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Sustainable Waste Management and Recycling for Achieving a Circular Economy: 2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 582

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of International Politics and Economics, Graduate School of International Cultural Studies & Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8576, Japan
Interests: waste plastic issues; end-of-life vehicle recycling; plastic sorter using terahertz wave; urban mining; end-of life battery; recycling cooperative behavior; integrated waste management; international resource recycling; SDGs education; disaster waste treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of International Politics and Economics, Graduate School of International Cultural Studies, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
Interests: recycling cooperative behavior; household solid waste management; recycling policy; recyclable resources collection; collection stations; recycling company; waste recycling; consumer behavior
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the contemporary world, growing attention is being directed towards how to address issues related to the circular economy. These issues are transboundary by nature and thus require transboundary solutions, each issue becoming increasingly interwoven with others. In the absence of sustainability, the circular economy, which encompasses waste management, resource recycling, and carbon neutrality, each of them addressing a single issue, is more crucial than ever. However, these issues inevitably complicate effective resource allocation and generate conflicts. For instance, the scarcity of rare metals and ocean pollution can be traced back to improper waste management and the lack of recycling technology and environmental awareness. Ocean pollution and resource nationalism have led to regional conflicts, especially in the developing world. The necessity for policy coordination at the global and local levels is unquestionable, hence the establishment of sustainable waste management and recycling. More so than in the past, the diversification of waste management and recycling issues, like other global issues, has clarified the role of each stakeholder.

This Special Issue considers waste management and resource recycling based on the circular economy, covering the role of related policies, advanced technologies, the responsibility of each actor, and SDGs. This Special Issue calls for contributions from various cross-border academic fields, including case studies on global environmental issues, international efforts to address these issues, and policy proposals for achieving a circular economy and carbon neutrality. The aim is to provide international organizations, governments, municipalities, private companies, citizens, and scholars with useful knowledge on how to solve circular economy issues.

Prof. Dr. Jeongsoo Yu
Dr. Xiaoyue Liu
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
  • circular economy
  • recycling
  • carbon neutral
  • SDGs
  • co-design
  • sharing
  • reuse
  • data science
  • international cooperation

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 1282 KiB  
Article
Residual Performance Evaluation of Electric Vehicle Batteries: Focusing on the Analysis Results of a Social Survey of Vehicle Owners
by Hongxia Chen, Xiaoyue Liu, Jeongsoo Yu and Kazuaki Okubo
Sustainability 2025, 17(10), 4685; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17104685 - 20 May 2025
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Abstract
In recent years, electric vehicles (EVs) have attracted much attention worldwide as an effective solution for realizing a carbon-neutral and decarbonized society. Since many batteries are generated over the lifespan of EVs, battery recycling has become an important issue. However, battery-manufacturing countries, including [...] Read more.
In recent years, electric vehicles (EVs) have attracted much attention worldwide as an effective solution for realizing a carbon-neutral and decarbonized society. Since many batteries are generated over the lifespan of EVs, battery recycling has become an important issue. However, battery-manufacturing countries, including China, Japan, and South Korea (CJK), have yet to build a complete battery resource recovery system. In particular, owing to the lack of a reliable battery performance evaluation method, the residual performance of a battery cannot be accurately determined. Thus, based on the results of a social survey of EV owners, the present study develops a novel battery residual performance evaluation method that can easily predict the remaining battery performance based on the usage status of the vehicle, without relying on external electronic devices to measure the battery parameters. In addition, by clarifying the human factors deteriorating vehicle battery performance and proposing sustainable utilization methods for EVs, the present study demonstrates important research prospects for the protection of the environment and progress in the automobile industry. Full article
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Review

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30 pages, 1811 KiB  
Review
A Scoping Review of Goldenberry Calyx Used as a Reinforcing Fiber for Cassava Starch Biopolymers
by Vilma Estefanía Tapias Benítez and Jesús Manuel Gutiérrez Bernal
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 5724; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17135724 - 21 Jun 2025
Viewed by 94
Abstract
The aim of this scoping review is to investigate the potential development of an alternative material derived from renewable biological resources such as goldenberry calyx and modified cassava starch as the matrix. Moreover, this paper reviews the impact of combining starch and lignocellulosic [...] Read more.
The aim of this scoping review is to investigate the potential development of an alternative material derived from renewable biological resources such as goldenberry calyx and modified cassava starch as the matrix. Moreover, this paper reviews the impact of combining starch and lignocellulosic fiber on improving the properties of bioplastic materials. The goldenberry calyx is a type of lignocellulosic waste with a low moisture content, which offers logistical advantages, as a high moisture content can accelerate waste deterioration. However, studies on the utilization of goldenberry calyx are scarce. In addition, due to its low cost and availability, starch is the main polysaccharide for biofilm development as a matrix. Combining these two materials can result in a composite material with suitable and adequate properties for packaging applications, although no studies have been published on this specific combination. Starch and lignocellulosic fiber are complementary as the properties of starch biopolymers improve when a hydrophobic material (lignocellulosic fibers) is incorporated. Moreover, starch strengthens fibers by enhancing their biodegradability through its water absorption capacity. In this study, modified cassava starch, with its higher amylose content, is suggested for use, as the proportion of amylose correlates with enhanced bioplastic properties. Full article
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