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Circularity in waste management: a research proposal to achieve the 2030 Agenda

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• Published: 21 April 2023
• Volume 16 , pages 1520–1540, ( 2023 )

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• Rocío González-Sánchez   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5460-6652 1 ,
• Sara Alonso-Muñoz   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8991-5781 1 &
• María Sonia Medina-Salgado   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3500-1241 1  

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Waste management is the main challenge in the transition away from the linear "take-make-dispose" economy. Incorporating the principles of circularity in waste management would facilitate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. This paper aims to provide state-of-the-art research about circular waste management in the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda. For this purpose, bibliometric analysis by VOSviewer and SciMat software is used to define the evolution and to detect research trends. Based on the main gaps identified in studies, a research agenda to guide for further opportunities in this field is suggested. The results obtained four clusters that address sustainable industrial infrastructure, biological waste management, recycling in developing countries and recovery processes. Four research propositions are established, focusing on plastic waste management and generation trends, circular municipal waste management, more sustainable landfill management, and enablers such as indicators and legislation. The transformation towards more bio and ecological models requires social, regulatory and organizational tools that consider the best interests and capacity of companies, public authorities and consumers. In addition, policy implications are considered.

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1 Introduction

Circular economy (CE) is a regenerative and restorative system, which allows the conservation of the value of raw materials by breaking with the concept of end-of-life of products, minimizing waste and emissions and increasing efficiency, through recycling, reusing, and remanufacturing, among others (Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2017 ). This paradigm represents a further step towards sustainability supported by its three fundamental pillars—economic, environmental and social sustainability (Muñoz-Torres et al. 2018 ). The circular system is based on the principle of material balance, seeking regeneration of natural systems, which implies the minimisation of waste and pollution. In this way, changes already begin to emerge in the design phase (Foschi et al. 2021 ) and go beyond the production system, reaching the development of new patterns of consumption and use by maintaining or reusing products and materials (Vanapalli et al. 2021 ). From an environmental economics point of view, it implies that all material or waste streams must be considered (Andersen 2007 ). Products have a longer lifetime, new applications and are reintroduced into the production system, closing the loop. The social aspect is fundamental to this, and coordination and cooperation with suppliers and customers must be facilitated (Martín Martín et al. 2022 ). In addition, making this new paradigm shift requires a new behavioural and cultural framework.

Waste management involves the transportation, collection, processing, disposal or recycling of waste materials, originating from industries, manufacturing processes and municipal solid waste. This process or system presents one of the main challenges in the transition towards circular business models (Smol et al. 2020 ). CE involves a waste management system that combines changes in the entire supply chain (Johansen et al. 2022 ), from designers and choice of materials to operators and recycling issues (Salmenpera et al. 2021 ).

Circular waste management comprises both the reduction in the generation of residual and household waste, but also the reintroduction of these wastes back into the production system. This reduction is achieved through the eco-design of products, by reducing waste generated in transport, by conserving material value through recycling and by achieving a longer lifetime of products (Salmenpera et al. 2021 ). Once the waste has been generated, it must be incorporated into the production system from the CE, either by using parts or as a source of energy through the reintroduction of biological waste, thus closing the material flow cycle (Zeller et al. 2019 ).

Although interest in waste management research, applying the principles of circularity, is growing, it is necessary to know state-of-the-art research trends in this area. Previous bibliometric or analytical method studies have analysed the relationship between “circularity and “waste” or “waste management” but from a different perspective to the research conducted. Recent studies have provided a qualitative view of the relationship but from very specific aspects -considering a type of waste, a geographical area or time period or one of the dimensions of sustainability-. Some research focuses on one type of waste such as Tsai et al. ( 2020 ) who analyse the link between municipal solid waste and the circular economy or Sundar et al. ( 2023 ) who examine e-waste. Ranjbari et al. ( 2021 ) examines the application of circularity in waste management, including the “closed loop” concept, up to 2020. Circular economy and closed-loop material cycles are deeply connected; however, the concept of closed-loop material cycles arose with the beginning of industrialization (Kara et al. 2022 ). Negrete‑Cardoso et al. ( 2022 ) considers “circular economy” to be related to “waste” and its impact on the post-Covid period. Chioatto and Sospiro ( 2023 ) discuss European economic policy issues that have promoted waste management from a circularity perspective. From a systematic literature review approach Di Vaio et al. ( 2023 ) analyse the accountability and management accounting practices of waste management related to the circular economy.

Our study presents three differentiating contributions with respect to previous studies. Firstly, we focused specifically on “circular economy” and “waste management” from a holistic perspective considering environmental, economic and social aspects. Secondly, by considering the year 2021 in the period under study, this includes one of the years with the most research on the effect of COVID-19 on waste management. The unprecedented increase of waste generated by this pandemic requires further research to enable the construction of a comprehensive circular economy model (Ranjbari et al. 2023 ). Thirdly, we established a relationship between our results and their contribution to the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda. Although previous work has recognised the contribution of circular waste management to the 2030 Agenda (Di Vaio et al. 2023 ), a full analysis of the contribution of research by specific targets has not been carried out. Further than considering the main topics of the 2030 Agenda in the different clusters obtained, this paper establishes the relationship between the Sustainable Global Goals (SDGs) associated with waste management and the different research streams found.

The purpose of this study is to provide state-of-the-art research on the relationship between circular economy and waste management. This bibliometric analysis examines the historical evolution of research and identifies trending themes to uncover the conceptual building blocks of this field. Moreover, is setting out a research agenda about future opportunities for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers. This paper contributes to filling the existing gap on scientific literature for guiding research in the implementation of circular waste management, which is fundamental to achieving the goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda. Hence, considering the current scientific literature, we propose the following research questions:

RQ1. How does the scientific literature structure on waste management and circular economy align with the 2030 Agenda?

RQ2. What are the central topics and patterns within this research field?

RQ3. What are the main research trend topics in the domain?

RQ4. What is the research proposal on the relationship between circular waste management and the 2030 Agenda?

The paper is divided as follows: following the introduction, the literature overiew on waste management and 2030 Agenda is covered, then the methodology section is presented, describing the different phases of the process. The bibliometric results are exposed as productivity measures, considering the historical evolution of documents published in the field of waste management and circular economy and the most representative journals by authors sorted by institution, country, number of documents published and total citations. Through co-occurrence analysis, using VOSviewer software and SciMat software which displays strategic diagrams and clusters with the main motor, research topic trends in the field were identified whether basic, emerging or disappearing, and developed or isolated themes. Finally, discussions and conclusions within a research agenda are presented.

2 Waste management and Sustainable Development Goals

Waste generation has increased significantly in recent years in relation to consumer patterns, activities and lifestyles. Therefore, waste management is of great environmental value (Martín Martín et al. 2022 ). Inappropriate waste generation has negative environmental, social and economic impacts in terms of damage to biodiversity and pollution, human health problems and the costs involved, respectively. Coping with the costs of environmental and social impacts must be considered worse than developing new and more efficient waste management systems (Sharma et al. 2021 ). To reduce these negative effects, the introduction of sustainable and circular issues to manage waste generation, and the collection of waste throughout the life cycle of products is required (Tsai et al. 2021 ). This need has been accentuated by recent crises in areas such as health, safety and energy during 2021 and 2022 (Vanapalli et al. 2021 ; Gatto 2022 ; Mišík 2022 ). However, these adverse historical events provide an opportunity for reflection, forcing governments and businesses to promote long overdue energy and ecological transition policies and practices (Gatto 2022 ; Mišík 2022 ). Given the need to consolidate this trend, the implementation of circularity enhances sustainability and requires a new vision in waste management (Minoja and Romano 2021 ).

In 2015 the United Nations adopted Agenda 2030 as a roadmap to achieving higher levels of sustainability, striving towards satisfying its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the commitment of public actors, industry and society (Schulze et al. 2022 ). Several theories have been used in the literature to analyse these SDGs. Resource-based theory regarding natural resources is widely studied to examine waste practices that protect the environment (Agyabeng-Mensah et al. 2021 ). Due to the environmental impacts, some of the theories focus on pro-environmental attitudes and behaviour, such as social-practice theory (Munir 2022 ) and the theory of planned behaviour (Goh and Jie 2019 ). Regarding the association between SDGs and supply chains, a redesign towards sustainable practices is required. Transactions and economics theory have highlighted the need for changes to the decision-making process during production cycle stages to achieve sustainability goals. In addition, stakeholder and agency theories enable the achievement of SDGs, since both the collaboration and the alignment of interests in fulfilling the 2030 Agenda are required (Agrawal et al. 2022 ).

The relationship between waste management and the 2030 Agenda is closely linked, as it affects many SDGs. It is therefore essential that this relationship be studied. According to SDG 2, the listed items of: ‘end hunger, achieve food security, improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture’ require, among other factors, the minimisation of food loss and food waste to achieve efficient and sustainable agricultural production. Similarly, factors such as increasing food availability or achieving more resilient food systems would facilitate this goal (Wieben 2016 ). SDG 3, ‘Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’, in order to reduce illness linked to water, pollution and hazardous chemicals by means of smart waste management (Fatimah et al. 2020 ). SDG 6 ‘ensure access to water and sanitation for all’ aims to reduce the percentage of untreated wastewater and increase recycling and reuse (Tortajada 2020 ). SDG 7 ‘ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy’ proposes increasing the use of renewable energy and facilitating access to research on clean energy, including renewable sources (Taifouris and Martín 2023 ). SDG 9 ‘build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation’ advocates for the modernisation and conversion of industries towards cleaner and more sustainable models as they are required to use resources more efficiently and rationally (Dantas et al. 2021 ). SDG 11 ‘make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable’ focuses on building more sustainable cities, with particular attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. This also implies resource efficiency and waste generation-collection services (Sharma et al. 2021 ). SDG 12, ‘ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns’ seeks to achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. This goal emphasises the importance of reducing different types of waste throughout the life cycle of a product or service through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse activities (Principato et al. 2019 ). With regard to agro-food waste, a reduction of both food losses and food waste in the production and supply chains is proposed. SDG 13, ‘take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts’, can affect waste treatments relevant to their environmental impact through using greener and cleaner technologies, such as anaerobic digestion (Kakadellis et al. 2021 ). SDG 14, ‘conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources’ is also linked to plastic waste management, according to marine pollution minimisation. SDG 15, ‘sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss’ can be mitigated by protection and restoration, avoiding landfill waste. Finally, SDG 17 ‘revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development’, can be enhanced owing to waste treatment development, enabled by new treatments technologies (Sharma et al. 2021 ).

SDGs achievement is a priority and takes on even greater importance considering the fact that eight years prior to the deadline set in the 2030 Agenda, some reports show that we are still far from meeting most of the goals. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that around 35% of employment is a direct result of food systems and the promotion and implementation of sustainable practices in the food system -including food waste and loss- which is still low, referring to unfulfilled SDG 2 (Torero 2020 ). Uncollected waste is one of the major issues. In terms of municipal solid waste management, proper collection is key, as mismanagement of these services can lead to dumping into waters, which directly affects SDG 6 achievement (Sharma et al. 2021 ). To enable both sustainable energy and industrialisation a transition towards the use of renewable and cleaner energy is necessary. Waste can be adopted as an energy resource, such as biomass waste and pyrolysis (Moya et al. 2017 ). However, fossil fuels are still strongly present in several industries, which negatively impact on SDG 7, 9 and 11. Waste management systems’ disruptions in relation to current situations -COVID-19 pandemic and supply crisis- have minimised recovery and recycling activity. For instance, the plastic waste proliferation caused by the pandemic resulted in both water and air pollution, due to poor and non-effective waste management. Thus, SDG 12, 13 and 14 premises are failing (Sharma et al. 2021 ). This also adversely affects halting biodiversity loss and the land degradation (SDG 15). In addition, there are advances in waste treatment thanks to new technologies which are starting to be implemented. For instance, anaerobic digestion and waste-to-energy technologies (Moya et al. 2017 ), but their application is still scarce, not satisfying SDG 17. Consequently, there is an urgent need to take additional measures to facilitate the implementation of the various sustainable measures included in the plan.

