving your contribution!

Dr. Chun-hsu Lin
Dr. Hsuan-Yu Chang
Guest Editors

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23 pages, 3075 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Building an Agent-Based Simulation Framework of Smartphone Reuse and Recycling: Integrating Privacy Concern and Behavioral Norms

by Wenbang Hou, Dingjie Peng, Jianing Chu, Yuelin Jiang, Yu Chen and Feier Chen

Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 6885; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17156885 - 29 Jul 2025

Abstract

The rapid proliferation of electronic waste, driven by the short lifecycle of smartphones and planned obsolescence strategies, presents escalating global environmental challenges. To address these issues from a systems perspective, this study develops an agent-based modeling (ABM) framework that simulates consumer decisions and stakeholder interactions within the smartphone reuse and recycling ecosystem. The model incorporates key behavioral drivers—privacy concerns, moral norms, and financial incentives—to examine how social and economic factors shape consumer behavior. Four primary agent types—consumers, manufacturers, recyclers, and second-hand retailers—are modeled to capture complex feedback and market dynamics. Calibrated using empirical data from Jiangsu Province, China, the simulation reveals a dominant consumer tendency to store obsolete smartphones rather than engage in reuse or formal recycling. However, the introduction of government subsidies significantly shifts behavior, doubling participation in second-hand markets and markedly improving recycling rates. These results highlight the value of integrating behavioral insights into environmental modeling to inform circular economy strategies. By offering a flexible and behaviorally grounded simulation tool, this study supports the design of more effective policies for promoting responsible smartphone disposal and lifecycle extension. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies and Management Systems for Resource Reuse, Recycling and Recovery)

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39 pages, 2398 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing Community Waste Recycling in Taiwan: Key Drivers Affecting Consumers in Waste Recycling

by Ching-Jung Kuo, Xiao Jin Nah and Hsin-Wei Hsu

Sustainability 2025, 17(12), 5322; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17125322 - 9 Jun 2025

Viewed by 643

Abstract

The municipal solid waste generation is projected to spike from 2.1 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050. In Taiwan, the upsurge of waste volume, in addition to periodic maintenance of incinerators, which may persist up to four months, has resulted in limited incineration capacity. The optimum approach to address the challenge is to reduce the amount of waste sent for incineration by effective segregation of combustible and non-combustible waste, as well as improving the public recycling rate. Local authorities play a significant role in encouraging public recycling and restricting non-burnable waste from being delivered to incinerators within a short period of time. This can greatly reduce the amount of waste and incinerator maintenance costs. This study aimed to explore the key driving factors for public participation in waste recycling and translate the determinants into policy in order to increase the waste recycling rate. The study employed literature analysis to select factors repeatedly mentioned as indicators and conducted online surveys to collect data on factors influencing consumer engagement in waste recycling in Taiwan. This study also adopted the Analytic Hierarchy Process and established a hierarchical framework with four dimensions (Psychological, Knowledge, Policy, and Infrastructure) and thirteen indicators. The findings have demonstrated that infrastructure (0.275) is the most influential aspect in affecting consumers’ recycling actions, followed by psychological (0.256) and policy aspects (0.251), and knowledge aspect (0.218) as the least influential factor. Positive rewards (0.120), recycling knowledge (0.118), and well-built infrastructure (0.113) were specifically identified as key drivers in encouraging recycling. The findings informed the public’s priorities in recycling involvement, and strategic initiatives targeted at these preferences can effectively assist local authorities in promoting citizen engagement in recycling. Policies that meet public demands, such as positive rewards for recycling, dissemination of recycling knowledge, and provision and improvement of more recycling infrastructure, can ensure the success of the policy implementation and serve as a reference for other Asian countries in reducing waste and improving the recycling rate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies and Management Systems for Resource Reuse, Recycling and Recovery)

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