Advances in Resource Recovery from Waste

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Advances in Resource Recovery from Waste addresses cross-cutting themes by combining technology, sustainability evaluation, circular economy principles, and resource efficiency to transform waste from an environmental problem and a disposal management cost into a value-generating opportunity. The key points include:

1. Study of the recovery of valuable materials, energy, and useful products from different types of waste (e.g., municipal, industrial, agricultural, biomass, wastewater, etc.) to divert them from landfills;
2. Support for the circular economy, which—within a regenerative model—does not envisage the production of waste but instead considers materials as either biological nutrients that naturally decompose (e.g., food, wood, biomass) and are reintegrated into the biosphere, or as technical nutrients designed to be reused, repaired, or recycled without entering the environment (e.g., metals, plastics, glass, electronic components);
3. Exploration of advanced technologies and processes, such as chemical and biological recycling technologies, energy recovery (waste-to-energy), extraction of nutrients and metals from solid waste or wastewater, and other conversion methodologies. This also includes the analysis of aspects such as energy optimization, economic and environmental impacts, collection and treatment system design, and the use of advanced tools (e.g., artificial intelligence for process optimization);
4. Scientific research and development activities involving the dissemination of know-how through publications in scientific journals and university research contexts, where original studies, review papers, and perspectives on new methods and results in resource recovery from waste are presented;
5. Evaluation of the sustainability of emerging processes for resource recovery and/or the production of innovative materials through advanced assessment frameworks, including Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA), and the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) approach, in order to assess environmental, social, and safety impacts throughout the entire life cycle of technologies and materials.”

This collection includes, but is not limited to, topics such as: thermochemical conversion, wastewater resource recovery, waste-to-energy, waste-to-value products & processes, industrial symbiosis, artificial intelligence, protein and chemical recovery.

Dr. Luisa Barbieri
Dr. Daniele Cespi
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Clean Technologies cleantechnol	5.9	9.4	2019	20.9 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Energies energies	3.9	8.3	2008	16.7 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Resources resources	4.3	7.3	2012	20.3 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Sci sci	4.1	5.4	2019	28.2 Days	CHF 1400	Submit
Sustainability sustainability	4.1	8.9	2009	16.9 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Waste waste	-	-	2023	16.6 Days	CHF 1000	Submit
Water water	3.5	6.7	2009	17.7 Days	CHF 2600	Submit

Preprints.org is a multidisciplinary platform offering a preprint service designed to facilitate the early sharing of your research. It supports and empowers your research journey from the very beginning.

MDPI Topics is collaborating with Preprints.org and has established a direct connection between MDPI journals and the platform. Authors are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity by posting their preprints at Preprints.org prior to publication:

1. Share your research immediately: disseminate your ideas prior to publication and establish priority for your work.
2. Safeguard your intellectual contribution: Protect your ideas with a time-stamped preprint that serves as proof of your research timeline.
3. Boost visibility and impact: Increase the reach and influence of your research by making it accessible to a global audience.
4. Gain early feedback: Receive valuable input and insights from peers before submitting to a journal.
5. Ensure broad indexing: Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Google Scholar, Crossref, SHARE, PrePubMed, Scilit and Europe PMC.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results

Content type Publication Date

Result details

Normal Extended Compact

Journals

All Energies Resources Sustainability Waste Water Sci Clean Technol.

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Plain Text BibTeX BibTeX (without abstracts) Endnote Endnote (without abstracts) Tab-delimited RIS

Error

Oops... you haven't selected anything for export.

Ok

clear

attachment

Supplementary material:
Supplementary File 1 (ZIP, 461 KB)

25 pages, 10356 KB  

Open AccessReview

Safety-Gated Valorisation of Vine and Wine By-Products: An EU-Focused Circular Bioeconomy Framework

by Márta Kreidlmayer, Karl-Johan Fabó, Máté Tóth, Péter Balling, Antal Kneip, Laura Varga, Péter Molnár, Zoltán Szekér, Réka Matolcsi, Adrien Fenyvesi, Mihály Konkoly, Csaba Zsolt Oláh, Barnabás Kovács, István Kiss, Tamás Köpeczi-Bócz and Sándor Némethy

Resources 2026, 15(8), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources15080105 - 6 Aug 2026

Viewed by 448

Abstract

Vineyards and wineries generate seasonal, wet and compositionally variable side-streams whose safe use is constrained by rapid spoilage, contaminants, fragmented regulation and scale. This EU-focused structured narrative review synthesised 90 scientific and official sources and proposes an integrated decision framework rather than another [...] Read more.