3 Methodology

This study combines a bibliometric analysis carried out by VOSviewer and SciMat software, and an in-depth literature review of the articles published during the year 2021. Figure  1 shows the phases of this work: Phase 1) data collection, phase 2) bibliometric analysis, and phase 3) systematic literature review and research agenda.

Methodological process

3.1 Data collection

In the first phase, documents from the Web of Science Core Collection database were collected from the period 2009 up to September 2021. The keywords used were ‘circular economy’ and ‘waste management’. This generated a total of 1.395 papers. Then, it was selected articles by topic, which includes title, abstract and authors’ keywords. retrieving 966 documents. Thereafter, we sorted the data into groups of Social Sciences Citation Index, Science Citation Index Expanded, Arts and Humanities Citation Index, taking only articles into consideration, reaching a total sample of 576 articles that were extracted and including in this analysis after a double checked in order to eliminate inconsistences.

3.2 Bibliometric analysis

Bibliometric methodology identifies research trends providing the knowledge structure about a specific field. By examining recent published articles, network analysis shows emerging fields (Hettiarachchi et al. 2022 ). In the second phase, bibliometric approach was performed using VOSviewer and SciMat software to understand the latest trends in the fields of waste management and circular economy. VOSviewer is more visual and allows for the examination of co-occurrence, analysis of authors, institutions and countries (Van Eck and Waltman 2010 ). In this paper, SciMat completes VOSviewer analysis since it carries out the co-occurrence analysis in time periods and the evolution of these periods can be seen on an evolution map. Additionally, SciMat illustrates strategic diagrams which uncover the main research themes (Cobo et al. 2012 ). Furthermore, it allows one to observe the clusters of each keyword, making the analysis more complete and comprehensive.

Following on from this, VOSviewer conducts a citation analysis of the most representative journals and the most prolific authors and from here, a co-occurrence analysis is displayed. Via the SciMat tool a co-word analysis is also developed, displaying the strategic diagrams and clusters with relevant keywords, divided up into three periods according to the number of documents published, years 2009–2019 (Period 1), 2020 (Period 2) and 2021 (Period 3).

In the third and last phase, a literature review of the articles related to circular economy and waste management is carried out, in accordance with 51 documents from the motor themes of the SciMat analysis in the third period, during the year 2021, to determine the latest trends and research in the field. Finally, a research agenda is exposed regarding trending topics analysed in this work.

4 Bibliometric results and productivity measures

Figure  2 shows the historical evolution of documents published in the field of waste management and circular economy from 2009 to September 2021, considering a total sample of 576 articles. Waste management towards circularity is gaining momentum in academia according to the number of documents published in the field since 2015, coinciding with ‘The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ (United Nations 2015 ). In addition, other European strategies and legislative challenges took place, such as ‘Communication on closing the loop. An EU action plan for the Circular Economy’ (European Commission 2015 ) and ‘Communication on a monitoring framework for the Circular Economy’ (European Commission 2018 ) considering waste management as one of the main challenges in the transition to circular business models.

Historical evolution of publications in the field of waste management and circular economy

Table 1 shows the ten most representative journals sorted by number of total documents published and citations. These journals represent 60,25% of the total sample formed by 132 sources. The Journal of Cleaner Production is the most influential with 79 articles published in the field of circular economy and waste management, and a total of 1.343 cites. It should be noted that almost all sources belong to the "environmental sciences" category. None of the most cited journals belong to the social sciences.

The most influential authors are sorted by number of documents published and total citations, indicating the institutions and country which they work in, and the h-index –impact and productivity measure-. The most prolific author is Navarro Ferronato from the University of Insubria in Italy with 9 papers published and a total of 129 cites, followed by Vicenzo Torreta (8, 129) from the same institution. The prevalence of Italian researchers is in line with the country's overall recycling rate for all types of waste which reaches 68%, well above the EU average (57%) published in the “Third Report on the Italian circular economy in 2021” (ENEA 2021 ). Additionally, in 2020 several legislative decrees came into force that facilitated the implementation of EU directives on waste and the circular economy.

Institutions include the University of Hong Kong whose role in integrated and sustainable waste management is significant both at the research level (Hossain et al. 2021 ) and practical level in running the campus and encouraging waste reduction and recycling among all stakeholders (The University of Hong Kong 2021 ).

5 Research trend topics in the field

5.1 co-occurrence analysis by vosviewer software.

Co-occurrence analyses the most frequent keywords in a research field regarding their jointly mention, represented by clusters (Callon et al. 1983 ). This method is widely used to identify research trend topics about a particular subject area according to the keyword frequency (Donthu et al. 2021 ). The closer two items are from each other, the higher the connection. Accordingly, those keywords with a higher association appear closer.

This analysis used the full counting network technique which points the total number of occurrences a concept appears in all documents. The normalisation parameter method with association strength was performed by VOSviewer, to normalise the link strength between keywords (Van Eck and Waltman 2010 ).

Performing the analysis, different occurrence thresholds have been used to observe the network structure. VOSviewer software permits to perform a data cleaning to visualise a map created by text data merging terms using a thesaurus file (Van Eck and Waltman 2010 ). In our co-occurrence analysis we created a thesaurus to merge different keywords referring to the same item, such as ‘LCA’ and ‘life cycle assessment’, or ‘municipal solid waste’ and ‘municipal-solid waste’. Finally, a minimum of 13 occurrences of a keyword has been chosen from 2.868 words. 41 keywords met the threshold that represents the main items of each cluster. The keywords are divided up into main four groups of clusters coloured in red, green, blue and yellow in Fig.  3 . The red cluster named ‘Industrial ecology and more sustainable infrastructure’ -SDG 9- focuses on the circular economy and industrial ecology with the aim of making industrial buildings and construction and demolition waste more sustainable, and on the challenges and barriers posed by these new models. The green cluster ‘Waste management through biological and assessment processes’ -SDGs 6, 7, 11 and 12- links the food waste and municipal solid waste and how anaerobic digestion and biogas can achieve a reduction in the use of energy and low emissions. Water treatment is associated with optimisation through new technologies. These studies use the life cycle assessment as a main tool for measurement. Sustainable development and recycling, considering indicators and behaviors in developing countries are shown in the blue cluster named ‘Sustainable development and recycling in developing countries’ -SDG 12-. Finally, the cluster in yellow studies the need to establish new policies and designs that would allow for improved waste management through resource recovery, such as the extension of producer responsibility beyond the sale of the product or service. It is therefore titled ‘New procedures for the recovery of resources’ -SDG 12-.

Co-occurrence analysis of keywords by vosviewer

5.2 Strategic diagrams and motor themes by SciMat software

Science mapping analysis displays how items from a particular field are linked to each other, determining the evolution and cognitive structure (Small 1999 ). In this study, keywords are the items used. The bibliometric mapping tool used to show the strategic diagrams is SciMat software. From the set of documents, it generates a knowledge base, in this case, the relationships between keywords are stored following a co-occurrence analysis. SciMat software grouped by plural to find similar items during the de-duplicating process (Cobo et al. 2012 ). For instance, keywords such as system and systems.

SciMat tracks a longitudinal framework that analyses the conceptual and intellectual evolution of a field. The normalisation measure chosen was the equivalence index. And to obtain the scientific map and the associated clusters and subnets, the clustering algorithm method followed was simple centers algorithm. The analysis is performed dividing the sample into three periods: period 1 with a total of 214 articles of year 2009 up to year 2019, period 2 with 155 articles of the year 2020, and period 3 with 189 articles of the year 2021. From a sample of 2,819 words, a total of 77 words have been considered, selecting only keywords with a minimum of 10 associated documents. As can be seen in Fig.  4 , the stability index (0.99 and 0.99) indicates that there is a balance between the number of words from one period to the next.

Overlapping map. Periods 1, 2 and 3 by scimat software

The evolution map shows the results of the longitudinal analysis. The thick lines show the clusters that share a main theme, and the dashed lines are those that share themes other than the main theme (Cobo et al. 2012 ). In the first period the motor theme is circular economy, while in the second period the focus is on municipal solid waste.

Figure  5 shows the difference between periods 1 and 2, from the more general to the more specific, with municipal solid waste oriented towards sustainable development -SDG 11-. In the third period focus returns to circular economy, with more dispersion apparent than in period 2, yet more specificity, as the number of clusters expands again. The massive generation of plastic waste generated during COVID-19 (Khoo et al. 2021 ; Vanapalli et al. 2021 ) could explain the interest in municipal solid waste management during period 2 and the emergence of concepts with plastics management in period 3. As a result, an evolution from the first period can be observed, with a strong focus on the implementation of circular economy and energy generation towards a circular economy centered on municipal solid waste.

Evolution map. Periods 1 and 2 by scimat software

This analysis is focused on the third period to gain better attention about the recent evolution of this field. Figure  6 shows a strategic diagram of Period 3 (year 2021) with four quadrants of the main thematic nodes according to the co-word analysis performed by SciMat. The strategic diagram displays the motor themes: ‘circular economy’, ‘life cycle assessment’ and ‘China’, developed thereafter, the basic themes: ‘recovery’ as a very specific and underdeveloped topic, it suggests a strategy towards circularity that is beginning to be considered, because many policies were only focused on promoting recycling (Ghisellini et al. 2016 ). The emerging or disappearing themes: ‘generation’, an emerging theme related to e-waste which is working on the reuse of products -SDG 12-, but circular economy is not applied in-depth. Regarding sustainable development and waste management, the environmental impacts are still a very large gap in the literature; ‘plastic waste’ is an emerging theme for circular economy, and it is studied within the pyrolysis and recycling process and new designs to improve the circularity -SDG 9 and 12-. ‘Sector’ appears as an isolated theme from circular economy, the literature is very cohesive in density due to its links with waste management case studies in different industries -SDG 9-.

Strategic diagram. Period 3 (2021) by scimat software

Based on Fig.  6 ‘circular economy’, ‘China’ and ‘life cycle assessment’ appear as motor themes. These keywords present high density and centrality, thus they have been intensively and highly studied in literature. Which is why the following analysis is focused on them. ‘Circular economy’ is linked with ‘sustainability’ and ‘sustainable development’ according to the origin of circularity (Ghisellini et al. 2016 ). Likewise, the keyword ‘recycling’ relates to circular economy as a part of 3Rs principles, due to circular policies and their focus on recycling practices and strategies rather than other options -SDG 12-. ‘Municipal solid waste’ and ‘management’ is one of the most developed topics in the studies analysed and published during 2021 towards circular economy -SDG 11-.

‘China’ is a pioneering country in the implementation of circular economy policies, and strategies based on sustainability (Lieder and Rashid 2016 ). From a broad CE perspective, the country has incorporated these schemes due to the country’s rapid industrialisation and its growing efforts in research (McDowall et al. 2017 ). Indeed, the country is the largest producer of municipal solid waste (Wang et al. 2021 ) increased by COVID-19 (Vanapalli et al. 2021 ) and given its large industrial sector. The country is developing research that allows it to establish symbiotic relationships, to find new ways of using resources or converting waste into energy -SDG 7, 9 and 11-. It would be framed within the so-called industrial symbiosis, defined as the process by which waste from one industry or industrial process is converted into raw material for another (Provin et al. 2021 ).

‘Life cycle assessment’ appears far removed from circular economy, focusing more on waste demolition and construction management (Ahmed and Zhang 2021 ; Lu et al. 2021 ) -SDG 9-, and on plastic waste generation (Hossain et al. 2021 ; Pincelli et al. 2021 ).

6 Review analysis

A systematic literature review was performed, considering the core documents with highest impact –those that appear at a minimum two nodes (Cobo et al. 2012 )- from SciMat report. Selecting those articles from the three clusters that are presented as motor themes for period 3 (year 2021): ‘circular economy’, ‘China’ and ‘life cycle assessment’. Firstly, it was considered those papers with at least one citation (N = 51). Secondly, an in-depth analysis of those articles was carried out, compiling findings and future research lines of the 20 leading articles by number of citations (Table 2 ) according to the SciMat core documents.

Citation analysis is a measurement widely used that considers a paper highly cited as relevant in a field (Zupic and Cater 2014 ), enabling us to evaluate the influence of a research topic. Also is used as a tool to detect emerging and research trends (Chen 2006 ).

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) -SDG 11- is one of the main topics. Many of the papers related are case studies such as Vardopoulos et al. ( 2021 ) which developed a Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) model to evaluate and assess the Municipal Solid Waste practices in Greek municipalities. Abou Taleb and Al Farooque ( 2021 ) concentrate on full cost accounting in 27 Egypt councils designing pricing model ‘Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT)’ for municipal waste recycling. Wielgosinski et al. ( 2021 ) performed an analysis of the Polish municipal solid waste management through a balance model for assessing the impact of increasing the level of recycling, whilst Istrate et al. ( 2021 ) studied the municipal solid waste management in Madrid with a material flow analysis. Similarly, Tong et al. ( 2021 ) analyses the solid waste management system and the cause-effect relationship of households in Vietnam. Di Foggia and Beccarello ( 2021 ) highlighted the fact that the waste management chain in Italy focuses on waste-to-energy plants, calculating market measures towards circularity. In addition, in the region of Brescia, Italy, Bertanza et al. ( 2021 ) examined the evolution of municipal solid waste evolution with mass flow analysis of medium firms. Solid waste management in Brazilian universities is explored in the Nolasco et al. ( 2021 ) paper, which developed a qualitative-quantitative analysis, identifying factors of university campus waste management.

Plastic waste management is greatly studied in connection with circularity practices in many of the articles published during 2021, such as the case studies carried out by Foschi et al. ( 2021 ) on the Emilia Romagna plastic waste recycling system, following the European Commission Plastic Strategy. Similarly, Wu et al. ( 2021 ) outlines how Taiwan achieves circular economy in plastic waste from an industrial level, owing to collective bricolage. Some of the papers outline COVID-19 and the excessive use of plastics, coinciding with the most cited article of the sample (Vanapalli et al. 2021 ) which address COVID-19 plastic waste generation and the use of more sustainable technologies. The Khoo et al. ( 2021 ) paper provides recommendations for adopting effective plastic waste management due to excessive use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pikon et al. ( 2021 ) shows the influence of COVID-19 on waste management from an economic impact perspective, highlighting the changes in municipal solid waste during the pandemic in the Polish market. Furthermore, increasing attention is being paid to biodegradable plastics as an alternative to conventional plastics. Ghosh and Jones ( 2021 ) examine upcoming trends, potential future scenarios, and the material value chain perspective of biodegradable plastics, whilst Kakadellis et al. ( 2021 ) categorizes qualitative data about biodegradable plastic strategies in United Kingdom -SDG 12-.

In the studies examined, the management of food waste is also analysed -SDG 11 and 12.- Zarba et al. ( 2021 ) analyses the Italian agri-food effectiveness towards circular economy regulatory; Provin et al. ( 2021 ) examines the reuse of food industry waste for the manufacture of biotextiles in the framework of the circular economy and the SDGs. This inter-industry collaboration would be part of the industrial symbiosis referred to above -SDG 9-.

In a similar vein, and related to SDG 9, the last process analysed by the most cited studies is the pyrolysis process, which allows thermal degradation of waste, associated with landfill mining, extracting valuable materials from the remains of materials deposited in landfills (Jagodzinska et al. 2021 ). Martínez ( 2021 ) discusses the opportunities and challenges of pyrolysis in Latin America.

7 Discussion

This section is based on the results obtained from the bibliometric clusterisation, and the review of the 20 most cited articles. The number of articles published in the field have increased since 2015, corresponding to the United Nations Agenda 2030 and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals focused on improving and achieving education, health, economic growth and reducing inequality, as well as preserving forests and oceans (United Nations 2015 ). It is also remarkable to note the growth between years 2019 and 2021 due to new strategies and worldwide circular policies implemented in the field of waste management, such as the ‘Circular Economy Action Plan for a greener and more competitive Europe’ based on the prevention of waste and seeking improved local waste and raw material management (EU 2020 ; Camana et al. 2021 ). Although the "Agenda 2030" or "SDG" themes were not found in any of the clusters, the rest of the themes are closely related to their fulfilment. Moreover, circular waste management not only contributes to several SDGs, but also creates synergies between the goals.

A significant trend in the literature has focused on waste recycling (SDG 11 and 12), which is essential, yet insufficient if sustainable production and consumption is to be achieved by 2030. The main research topics analysed in the articles published during year 2021 focus on (1) Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) with the design of new municipal waste recycling models such as the Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) pricing model (Abou Taleb and Al Farooque 2021 ), (2) the importance of plastic waste (Khoo et al. 2021 ) and its recovery as a tool in the implementation of circularity principles (Ferreira et al. 2021 ), increased by the generation of plastic waste during the COVID-19 pandemic (Khoo et al. 2021 ), and (3) the reduction of food waste or its application in bio-textiles (Provin et al. 2021 ) or as an energy source -SDG 9 and 11-.

Going one step further should be considered in achieving further targets of this goal. On the one hand, a reduction in waste generation and a search for more sustainable disposal options for waste that cannot be recycled are required, e.g., through new processes such as waste pyrolysis (Jagodzinska et al. 2021 ) -SDG 9-. On the other hand, extending the lifetime of products by finding additional, new uses for them, eliminating planned obsolescence or repairing the product at a cost lower than buying a new product (Ghisellini et al. 2016 ) -SDG 12. Complementarily, waste generated in one sector can be used as a raw material in another sector or as a source of energy in the case of organic waste -SDG 7 and 9-.

8 Research agenda

The research agenda provides guidance to scholars in future related-research directions. The agenda is based on the previous in-depth analysis of the 20 articles included in the review. Considering the analysis and the ensuing discussion, the following proposal is put forward for the circular management of waste management to accelerate the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda. Moreover, this could fill gaps and give opportunities for further development. Figure 7 collects the research agenda propositions.

Research agenda propositions diagram

8.1 New trends in plastic waste management and generation (SDG 12)

One of the most researched materials in the most cited papers is the use of plastic -6 of the 20 papers analyse this issue-. Firstly, because of the significant increase in waste associated with it after COVID-19 (Vanapalli et al. 2021 ; Khoo et al. 2021 ). Secondly, because of the need to progressively replace it with other materials such as biodegradable plastics, which implies the use of renewable raw materials. In short, solutions must be proposed to current plastic waste, the quantity of which threatens the habitat of numerous species, and measures must be taken to curb its expansion and offer alternatives in sustainable materials.

It is worth noting that no studies have been found that analyse the legislative challenges associated with the progressive elimination of plastic in products such as bags or single-use items.

Proposition 1: To deepen new trends in plastic waste management and generation.

8.2 New pathways in the circular management of municipal waste (SDG 7, 9, 11 and 12)

The second line of the proposal relates to circular municipal waste management -SDG 11-, a topic of great interest in recent research (Abou Taleb and Al Farooque 2021 ), growing due to recent global crises. However, the approach that has analysed this topic focuses mainly on waste recycling.

A broader focus is needed, considering other alternatives such as the reduction of waste generation, reuse and the use of Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) as a raw material or energy source in other sectors. Compared to incineration, which is highly polluting if the organic waste is mixed with other types of waste, there are more sustainable and energy-efficient alternatives such as anaerobic digestion (Kakadellis et al. 2021 ) -SDG 7-. This requires consumer awareness and training –SDG 12- in waste separation, adequate facilities for the process and greater cooperation between industries (Foschi et al. 2021 ; Vanapalli et al. 2021 ) For the latter option, it is recommended that tools such as industrial symbiosis be explored in greater depth -SDG 9-.

Proposition 2: To expand the alternatives towards more sustainable options in municipal waste management with the cooperation of consumers and industries.

8.3 Towards more sustainable landfill management (SDG 7, 9 and 11)

In contrast to traditional landfill management, new infrastructures, treatments and smart technologies are proposed to improve recycling and waste disposal. Among them, (1) the construction of waste-to-energy plants makes it possible to burn solid waste to power electricity generators (Di Foggia and Beccarello 2021 ) –SDG 7-; (2) pyrolysis process for thermal degradation of waste, reducing waste accumulation (Jagodzinska et al. 2021 ) –SDG 11- or (3) Industry 4.0 can be applied in waste treatment -SDG 9- for more efficient technique of separation models in waste management addressing circular economy practices (Wang et al. 2021 ). This line of research has a profound relationship with municipal waste management, given the importance of municipal waste in current landfills.

Proposition 3: To improve the operation and efficiency of landfills through new infrastructures, treatments and technological tools.

8.4 Establishment of enablers in the implementation of circularity: Design of indicators and development of legislation (SDG 12)

Optimising waste management processes requires the establishment of measurement indicators. These indicators should be of a different nature and go beyond the economic or environmental quantification of targets. They should include social aspects such as awareness raising (Loizia et al. 2021 ; Van Straten et al. 2021 ). Additionally, along with technological and economic tools, the creation of a legislative framework is a critical factor in the implementation of circularity in waste management operations (Salmenpera et al. 2021 ; Woodard 2021 ).

Proposition 4: Establishment of measurement and policy enablers.

9 Conclusions

Circular waste management focuses on reducing the amount of waste generated and reintroducing the waste, once treated, as new material or energy in production, keeping the material in a cyclical flow within the same or another sector (Demirbas 2011 ; Salmenpera et al. 2021 ). It, therefore, implies reaching a new level of treatment, complementing the recycling option with a holistic view of the problem. The application of circularity principles in waste management can contribute significantly to the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda, as it impacts several of the SDGs -6, 7, 9, 11 and 12-.

According to the research questions presented, the scientific literature structure of the field of waste management and circular economy (RQ1) has been analysed, showing that the most productive sources come from the field of environmental sciences, which conditions the main topics investigated and shows a clear lack of attention to social sciences. The most prolific authors come from two countries with a strong interest in environmental research in general and waste management in particular—Italy and China. In the case of China, this is due to its strong productive fabric and a prominent role in the generation of waste from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Concerning RQ2, four clusters have been obtained related to industrial ecology -SDG 9-, waste management from the application of bio-based processes -SDGs 6, 7, 11 and 12-, water treatment, sustainable development and recycling in developing countries -SDG 12- and the cluster on new procedures for the recovery of resources -SDG 12-.

To conduct analysis of the central topics and the patterns we used SciMat software, dividing the articles published in the field into three periods (2009–2019, 2020 and 2021) showing the scientific literature development, as can be seen in the evolution map (Fig.  5 ). The motor themes showed in the strategic diagram of the third period are circular economy, life cycle assessment and China; recovery is a basic theme; the emerging themes are generation and plastic waste; and sector is a developed theme. Referring to RQ3, the results provided from the systematic literature review are in line with the central topics pointed out previously. Many of the studies published during 2021 pertain to motor themes circular economy and China, and to plastic waste as an emerging theme.