Vineyards and wineries generate seasonal, wet and compositionally variable side-streams whose safe use is constrained by rapid spoilage, contaminants, fragmented regulation and scale. This EU-focused structured narrative review synthesised 90 scientific and official sources and proposes an integrated decision framework rather than another catalogue of valorisation routes. The framework applies a non-compensatory sequence: characterise and stabilise the batch, test route-specific hazards, assign evidence-level and technology readiness, verify legal eligibility, define a safe fallback, and only then compare material flows, environmental burdens and risk-adjusted economics. Current implementation evidence is strongest for controlled composting, conventional wastewater treatment, anaerobic digestion and selected grape-seed oil, polyphenol and heat-integrated biochar operations; clinical, plant-protection and several novel-extract claims remain product- and context-specific. Illustrative ENPV cases show that high-value extraction can offer greater upside but lower robustness than compost/biochar when moisture, transport, rejection and price uncertainty are included. The framework provides an auditable basis for pilot design, regional cooperation and data collection, while explicitly requiring industrial and multi-season validation before investment or product approval. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Resource Recovery from Waste)

►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

33 pages, 1634 KB  

Open AccessReview

Sustainable Wastewater Sludge Valorization: A Critical Review of Life Cycle Assessment and Techno-Economic Studies

by Chaimae El Yaacoubi, Mohamed Bensaddik, Nihade Bensitel, Fatima-Zahra Azar, Fouad Dimane, Yahya El Hammoudani and Achraf El Kasmi

Resources 2026, 15(8), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources15080099 - 1 Aug 2026

Viewed by 404

Abstract

Rapid population growth has led to increasing quantities of wastewater treatment sludge, creating environmental, economic, and public health challenges that require sustainable management strategies. This review critically examines recent advances in wastewater sludge management by evaluating sludge characterization, conventional and emerging valorization technologies, [...] Read more.

Rapid population growth has led to increasing quantities of wastewater treatment sludge, creating environmental, economic, and public health challenges that require sustainable management strategies. This review critically examines recent advances in wastewater sludge management by evaluating sludge characterization, conventional and emerging valorization technologies, and the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) as a decision-support tool. The analysis shows that sludge can be successfully valorized through agricultural reuse, energy recovery, industrial applications, and resource recovery. However, the suitability of each pathway depends on sludge properties, environmental conditions, regulatory requirements, and economic feasibility. LCA highlights the environmental trade-offs associated with different management scenarios and provides a systematic framework for comparing their environmental and economic performance while supporting circular economy principles. Overall, integrating sludge valorization with comprehensive life cycle assessment enables more informed decision-making and promotes environmentally sustainable and economically viable wastewater sludge management. This review provides practical insights for researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders seeking to optimize sludge management strategies and advance sustainable wastewater treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Resource Recovery from Waste)

►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 2840 KB  

Open AccessReview

Catalytic Pyrolysis of Polyolefin Waste for Decarbonization and Circular Economy: A Mini-Review of Achievements and Industrial Prospects

by Ivan N. Zubkov, Yuri V. Korolev, Ekaterina A. Korsunova, Alina A. Petrenko, Evgeniy V. Sadyrin, Alexey N. Saliev and Victor A. Klushin

Clean Technol. 2026, 8(4), 119; https://doi.org/10.3390/cleantechnol8040119 - 1 Aug 2026

Viewed by 348

Abstract

Managing polymer waste, primarily polyolefins—low- and high-density polyethylene and polypropylene—is a critical challenge in the transition to a low-carbon, circular economy. Traditional approaches (landfilling and incineration) are inconsistent with sustainable development principles and increasingly stringent extended producer responsibility regulations, while chemical recycling, particularly [...] Read more.

Managing polymer waste, primarily polyolefins—low- and high-density polyethylene and polypropylene—is a critical challenge in the transition to a low-carbon, circular economy. Traditional approaches (landfilling and incineration) are inconsistent with sustainable development principles and increasingly stringent extended producer responsibility regulations, while chemical recycling, particularly catalytic pyrolysis, is considered a key technology for returning hydrocarbon feedstocks to the production cycle. This mini-review systematizes and analyzes current advances in the catalytic pyrolysis of polyethylene and polypropylene. An algorithm for selecting a recycling route for polyolefin-containing waste based on its composition, degree of degradation, and the presence of hazardous additives is proposed. Existing and planned industrial projects in the field of chemical recycling of polyolefins are assessed, and challenges and prospects for technology commercialization are outlined. It is demonstrated that catalytic pyrolysis has the potential to become a key element of a circular economy for plastics, ensuring decarbonization and resource conservation with further optimization of catalysts and process flowsheets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Resource Recovery from Waste)

►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Plain Text BibTeX BibTeX (without abstracts) Endnote Endnote (without abstracts) Tab-delimited RIS

 

Error

Oops... you haven't selected anything for export.

Ok

clear

Displaying articles 1-3