The most cited articles and the previous bibliometric analysis have shown the great interest generated among scientists in the management of urban waste and plastic waste, which has increased in the last two years in relation to sanitary waste. The circular economy means that recycling is not enough in the management of this waste. In addition to the reduction in the generation of waste, the incorporation of the "bio" concept in its treatment, which allows fibres, bioplastics and other biomaterials to be obtained, has been added. Along the same lines, the treatment of food waste allows it to be converted into animal feed, biofuels or even textiles. However, among the most cited articles, no research related to the use and recycling of wastewater was found -SDG 6-. Further research is needed to enable its use for biomass production or as a source of nutrients for micro-organisms of interest (Kaszycki et al. 2021 ).

The establishment of three research propositions completes this research (RQ4). In this way, it is crucial to develop three fundamental aspects. First, the use of new technologies to meet the various needs raised. Secondly, a new approach to urban waste management is required. And thirdly, to develop research from a holistic perspective that will require the use of theories and sciences from the environmental, social and economic fields.

9.1 Theoretical contributions

The results of this study offer academic contributions about circular waste management. Among the theoretical contributions is the establishment of state-of-the-art research on waste management linked to the circular economy, which will guide future research and fill existing gaps. To offer the most complete research review possible, a mixed methodology—bibliometric and systematic review of the most cited recent research—has been used. A bibliometric analysis was carried out with two software tools, taking advantage of the potential of both. Using complementary software validates the analysis results. In addition, this article provides a framework for research as a guiding point in waste management.

Thus, lack of social research is a major drawback that requires urgent incorporation of new social or multidisciplinary studies. It can be considered that social and economic issues have not been sufficiently addressed in the literature. None of the clusters obtained have these dimensions as their motor theme. Dropping SDGs such as 8 -decent work and economic growth-.

9.2 Practical contributions

A guideline for practitioners about circular waste management is required. Findings reveal the need for a reference framework for scholars, practitioners and institutions.

This article implies practical contributions for governments to achieve a transition towards more circular waste management. The research shows the technical feasibility of substituting certain materials, mainly plastic, or applying techniques that allow a step beyond recycling. It is necessary to focus on actions based on recovery, reduction, remanufacturing and redesign of plastic waste to fill this gap (Olatayo et al. 2022 ). Highlight the policy spillover effect, which means that support for some public fees—for example, plastic bag fees—may imply greater support for other environmental policies related to waste reduction (Thomas et al. 2019 ). This could facilitate positive transitions towards environmental behavioural changes. In addition, public–private coordination is required in the implementation of new legislation (Foschi et al. 2021 ).

The significant "bio" trend has spread to different types of waste and sectors. Thus, the circular management of waste will require the development of infrastructures, technologies and processes oriented to its application, which means waste management with less environmental impact, but also a generation of value of the product derived from the waste. This value can be manifested in new products -whether or not related to the original sector of the product from which the waste is derived- or renewable and sustainable energies (Ferreira et al. 2021 ; Kaszycki et al. 2021 ). For this, these processes require the establishment of cooperation tools between industries in such a way that we can establish symbiosis between them (Provin et al. 2021 ).

9.3 Limitations and future research lines

Addressing the limitations of this study, it’s worth underscoring the fact that WoS was the exclusive Database used to retrieve the final sample under analysis, and only articles published in English are studied, other languages were not considered. Despite the use of VOSviewer to display the co-occurrence analysis, the interpretation of the results is subjective, in accordance with the papers reviewed. In future works, other software can be combined such as CiteSpace or HistCite to visually create scientific maps.

Regarding future research lines, the following aspects are considered a research agenda in the field of waste management and circular economy. The need to incorporate into waste management from a circular perspective such as: circular bioeconomy models, the construction of more robust eco-efficiency indicators to improve measurement and comparison between regions, and the consideration of new processes and techniques in the management of urban, food and plastic waste. Research is also required to manage waste in the construction and demolition of buildings and infrastructures from a sustainably innovative standpoint.

The challenges facing waste management in meeting the 2030 Agenda are considerable. Circular economy facilitates the pathway but is not a miracle tool. The contribution of companies and industries requires the collaboration and awareness of consumers. To this end, public institutions must generate policies, regulations and incentives that create the most favorable framework possible. Having already surpassed half of the set timeframe towards meeting the SDG targets, urgent measures are required, and the Academy must lend its support in this regard.

Data availability

Data was retrieved from Web of Sciences database.

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González-Sánchez, R., Alonso-Muñoz, S. & Medina-Salgado, M.S. Circularity in waste management: a research proposal to achieve the 2030 Agenda. Oper Manag Res 16 , 1520–1540 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12063-023-00373-0

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Perceptions and realities of recycling vary widely from place to place

Most Americans have access to some sort of recycling program. However, the rules, practices and community norms around recycling vary considerably from place to place, contributing to dramatically different local recycling levels. People who live in places where social norms strongly encourage recycling are more likely to be aware of recycling rules, say they have more options for recycling, and see more of the waste they generate being recycled rather than landfilled, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

The survey, part of a study covering issues involving climate change, energy and the environment , found that about three-in-ten Americans (28%) say their local community’s social norms strongly encourage recycling and re-use. About a fifth (22%) say most people in their communities don’t really encourage recycling; the remaining half live in places where, they say, norms around recycling are somewhere in the middle.

The study comes as U.S. recycling rates, after rising for decades, have plateaued. The Environmental Protection Agency says that in 2013, the most recent year for which it has data, Americans recycled or composted 1.51 pounds of waste per day, a figure that’s changed little since 2006. On the other hand, Americans are doing better at creating less trash in the first place: Per-capita waste generation has fallen from 4.7 pounds per person per day in 2006 to 4.4 pounds in 2013, and total municipal solid waste generation fell by 3 million tons.

A recent study conducted for the Sustainable Packaging Coalition , an industry group, estimated that 94% of the U.S. population has some type of recycling program available to them: About 30% have curbside collection only, 43% have both curbside service and drop-off centers and 21% have drop-off programs only. (This generally aligns with findings from the EPA, which has estimated that in 2011, there were more than 9,800 curbside recycling programs throughout the U.S., covering more than 70% of the population.)

Curbside collection is more common in larger cities and towns: 93% of the communities in the SPC study with populations greater than 125,000 provided single-family curbside recycling, as opposed to 65% of communities with populations below 50,000. (The Pew Research Center survey, interestingly, found a similar pattern but with lower rates: About seven-in-ten people living in urban and suburban communities said they had curbside recycling, compared with just four-in-ten rural residents, or 40%.)

But just because recycling programs exist doesn’t mean everyone with access to them actually recycles. According to the EPA, only 34.3% of the 254.1 million tons of municipal solid waste generated in 2013 was recovered through recycling or composting; the overall recovery rate has actually slipped a bit since peaking at 34.7% in 2011. (“Municipal solid waste” is the term of art for what most of us think of as trash; it excludes construction and demolition debris, wastewater treatment sludges, and non-hazardous industrial wastes. “Recovery” includes recycling and composting, but not burning waste to produce energy.)

Other researchers using different methodologies have come up with higher waste-generation estimates and lower recovery rates. For example, a new report from the Environmental Research & Education Foundation  estimates U.S. municipal solid waste generation in 2013 at 347 million tons, with 27% of it being recycled or composted. Columbia University’s Earth Engineering Center , using a broader definition of municipal solid waste than the EPA, surveyed state and local waste management agencies and came up with an estimate of 389 million tons generated in 2011, with 29% recycled or composted.

Using data from the Columbia study, we calculated that California (53.4%), Maine (51.5%) and Washington state (50.1%) had the highest recovery rates for municipal solid waste in the nation in 2011; Oklahoma (3.7%), Alaska (4.5%) and Mississippi (4.8%) had the lowest.

Looking beyond these overall recovery rates, local recycling programs vary considerably in which materials they accept and the degree to which residents must separate different materials. The Pew Research Center survey found that 59% of the public believes that “most types of items” can be recycled in their community; another 26% characterize their options as “some,” and 13% say only a few types of items can be recycled where they live. And the people who live in places that strongly encourage recycling also are more likely to say that most types of items can be recycled there.

But the perception that communities recycle “most types of items” obscures the markedly different rates at which various types of waste actually are recycled or composted. According to our analysis of the EPA data, 99% of lead-acid batteries (the sort found in cars and trucks), 88.5% of corrugated cardboard boxes, and 67% of newspapers, directories and the like were recycled as of 2013. On the other hand, only 28.2% of high-density polyethylene containers (such as milk jugs) were recycled, as were 13.5% of plastic bags and wraps and only 6.2% of small appliances. Three-fifths (60.2%) of yard trimmings were composted, but just 5% of food waste was.

One category of solid waste that’s grown rapidly, in both quantity generated and amount recycled, is consumer electronics – TVs, computer equipment, phones, DVD players and the like. According to the EPA report , 40.4% of the 3.1 million tons of consumer electronics that entered the wastestream in 2013 were recycled, up from 30.6% in 2012.

About half (48%) of adults in the Pew Research Center survey say their community has services for recycling electronic devices, though about a third (34%) say they aren’t sure. People living in places that strongly encourage recycling in general are much more likely to say that electronics are recycled in their local areas most or some of the time, compared with people who live in communities that “do not really encourage” recycling (62% versus 15%).

A challenge for many community-based recycling programs, especially in recent years, is that they’re losing money. Recycling, at root, is a commodity business, and lower prices for wood pulp, aluminum, oil (out of which plastics are made) and other feedstock commodities are pushing many recyclers into the red . That, in turn, has forced localities to pay recycling companies to accept their collected bottles, cans and paper, when just a few years ago the recyclers paid them.

Advocates say there are other important considerations in favor of recycling – prime among them that making products with recycled materials rather than virgin stock uses less energy and thus creates fewer greenhouse-gas emissions. The EPA estimates that the 87.2 million tons of materials recycled or composted in 2013 reduced greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of more than 186 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. However, critics point out that almost 80% of those greenhouse-gas benefits come from paper and paperboard recycling, and most of the remainer comes from recycling steel, aluminum and other metals.

Note: The topline for the Pew Research Center survey is available here (PDF) , and the methodology is here .

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Articles on Garbage

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There’s no ‘garbage patch’ in the Southern Indian Ocean, so where does all the rubbish go?

Mirjam van der Mheen , The University of Western Australia ; Charitha Pattiaratchi , The University of Western Australia , and Erik van Sebille , Utrecht University

If you recycled all the plastic garbage in the world, you could buy the NFL, Apple and Microsoft

Liberty Vittert , Washington University in St. Louis

Craigslist can cut solid waste, one used sofa at a time

Suvrat Dhanorkar , Penn State

Trump should wage a war on waste instead of battling the world over trade

Clyde Eiríkur Hull , Rochester Institute of Technology

China’s garbage ban upends US recycling – is it time to reconsider incineration?

Thomas Kinnaman , Bucknell University

All-you - can-eat landfill buffet spells trouble for birds

Sahar Seif , Carleton University and Jennifer Provencher , Acadia University

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A critical review on sustainable hazardous waste management strategies: a step towards a circular economy

Ashutosh kumar.

1 Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, New Delhi 110016 India

2 School of Chemical & Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed to Be University, Tirmalaisamudram, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu 613401 India

Amit K. Thakur

3 Department of Chemical Engineering, Energy Cluster, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, 248007 Uttarakhand India

Gajendra Kumar Gaurav

4 Sustainable Process Integration Laboratory, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, SPIL, NETME Centre, Brno University of Technology, VUT Brno, Technická 2896/2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic

Jiří Jaromír Klemeš

Vishal kumar sandhwar.

5 Department of Chemical Engineering, Parul Institute of Technology, Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat 391760 India

Kamal Kishore Pant

Rahul kumar, associated data.

Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Globally, industrialisation and urbanisation have led to the generation of hazardous waste (HW). Sustainable hazardous waste management (HWM) is the need of the hour for a safe, clean, and eco-friendly environment and public health. The prominent waste management strategies should be aligned with circular economic models considering the economy, environment, and efficiency. This review critically discusses HW generation and sustainable management with the strategies of prevention, reduction, recycling, waste-to-energy, advanced treatment technology, and proper disposal. In this regard, the major HW policies, legislations, and international conventions related to HWM are summarised. The global generation and composition of hazardous industrial, household, and e-waste are analysed, along with their environmental and health impacts. The paper critically discusses recently adapted management strategies, waste-to-energy conversion techniques, treatment technologies, and their suitability, advantages, and limitations. A roadmap for future research focused on the components of the circular economy model is proposed, and the waste management challenges are discussed. This review stems to give a holistic and broader picture of global waste generation (from many sources), its effects on public health and the environment, and the need for a sustainable HWM approach towards the circular economy. The in-depth analysis presented in this work will help build cost-effective and eco-sustainable HWM projects.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11356-023-29511-8.

Introduction

Socio-economic development and the pursuit of better livelihoods are essential to the progress of a country. The globalisation of trade, commerce, and tourism is directly linked with the socio-economic status and lifestyle of the people. Industrialisation and urbanisation are the common features of financial development and economic growth. It leads to a dramatic increase in the generation of hazardous waste (HW). HW has been classified as waste with one or more intrinsic chemical and physical characteristics: toxicity, ignitability, reactivity, and corrosivity (EPA 2016 ). The HW can be dangerous to people or the environment. In contrast, non-hazardous waste does not directly harm people or the environment, like cardboard, glass, plastic, rocks, metals, and food scraps. The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) has indexed waste in the category of hazardous material if they acquire one or more of the characteristics that may lead to the consequences (Saeidi-Mobarakeh et al. 2020 ), such as:

• (i) Fires during routine management
• (ii) Corrosive upon exposure to air, or in some particular environment
• (iii) Chemical reactions that lead to toxic gas emissions into the atmosphere
• (iv) Long-term environmental, geological, and ecological disaster effect

The EPA has established a Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) database in which more than 600 potentially hazardous chemicals are listed (DeVito et al. 2015 ). On the other hand, hazardous waste is garbage that can be dangerous to people or the environment, like things that can burn easily, poisonous materials, things that react with other substances, or things that can corrode.

The identification and classification of HW are essential to ensure their effective management. The identification process also varies from country to country. In the USA, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C is commonly used to identify HW (USEPA 1976 ). In India, the hazardous and other waste rules—2016 (HWM rules- 2016 ,  2019 ) is the identification standard, whereas China uses GB 5085.7 identification standard for HW. The various steps for the preliminary identification of the HW are described in Fig.  1 , as per the hazardous and the other waste rule—2016, India (Fig.  1 a), RCRA Subtitle C, USA (Fig.  1 b), and GB 5085.7 identification standard, China (Fig.  1 c). The classification of HW is not unique and varies from country to country. For example, in China, HW is classified as household hazardous waste (HHW), industrial hazardous waste (IHW), and medical waste (MW) (Duan et al. 2008 ). Most developing countries classify HW as industrial hazardous waste (IHW) and medical waste.

The HW identification process by a hazardous and other waste rules, 2016, India, b Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Subtitle C of USA, and c China GB 5085.7–2007 identification standard (CNMEE 2019)

Sustainable HWM is a must for a safe, clean, and eco-friendly environment. This can be achieved by implementing policies and employing environmentally acceptable strategies (Safdar et al. 2020 ). Some of the common strategies for sustainable waste management (Girondi et al. 2020 ) include recycling (Alawa et al. 2022 ), composting (Ayilara et al. 2020 ), incineration (Li et al. 2019b ), gasification (Valdés et al. 2020 ), and pyrolysis (Li et al. 2021b ). This will ensure environmental protection, a green economy, health, safety, and social security. The above waste management strategies can be arranged according to their preferences in the HWM hierarchy. The HW treatment technologies employ physical, chemical, and biological methods. HW’s cost-effective and efficient management may require integrating several technologies. The HWM is a complex and challenging task. It is a big challenge to build cost-effective, sustainable, and environment-friendly industrial projects for the HWM.

The circular economy (CE) means producing and utilising things in a way that is good for the environment. It follows the principle that each product is used again and again and nothing is wasted. The CE gives equal importance to economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and social and individual well-being (Velenturf and Purnell 2021 ). Different stakeholders and sectors understand the idea of a CE in different ways. The European Union (EU) follows the 10 R principle, redesigning technology, repair, refrain, repurpose, reduce, remanufacture, re-mine, recover, recycle, and reuse (Van Fan et al. 2021 ). However, most of the definition of CE depicts the idea of 3R principle using the “reduce, reuse, recycle” approach. Figure  2 depicts the main guiding principle of CE for waste management.

Principles of the circular economy for waste management (Corona et al. 2019 )

Several reviews related to different aspects of HWM have been published in the recent past. Some of the studies related to other elements of HWM published between 2018 and 2022 are summarised in Table ​ Table1. 1 . Most recently published reviews mainly cover the impact of specific HW on the environment and public health. Many studies are focused on the management of e-waste and medical waste. These reviews mainly focus on managing HW in specific regions/countries. There is a lack of published literature on the broader picture of global hazardous waste generation (from many sources). This review is focused on the generation and composition of waste, including hazardous waste. The major policies, legislation, and international conventions related to HWM are summarised and mentioned in Table S.3. The environmental and health impact of HW is discussed. The paper critically discusses common strategies, waste-to-energy conversion techniques, treatment technologies, suitability, advantages, and limitations. A roadmap for future research work is proposed, and the waste management challenges are discussed.

A summary of recent reviews related to different aspects of HWM and their salient outcomes

Waste generation and composition

The amount of waste generated from different sources varies from country to country. This is directly linked with industrialisation, urbanisation, and economic development. The countries with high incomes and economies are urbanised and subsequently produce more waste per capita compared to the low-income countries (Kaza et al. 2018 ). The global and regional waste generation patterns and projections from 2016 to 2050 are shown in Fig.  3 . Globally, 2.01 billion Mt/year of municipal solid waste (MSW) is generated and anticipated to increase by 2.59 billion Mt/year and 3.40 billion Mt/year by 2030 and 2050, respectively (Kaza et al. 2018 ). The amount of MSW produced per day can vary between 0.11 and 4.54 kg, and this variation is dependent on geography and the level of development (Roy et al 2022a ). Asia generates one-third of the global waste, with China (0–0.49) kg/capita/day and India (0.50–0.9) kg/capita/day making substantial contributions.

The global trend of waste generation and forecast for 2030 and 2050 (Economist 2018 ) (Kaza et al. 2018 )

A typical MSW contains hazardous waste such as metals (1.1–2.2%), polyethylene (2.8–4.3%), glass (0.5–1.1%), and rubber (0.1–1.4%). The other non-hazardous fractions in MSW are food waste (68.3–81.1%), paper (7.2–10.7%), textile (1.3–2.2%), and others (4.5–10.4%) (Roy et al. 2022a ). The global waste generation by region is illustrated in Fig.  4 a. The countries in East Asia and Pacific, South Asia, Central Asia, and Europe produce 60% of the global waste. The Sub-Saharan African regions generate the least amount of waste (only 9% of the global). The global waste composition by income level is shown in Fig.  4 b. It is observed that the percentage of paper, plastic, and electronic waste increases with the improvement in income level. The percentage of food and green waste decreases with the progress of income level. Dry waste (plastic, paper, metals, and glasses) makes up a major portion of MSW in high-income countries. However, in low-income countries like Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, the proportion of food- and agriculture-based refuse in MSW is close to 57–60%, increasing the organic content of MSW (Roy et al. 2020a). Only 20% of the MSW in low-income nations is made up of recyclable materials (Roy et al. 2022c ). The easily recyclable dry waste (plastic, paper, metals, and glasses) makes up a sizable portion of MSW in high-income nations. A comparison of the global municipal solid waste composition with the MSW composition of the USA and India is presented in Fig.  5 . It is observed that food waste, paper, and cardboard are the key components of the MSW. A recent report estimates that more than 150,000 Mt solid waste was generated in India, out of which about 90% was collected as a waste product (Shrivastava 2019 ). The survey also reports that only 20% of the total accumulated waste was processed, and the remaining 80% was dumped in landfills. Several factors, such as lack of advanced technology, insufficient treatment facilities, and limitations in regulation, lead to the ineffective management of HW. The inefficient transport services, spatially limited collection regions, open burning, illegal dumping, and lack of proper recycling (Kula et al. 2023 ) and disposal facilities are major factors leading to the mismanagement of the HW. The mismanagement of HW leads to land, water, and air pollution (Ferronato and Torretta 2019 ). Industries are the backbone of economic development, and continuous generation of HW is unavoidable (Jiang et al. 2021 ). It can be reduced by implementing integrated policies, regulations, and technological advancements. For the sustainable socio-economic development of nations, a holistic approach should be identified and implemented to practise hazardous waste management (HWM) (Bing et al. 2016 ).

Global waste generation by a region and b income level (Kaza et al. 2018 )

The composition of municipal solid waste a global (Kaza et al. 2018 ), b USA (EPA 2016 ), and c India (CPCB | inventory 2022 )

In the current global pandemic situation due to COVID-19, it has even become more important to manage municipal solid waste and medical waste to control the spread of the virus (Klemeš et al. 2020c ). The amount of plastic waste significantly increased during COVID-19. The quantity of plastic waste generated globally rose by approximately eight million tons between 2018 and August 2021 due to the increase in the number of COVID-19 (Choudhary et al. 2023 ) cases. Asia was solely responsible for 46% of this increase (Peng et al. 2021 ). China reported a significant increase in medical waste post-COVID-19 outbreak (6606.8.8 tonnes/day) compared to pre-COVID-19 (4902.8 tonnes/day) (Ma et al. 2020), whereas in the USA it increases from 2.5 to 5.0 Mt/month (Ilyas et al. 2021 ).

Hazardous waste

Industrialisation plays a significant role in improving a nation’s economy and, subsequently, the lifestyle of its fellow citizens. It has caused severe consequences due to excessive HW generation and ineffective management. A considerable amount of industrial waste generated during the manufacturing process is hazardous. The industrial waste can be classified as solid, liquid, and gaseous waste. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India, mentioned 64 polluting industries as “Red Category” based on emissions of hazardous waste, including small-, medium-, and large-scale enterprises.

The HW is generated from discarded consumer products, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, personal care products, electronic products, industrial by-products, sludge, and waste oils. The United Nations (UN) estimates that around 68% of the world’s population will get urbanised by the year 2050 (Knickmeyer 2020 ). As per recent research by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the global production of HW amounts to roughly 400 million tons annually, which translates to roughly 60 kg per person around the world and this is continuously increasing. Within the span of a single generation, the production of synthetic chemicals has increased by 40,000%, from 1 to 400 million tons (The World Counts 2023 ). Some developed countries produce substantial amounts of hazardous waste, while others produce very small amounts (Gautam et al. 2019 ). The USA, China, and some states of the European Union (EU) are the major producers of HW. Hazardous waste classification is complex, and there is no universally accepted classification. Even within the same country, different regulatory programmes classify HW differently. The classification and definitions of hazardous waste/products may vary over time due to climate change (Rabbani et al. 2019 ). The HW consists of solid and liquid waste from chemical industries, hospitals, households, mining, construction, etc. The emissions from factories and industries contribute to gaseous HW. Industrial effluents discharge into rivers, and aqueous bodies heavily contribute to surface water pollution. The following sections briefly describe three major types of HW: household hazardous waste, industrial hazardous waste, and e-waste.

Household hazardous waste (HHW) is another major issue that needs to be addressed properly. The US EPA defines HHW as “leftover household products that can catch fire, react, or explode under certain circumstances, or that are corrosive or toxic” (Household Hazardous Waste US EPA). In Europe, the HHW is defined as “such waste that could potentially increase the hazardous properties of municipal solid waste when landfilled, incinerated, or composted”. The HHW mainly includes paints, batteries, detergents, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, insecticides, and house cleaning chemicals (Inglezakis and Moustakas 2015 ). The percentage of HHW in MSW varies between 1 and 4% (Vallero et al. 2019 ). The rate may slightly differ from one country to country. A recent study (Manggali and Susanna 2019 ) estimates that the HHW generation is 0.038 kg/person/day in upper-middle-income countries and 0.028 kg/person/day in lower-middle-income countries of the Asian region. All HHW does not have an immediate harmful effect on human beings and the environment. Numerous chemical products like house cleaners may be hazardous to specific species or environments. The products are much vulnerable and poisonous to children and pets (Franklin and Rodgers 2008 ). A list of personal care and cleansing products frequently used in daily life or household purposes such as toilet cleaners, glass/window cleaners, beauty care products, medicines, and insects killing products (Koushki and Al-Humoud 2002 ). Most common people are unaware of the hazardous nature of the products they use. The proper labelling of the packaging materials is essential to identify hazardous products. The awareness of the hazardous nature of HHW is vital to avoid their potential health and environmental consequences.

Industries use different hazardous chemicals to meet their productivity and yield, and as a result, a massive amount of HW is generated. Globally, the manufacturing industry is the primary IHW source. IHW mainly originated from thermal power plants, integrated steel and iron mills, mining operations, cement industries, paper industries, fertilisers, textiles, and other allied industries. In China, the chemical industry is the largest producer of IHW, followed by the non-ferrous metal mining and smelting industries. These two account for 45% of the IHW in China (Su et al. 2022 ). Table S.1 (supplementary material) summarises the HW generated from different industries.

Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and technology have become integral to life. The growth and demand of the EEE have led to a significant increase in the volume of e-waste. As per a recent report (Forti et al. 2020 ), 53.6 Mt of e-waste was generated globally in 2019, with 21% increments in only 5 years. The global e-waste discarded product with a battery or plug is expected to reach 74 Mt by 2030 and 120 Mt by 2050 (Yu et al. 2023 ). The e-waste statistics for the year 2019 are summarised in Table ​ Table2. 2 . In 2019, Asia generated the highest amount of e-waste, and Europe generated the highest e-waste per capita. In Asia, China is the highest generator of e-waste (10.1 Mt), followed by India (3.2 Mt), Bangladesh (3.1 Mt, own generation—0.6 Mt, imported—2.5 Mt), and Japan (2.5 Mt) in 2019 (Fu et al. 2018 ; Kumar et al. 2022 ; Roy et al. 2022c ). Generally, 60.2% of e-waste consists of various precious metals (such as gold, silver, aluminium, iron, copper, and platinum), with plastic materials (15.2%), plastic-metal mixture (5%), screens and tubes (12%), printed circuit boards (PCBs, 2%), cables (2%), and other components (Roy et al. 2022b ). Figure  6 shows the composition of e-waste generated in 2019. The e-waste contains several hazardous materials such as toxic metals (Hg, Pb, Cg, Cr, etc.), chemicals (halogenated flame retardants, polybrominated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, etc.), and non-toxic (plastics, cables, etc.) that can cause several environmental and health concern upon their mobilisation (Sengupta et al. 2022 ). A substantial amount of the precious metals can be recovered and re-enter the manufacturing process of EEE and can establish a sustainable circular economy.

Global statistics of e-waste for 2019 (Forti et al. 2020 )

A typical composition of e-waste generated in 2019 (Forti et al. 2020 )

Important legislation and conventions

The implementation of legislation is crucial for managing waste generated by industries and households. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), formed in 1970, is involved in the HWM, which emphasises four fundamental requirements: (a) identification of hazardous waste; (b) formulate standards for HW generators, treatment, transportation, collection, storage, and disposal; (c) need of authorisation certificate for HW processing; and (d) establishment of HW tracking system from generation to disposal (Peretz et al. 1997 ). In 1976, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act empowered the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate hazardous waste. The amendment of previously existing solid-waste management legislation of 1965 was passed through the RCRA (Daniels et al. 1982 ). The RCRA, 1976, enforced the chemical industry to follow a strict management system for hazardous waste with less emphasis on solid waste and environmental concerns (Daniels et al. 1982 ). Later in 1984, the RCRA was amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendment (HSWA), which includes a few silent features such as solid-waste management, regulation of hazardous waste, the prohibition of open dumping, encouraged the implementation of new and advanced technology for resource recovery, reuse, and disposal (Peretz et al. 1997 ). The most significant limitation of this amendment was the inclusion of small-scale industries such as auto repair shops, medical offices, household waste, and e-waste, which are leading contributors to hazardous waste generators (McGlinn 2000 ). The principal legislation relating to HWM and their salient features/targets is summarised in Table S.2.

The increasing environmental problem due to HW brought the G8 countries together to jointly agree on the policies of reduction, recycling, and reuse (3R). Subsequently, Japan implemented this policy in the year 2005. The regional 3R forum was launched in Asia in November 2009 in collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment (Government of Japan) and the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) (Ilankoon et al. 2018 ). The Government of India passed hazardous waste handling and management rules in 1989, which were revised in 2008 under the Environment Protection Act of 1986 (MoEFCC 2015 ). Under the revised regulations, hazardous waste is classified according to its physio-chemical properties, toxicity, reactivity, corrosive, explosive, and flammable characteristics, which may severely affect the environment and the health of living organisms (MoEFCC 2015 ). The HW transboundary movement, handling, and management rule of 2008 advocates to have prerequisite authorisation certified by the concerned Pollution Control Committee (PCC)/State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) for collection, treatment, processing, conversion, generation, storage, use, package, transportation, and offering for sale. As India modified and revised the new HWM rules, passed in 2016 in accordance with international standards, covering 3R policies and their disposal in an environment-friendly approach (MoEFCC 2016 ), the new HW rules also differentiate hazardous and other waste (includes e-waste, scrap metals, plastics, waste tyres, and paper) for the first time.

The countries have different policies and regulations for the HWM. In some countries, there are no specific regulations for the management of HW. In China, most cities have set up a standard policy for collecting HHW. The HHW is processed by a recycling company authorised by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (Tai et al. 2011 ). In Germany, the HHW are collected using two collection schemes: recycling centres and mobile recycling centres (vehicles that stop at specific locations regularly) (Inglezakis and Moustakas 2015 ). A 1-day community collection programme in the USA is the most common practice. The municipality collects the HHW on a scheduled day. The USA, Canada, and a few other countries also adopted product stewardship (PS) and extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies for waste management. According to EPR, end-of-life management is the primary responsibility of the manufacturer. The PS policies encourage stakeholders (designers, manufacturers, and consumers) to share responsibility throughout the lifespan of a product. In several Asian countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia, there is no specific regulation on HHW (Chaib et al. 2014 ) and consequently, mixing the HW with general household waste and their open burning is a common practice (Manggali and Susanna 2019 ).

The circular economy (CE) polices have been highly endorsed and discussed, aiming for minimal waste generation and continuous reuse of resources (Klemeš et al. 2020a ). Sustainable consumption and production are big concerns globally. There are only a few international agreements and conventions that talk about the CE and other environmental concerns of the CE. For example, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants 2001, the International Tropical Timber Agreement 2006, and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change 2015 have covered the elements of CE (Mikichurova and Vlialko 2021). However, at the national level, various countries have developed some policies related to CE. In 2016, Finland made a plan called “A Roadmap to a Circular Economy 2016–2025” in fact Finland made the first plan in the world to switch to a circular economy. Scotland was the first country to join a group called Circular Economy 100, which works together to make new ideas and help the circular economy grow. The Netherlands adopted a plan called “Government-wide Programme for a Circular Dutch Economy by 2050” in 2017. The European Union (EU) has introduced a circular economy (CE) model comprising the 10 R’s hierarchy. The CE 10 R’s prioritise redesigning technology, repair, refrain, repurpose, reduce, remanufacture, re-mine, recover, recycle, and reuse (Van Fan et al. 2021 ). This waste management policy of the EU provides a regenerative model for the European Green Deal action plan (Van Fan et al. 2021 ). The CE model’s purpose was to reduce overall waste, recycle more than 50% of the waste by the year 2020, and reuse it in whichever manner possible (Knickmeyer 2020 ). In the case of Asian countries, China and Japan were the first to introduce the circular economy model nationally (Reike et al. 2018 ).

Several international agreements are there to protect the environment and public health from HW. The Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm, and Minamata conventions are multinational environmental agreements summarised in Table S.2. The Basel Convention, which went into effect in 1992, is an agreement among 53 countries to manage the cross-border transportation HW. This focuses on limiting the transfer of HW from developed nations to developing or less-developed nations. However, this convention did not meet its goal of restricting the trade of HW. The convention allows member countries to trade waste with each other. Additionally, the convention lacks a mechanism to guarantee that the importing country has proper waste treatment procedures in place.

Environmental and health risks

A considerable amount of waste is potentially hazardous to the ecological systems (soil, air, and water) and human health (Xu et al. 2018 ). The improper handling, storage, treatment, and disposal of HW adversely impact the environment and health. Intake of foul-smelling gas generated from waste (especially hazardous chemicals) can induce serious health problems (Torkashvand et al. 2020 ) and sometimes even cause death if the intake is significant. In some cases, even minimal doses of hazardous chemicals cause severe health issues.

The illegal disposal of household waste is typical in some developing countries. This leads to large-scale pollution of air, land, and water bodies. In the scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic, the proper treatment and management of waste, especially medical and municipal solid waste, has become even more important to eradicate the spread of the virus. During the pandemic, the Hubei province of China recorded more than a 370% rise in medical waste (Klemeš et al. 2020d ). Due to the complete lockdown situation, MSW generation was reduced to 30% (Klemeš et al. 2020d ). Plastic waste has increased significantly in volume as most medical kits like PPE, gloves syringe packaging, and others are made up of plastics and have to be single-use to manage the spread of the virus (Klemeš et al. 2020b ). Plastics have also entered our food chain. Sustainable plastic waste management is economically and environmentally essential (Klemeš et al. 2020a ).

The uncontrolled exposure of HW to the soil, water, and air leads to various environmental and health issues (Bennett 1988 ). Several ways, such as skin contact, inhalation, and ingestion, through which one can be exposed to HW. Long-term exposure to such HW may lead to several health risks. The impact of HW on the environment and health is represented in Fig.  7 .

The environmental impact and health impact of the hazardous waste

Hazardous waste management

The proper management of HW is inevitable to avoid its potential health and environmental impact. There are several options/strategies for the management of HW. These strategies can be arranged in a hierarchy according to their preference. The typical HWM hierarchy shown in Fig. S.1 demonstrates that the HW reduction at source/prevention is the most preferred strategy, followed by waste minimisation through reuse, recycling, and composting (Wang et al. 2018 ), recovery/waste to energy, treatment, and disposal. This is a conceptual framework for guiding and ranking waste management decisions. The first stage of the HWM hierarchy encourages stakeholders (industries and communities) to reduce the use of raw materials by maximising efficiency or preventing unnecessary use in manufacturing processes. Reuse and recycling are the second-best strategies of the HW hierarchy. This step allows the stakeholders to avoid spending on the new material and saves energy and resources required to produce the new product. When recycling and reuse are not feasible, waste-to-energy conversion or material recovery is the next preference in the hierarchy. Pyrolysis (Chew et al. 2021 ), gasification (Hameed et al. 2021 ), and incineration (Wajda et al. 2022 ) are the commonly used strategy for waste-to-energy conversion. The treatment of HW using physical, chemical, and biological methods is a preferred strategy when waste-to-energy conversion or material recovery is not a feasible option. Disposal is the least preferred option and is practised only if all other options are not viable. Landfilling is the most commonly used disposal method (Kamaruddin et al. 2017 ). This is an unsustainable approach because the toxic leachate and emissions from the landfilled waste may continue to impact the environment and public health for a long time. Based on the toxicity level of the HW and its impact on the environment and public health, a combination of waste management strategies may be followed for the sustainable management of HW.

A graphical framework of HW generation, classification, HWM strategies, and health and environmental impact is described in Fig.  8 . In the present scenario, landfilling (Nanda and Berruti 2021 ) is the most commonly used disposal mechanism. Landfill sites generate two forms of pollutants: leachate and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as gaseous emissions (Christensen et al. 2001 ). Dumpsite leachates may penetrate deep into the soil and pollute groundwater. Animals and scavengers can dislocate HW from dumpsites and spread diseases (Jeswani and Azapagic 2020 ). The incineration of HW waste, such as medical waste, plastics, and rubber, leads to releasing toxic gases into the environment. Leachate emissions from incinerators (Kjeldsen et al. 2002 ) need much attention for research because, locally, these can severely affect the air quality and contaminate groundwater (Christensen et al. 2001 ).

A graphical framework of HW generation, classification, management strategies, and impacts

Hazardous waste management strategies

Recycling is a sustainable HWM strategy to minimise hazardous waste’s harmful impact and make it safe to reuse and later dispose of the waste. Some HW materials, such as plastics, glass components, and e-waste, are of great economic value and can be re-used or re-processed to recover valuable goods. This would help save resources and energy (Kong et al. 2020 ). Common ways to recycle industrial waste include (a) the breakdown of waste into a valuable product (Savoldelli et al. 2017 ), (b) resource recovery (Sadala et al. 2019 ), and (c) reclamation of the valuable products from waste (Ilyas et al. 2021 ).

Researchers have explored recycling waste materials such as plastics (Dalhat and Al-Abdul Wahhab 2015 ), ground tyre rubber (Pouranian et al. 2020 ), glass (Mustakiza Zakaria et al. 2017 ), cigarette butts (Rahman et al. 2020 ), and fly ash (Mohammadinia et al. 2017 ) as aggregate, additives, and filler in asphalt concrete and bitumen for the construction of roads and highways. Sustainable management of hazardous waste cooking oil (WCO) is a challenging task (Gupta and Rathod 2018 ). The recycling and conversion of WCO into valuable products is a sustainable approach to establishing the WCO-based circular economy (Usmani et al. 2021 ). The untreated WCO and chemically and biologically treated WCO have been recycled as raw material for the production of value-added products (Goh et al. 2020 ). In the recent past, many researchers have explored the conversion of WCO into biodiesel using different sustainable technologies (Sahar et al. 2018 ), such as using eggshell-derived MM-CaO catalyst (Nadeem et al. 2021 ) and using heterogenous catalyst derived from cork biochar (Bhatia et al. 2020 ). Recycling is a clean approach to managing HW, but this is a relatively undeveloped technique and often requires high investment costs. An economic analysis should be considered before the implementation of this strategy.

Composting is a promising strategy for managing waste products from different sources (Wei et al. 2020 ). This strategy treats yard waste, sewage sludge, and agricultural waste with negligible concentrations of hazardous organic substances (Wang et al. 2018 ). Composting reduces waste size and volume, allowing it to be disposed of more easily. This method is used to handle not only domestic waste but also waste from industrial activities. This aerobic method converts harmful waste into useful bio-fertilisers (Smith and Aber 2018 ). The bio-fertilisers are subsequently used to improve soil productivity and suppress plant diseases (Sun et al. 2020 ). Composting also releases toxic gases such as SOx, NOx, and CO 2 emissions. The emissions from composting are characterised by their high flow rates, low pollutant concentrations, and VOCs. Biofiltration is commonly used to minimise emissions from composting (Hong and Park 2004 ). The three widely practised composting systems include windrow, aerated static pile (ASP), and in-vessel. Windrow composting (Kong et al. 2018 ) is an outdoor composting method and uses mechanical aeration (Al-Rumaihi et al. 2020 ). This method is suitable for waste with less odour emission and requires a large land area and more time for mature composting. Composting with an aerated static pile (ASP) (Michel et al. 2022 ) involves forcing ambient air through the compost pile. This method is commonly used for MSW and generally requires less land area and relatively less time for mature composting. In the in-vessel composting method (Walker et al. 2009 ), the composting process is contained within various containers or vessels. This method is suitable for all types of waste and requires a low land area and a short composting period. However, the capacity and performance of the composting process is limited by microbiological components. In a recent review, a guiding perspective for composting models was proposed, which involved the fates of C, N, P, and K and presented a discussion to characterise the fates of C, N, P, and K through modelling (Yang et al. 2021 ).

Incineration

Incineration is a method to burn toxic organic constituents of hazardous waste and reduce waste volume. Incinerators are commonly used to burn hazardous waste for waste destruction/treatment purposes and to recover the material, chemicals, and energy from the waste (Block et al. 2014 ). There are various types of hazardous waste incinerators (Trinh et al. 2019 ), namely, rotary kilns (Jiang and Li 2019 ), fluidised bed units (Azam et al. 2019 ), and liquid injection units (Anufriev 2021 ). There are several advantages of incineration over other treatment strategies. The significant benefits of incineration include avoiding groundwater pollution, energy recovery, and using relatively small space to manage waste. This method’s main disadvantages are the emissions of toxic pollutants and higher plant costs. The emission of organic contaminants from solid waste incineration in China was evaluated and established a relationship between the energy benefits and the pollutant emissions (Li et al. 2021a ). The authors proposed the energy benefit-to-emission index for organic pollutants to evaluate solid waste management on a local or regional scale. A value of the energy benefit-to-emission index higher than 60 can be used as a benchmark for “profitable” solid waste management (Li et al. 2021a ).

Landfilling

The landfill is an unsustainable method for the management of non-liquid HW materials. Landfilling is the most commonly used waste management strategy in developed countries. The hazardous waste is separated before landfills to reduce environmental harm. Dumped waste undergoes physico-chemical and biological transformation at the landfill sites. Essential elements for landfilling are landfill liners, soil cover thickness, leachate collection, landfill gas recovery, etc. The weather condition, temperature, moisture, pH, and biodegradable matter are important parameters affecting the emission of landfill gases and the amount of leachate (Nanda and Berruti 2021 ). Landfilling is a low-cost, straightforward, less labour-intensive, and large-capacity approach. This strategy is most suitable for waste with lower organic and moisture content. This method generates a huge amount of toxic leachate and greenhouse gases. The energy and environmental analysis of landfilling and composting-landfilling of MSW was conducted in Iran (Behrooznia et al. 2018 ). The investigation revealed that the energy use of composting-landfilling was more than that of landfilling. The composting-landfilling was more eco-friendly than landfilling (Behrooznia et al. 2018 ).

Figure  9 a illustrates the global status of MSW management, and Fig.  9 b represents the Indian scenario of the category-wise statistics of HW generated between 2017 and 2021 (CPCB | inventory 2022 ). The statistics show that between 2017 and 2021, nearly one-third of the HW was landfillable and incinerable, whereas the remaining two-thirds were recyclable and utilisable. Recent literature on common sustainable waste management strategies is presented in Table ​ Table3 3 .

a The global status of MSW management (Geyer et al. 2017 ). b Category-wise statistics HW generated between 2017 and 2021 in India (CPCB | inventory 2022 )

Common sustainable strategies for waste management

Waste to value-added products

Hazardous waste (HW) consists of biodegradable and non-biodegradable components with high calorific values (Karpan et al. 2021 ) and huge potential to generate value-added products and be utilised as an alternative to fossil fuels (Sadala et al. 2019 ). The thermal treatment (pyrolysis, gasification, and combustion) (Dhyani and Bhaskar 2018 ) and hydrothermal treatment (hydrothermal gasification and liquefaction) (Kumar et al. 2019 ) are the most favourable approach to reproducing cleaner renewable energy (Okolie et al. 2019 ) from hazardous waste (Nzihou et al. 2019 ). The generated value-added products can be either in the form of gaseous (H 2 , CH 4 , and syngas), liquid (bio-oil, ethanol, and chemicals), or solid (biochar) products. The thermal and hydrothermal conversion processes can convert waste into valuable products and simultaneously reduce the burden of their disposal.

Pyrolysis is a thermal degradation process of organic compounds without air or oxygen. It is one of the promising technologies for converting waste into valuable products (syngas, bio-oil, and biochar) (Kumar and Reddy 2022a ). The fast-pyrolysis has gained much attention due to selectively producing high-yield bio-oil at moderate temperature in a very short residence time. Some of the HWs, such as plastics, biomass, tyres, medical waste, household waste, and MSW, are potential feedstocks for pyrolysis to generate energy (Chew et al. 2021 ). The valuable chemical products (toluene, xylene, aromatic benzene, and ethylbenzene) were produced from the waste polyethylene with the help of catalytic pyrolysis at 700 °C in a semi-batch reactor. They obtained a maximum 78.20 wt% liquid yield (Gaurh and Pramanik 2018 ). The pyrolysis of waste tyres was performed, and the transformation of nitrogen, sulphur, and chlorine was studied during pyrolysis (Cheng et al. 2021 ). A pyrolytic thermal degradation study of MSW was performed and able to convert around 84–88 wt% of MSW into bio-oil (26–42%), gaseous product (42–60%), and biochar (12–16%) (Suriapparao et al. 2022 ).

Pyrolysis has been proved to be an advanced waste of valuable product conversion technology. The solid waste must be dried before pyrolysis. The presence of moisture in the feedstock can result in the generation of char and tar, which lowers the product’s yield and process efficiency. This process has scalability issues due to operational problems such as coking and clogging (Wang et al. 2021 ). The techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment of the pyrolysis of urban MSW (unsegregated) showed that the process is energy sustainable if the moisture content is less than 20% (w/w) (Chhabra et al. 2021 ).

Gasification

Gasification is a thermochemical degradation process that converts carbonaceous components into gaseous form, predominately syngas (H 2 and CO) (Chanthakett et al. 2021 ). This is one of the most promising techniques to valorise waste material (Hameed et al. 2021 ). The process is carried out over a temperature range of 800–1200 °C. At an industrial scale, the process is generally initiated auto thermally by reacting the carbonaceous material with a stoichiometric balance amount of oxygen (Shahabuddin et al. 2020 ). Globally, 114 gasification projects are operational (Munir et al. 2019 ) (27 projects are on hold and 13 are under construction) and dedicated to electricity generation (106), liquid fuel production (24), gaseous fuel production (8), and chemical production (7) (Molino et al. 2018 ). In 4 plants, syngas is used for both power generation and fuel production.

The catalytic gasification of HWs (COVID-19 face mask) in the presence of Ni catalyst supported on zeolites (ZSM-5 types) has been reported (Farooq et al. 2022 ). They reported that an increase in temperature from 600 to 800 °C led to a reduction in carcinogenic compounds and a significant increase in H 2 production (Farooq et al. 2022 ). The gasification of industrial hazardous waste (oil sludges) with steam in a tube furnace reactor has been operated in the temperature range of 600–900 °C (Chu et al. 2021 ). The maximum H 2 yield was obtained at 800 °C with oil sludge to the steam ratio of 0.3:1. The study based on the catalytic gasification of MSW has reported that after the addition of Ni-CaO-TiO 2 catalyst (Ni loading ~ 20%), the concentration of H 2 increased from 35.1 to 57.7%, the yield of dry gas increased from 0.75 to 1.74 Nm 3 kg −1 , whereas the tar content reduced from 9.38 to 2.55% (Irfan et al. 2019 ). The formation of tar and char results in the clogging of the reactor. The thermal gasification of hazardous waste is efficient when the ash and moisture content are very low (ash, 10–15% and moisture content, < 10%). Thermal gasification also has heat transfer limitations (Czajka 2021 ).

Hydrothermal treatment

Supercritical fluid (SCF) based techniques are promising for treating municipal solid waste, sewage, and contaminated water (Kumar and Reddy 2022b ). The agricultural and industrial waste (bagasse, mosambi peels, and banana pseudo-stem) were hydrothermally gasified at subcritical and supercritical water conditions in a batch reactor to generate hydrogen in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst (Ni, Ru, and Fe) (Kumar and Reddy 2019 , 2020 ). Hydrothermally treated pharmaceutical waste and achieved a TOC removal efficiency of greater than 99.9% using the supercritical water oxidation process (Thakur et al. 2019 ).

Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) (Gaurav et al. 2020 ) of the cornstalk depolymerisation residue (CGE—99.2%) biomass and the simultaneous recovery of copper (99.9%) from wastewater were investigated in a batch reactor at 22.5 MPa and 650 °C (Chen et al. 2018 ). The carbon gasification efficiency (CGE) of 99.2% and copper recovery of 99.9% were reported. The performance of SCWG of landfill leachate in a batch reactor is reported as a maximum H 2 yield (231.3 mmol/L) at 25 MPa, 500 °C, the residence time of 10 min, and oxidation coefficient of 0.2 (Gong et al. 2018 ). In another study (Chen et al. 2020 ), the landfill leachate was treated under SCWG conditions (500–650 °C, 22.5–26 MPa) in the presence of a KOH catalyst. The maximum CGE achieved was about 99.2% and the H 2 yield of 26 mol/kg (Chen et al. 2020 ). Hydrothermal treatment is a sustainable approach to extracting valuable products from waste and reducing the volume faster. However, it has higher operational and equipment maintenance costs due to high pressure and temperature operating conditions.

Hazardous waste treatment technologies

The various HW generated from industries in the form of chemicals (e.g. persistent organic pollutants, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, insecticides, personal care products, and halogenated), heavy metals, salts, and oxyanions contaminate land (Wang et al. 2019 ) and underground water bodies (Fakhru’l-Razi et al. 2009 ). Household waste (vegetables and fruits waste, plastics, cloths), e-waste, etc., are the main contributors to municipal solid waste (MSW). When exposed to open dumping or unauthorised disposal, such waste pollutes the land, water, and air due to foul and unbearable smells. The treatment of HW using advanced technologies is essential before their disposal. Different physical, chemical, and biological methods are employed for this purpose. But, the selection of these techniques depends on the pollutants’ characteristics. Every method has advantages and limitations in terms of feasibility, efficiency, environmental impact, cost, etc.

Physical processes are mainly based on the mass transfer of toxic pollutants. The low operational cost, simple design, efficient remediation, and requirement of a negligible amount of chemicals are the major advantages of the physical methods. High energy requirements and high operational costs are the disadvantages of physical processes (Thakur et al. 2022 ). Some commonly used physical methods are air filtration, adsorption, coagulation, membrane-based technologies, etc. (Thakur et al. 2021 ). The chemical methods are mainly based on the chemical oxidation of toxic pollutants. The chemical oxidation methods such as advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) seem to be most widely used for the remediation of hazardous pollutants from the waste stream (Mudoi et al. 2021 ). The AOPs are cost-effective, efficient, and safe for the effective remediation of hazardous contaminants from industrial effluents. The chemical oxidation processes are confined to the laboratory scale, and their scale-up is difficult. The biological methods rely on the decomposition or degradation of hazardous pollutants by microorganisms in an aerobic or anaerobic cycle. The biological techniques are cost-effective, produce less sludge and non-hazardous metabolites, and use less water compared to physical/chemical methods. But the biological processes are slow with poor biodegradability and require an optimally conducive environment for microorganisms (Khan et al. 2022 ). A compilation of different waste treatment technologies is presented in Table ​ Table4 4 .

Different treatment techniques for waste management

P physical methods, C chemical methods, B biological methods.

Future recommendations

Globally, industrialisation and urbanisation are essential components for the socio-economic development of modern society. There is a need to implement policies, and clear and flawless guidelines, for sustainable HWM. Public awareness and proper labelling of hazardous materials are important. Collaboration among the stakeholders and the enterprises is vital to tackle the hazardous waste problems in the utmost effective manner. A sustainable and integrated HWM plan is the future demand for promoting economic growth, creating a more resilient environment, and improving the well-being and socio-economic status of the people.

The future HWM strategy should be aligned with the key components of CE, such as prevention, re-use, recycling, and recovery. Among the various HW, e-waste is one of the highest recycling values. Future research must be focused on the reverse logistics of e-waste. A significant number of precious metals (e.g. gold, copper, and cadmium) present in e-waste is a major concern. There is a need to develop technologies that can reduce the content of precious metals in electronic devices. Further, the efficient and economic recovery of precious metals is very important for the sustainable management of e-waste. Future research should be precisely focused on the techno-economic analysis of the e-waste recycling business on an industrial scale. For other waste also, research should be conducted on energy, efficiency, and economic analysis for the recovery of value-added products.

The generation of HW is directly linked with socio-economic development and income level. The improper handling, storage, treatment, and disposal of HW adversely impact the environment and public health. A sustainable HWM needs effective policies and regulations and their implementation. There is a need to shift towards circular economic models that are sustainable by design, with equal emphasis on economy, environment, and efficiency. The EU recently introduced a circular economy (CE) hierarchy that consists of 10 R’s prioritise redesigning technology, repair, refrain, repurpose, reduce, remanufacture, re-mine, recover, recycle, and reuse. The HW reduction at source/prevention is the most preferred strategy, followed by waste minimisation (through reuse, recycling, composting), recovery/waste to energy, treatment, and disposal. Recycling is a clean approach but this is relatively undeveloped and often requires high investment costs. An economic analysis should be considered before the implementation of recycling. Also, the need is to design products and adopt technologies that can minimise waste generation by re-use and recycling. Composting is a cost-effective method to manage waste containing organic matter but decomposition of organic waste leads to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs). So, there should be a provision to capture GHGs and their utilisation in manufacturing chemicals and other valuable products. Incineration is a commonly used technique for the management of toxic pollutants but with the energy it also emits harmful gases. Landfilling approach is associated with the generation of two types of pollutants, leachate and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Thus, before landfilling, pre-treatment of waste should be accomplished based on the waste composition and the climatic conditions. A waste-to-energy conversion is a promising approach for the conversion of waste materials into value-added products or the recovery of valuable materials. Thermal treatment (e.g. pyrolysis, gasification) and hydrothermal treatment (hydrothermal gasification and liquefaction) are promising techniques to re-produce cleaner renewable energy from hazardous waste. The formation of tar and char are the major issues with thermal treatment. Hydrothermal treatment has limitations of higher operational and equipment maintenance costs due to high operating conditions of pressure and temperature. Most of the treatment technologies are sustainable and effective for specific types of pollutants. In the recent past, treatment technologies (e.g. physicochemical and biological) are integrated (hybrid) to provide cost-effective and environmentally sustainable HWM. The optimal integration in terms of the economic and technological competitiveness of various strategies can be implemented at a commercial scale for waste management. Based on the types and merits of hazardous and non-hazardous waste, thermochemical and biological treatment technologies can be a better solution for the decomposition/degradation of waste material. Simultaneously, these treatment technologies will be able to address environmental remediation as well as generate value-added products in the form of energy and chemicals.

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Author contribution

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Ashutosh Kumar, Gajendra Kumar Gaurav, and Amit K. Thakur. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Ashutosh Kumar, Gajendra Kumar Gaurav, Amit K. Thakur, and Vishal Kumar Sandhwar and all authors (including Jiří Jaromír Klemeš, Kamal Kishore Pant, and Rahul Kumar) reviewed, edited, and commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Open access publishing supported by the National Technical Library in Prague. The research has been financially supported by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Govt. of India (File No. PDF/2021/002197) to Ashutosh Kumar; and the research has been supported by the EU project Sustainable Process Integration Laboratory (SPIL), funded as project No. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/15_003/0000456, the Operational Programme Research, Development and Education of the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports by EU European Structural and Investment Funds to Gajendra Kumar Gaurav.

Data availability

Declarations.

Not applicable.

The authors declare no competing interests.

This paper is dedicated to the memory of the late Professor Jiří Jaromír Klemeš, who contributed to this manuscript. Sadly, he passed away before its submission. The authors would like to express their deep appreciation for his leadership and invaluable scientific contribution.

Publisher's Note

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Contributor Information

Amit K. Thakur, Email: ni.ca.sepu.ndd@rukahtka .

Gajendra Kumar Gaurav, Email: zc.rbtuv.emf@varuag .

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What Is A Waste? A Potential Resource to Favor a Sustainable Transition. Evidence From the Practice.

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97 Waste Management Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best waste management topic ideas & essay examples, 💡 interesting topics to write about waste management, 👍 good essay topics on waste management.

• Zero Waste Management The objective of a zero waste lifestyle is to reduce waste on the environment. The government in San Francisco has propagated a Zero Waste lifestyle.
• Sustainability and Waste Management Secondly, this approach can decrease the cost of energy, and this opportunity is important for the economic sustainability of the country. We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
• Sustainable Waste Management Benefits In this study, the scholar’s aims include: to know the impacts of workable management of leftover in project-based corporations, including how it profits organisations and the various methods firms use to sustain the environment.
• E-Waste Management in the School Environment Recycling Recycling is one of the best ways of managing e-waste in the school. Specifically, the school should roll out a comprehensive campaign on the need to dump the e-wastes in these bins.
• E-Waste Management for the Local Environment The negative consequence of poor e-waste management, such as poor e-waste disposal, might cue the thoughts of the locals on the need to improve on their environmental awareness, thus joining the local environmental organization proposed.
• Disposal of Electronic Waste There has been a growing call for industry players to effect proper disposal of e-wastes, or to find alternative uses of the wastes, such as recycling and separating the components of the electronic devices for […]
• Solid Waste Management in the Dubai Municipality The aim of this paper is to examine the extent of managing the effects of solid waste within the Dubai Municipality.
• The Importance of Zero Waste Management The introduction gets the audience acquainted with the general idea of the paper and the key concept investigated. The major purpose of the zero-waste approach is the arrangement of a circular flow of materials, thereby […]
• Environmental Protection and Waste Management The analysis also focuses on the intellectual behaviour of people regarding the environmental effects of waste. There is lack of strong basis for scientific findings and current guidance is causing the environmental challenges to become […]
• Solid Waste Management: Hazardous Waste Management It is the purpose of this paper to discuss the issue of improper trash disposal practices and the human health problems that such practices may cause in the community.
• The Intel Corporation Waste Management Plan in the Workplaces This paper presents a discussion of the intensity of the seriousness of these problems with reference to a case study of waste management in Jones Cafe 5 and the Ronler Acres Cafe 3 workplaces. The […]
• Management Recycling of the Waste The requirement of this assignment was to collect and recycle different kinds of household items from the trash. In the first week five plastic cups were collected, which were kept in the storage area.
• Waste Management Practices: The Shire of Collie Most of the regions within the proximity of the Shire of Collie undertake drastic measures to control the growth of the waste management problem.
• Nepal’s Waste Management Alternatives For this reason, the group embarked on a research and a number of discussions with EWB to come up with the best design to address the problem of waste management in the area.
• Campus Waste Management The current agreement with the surrounding community on the problem of waste management is based on such principles as the reduction of the waste and its division according the recycling standards.
• The Issue of Waste Management at Events This paper considers the importance of gradually reducing the volume of waste generated at events and the possibility of attracting investors to the field of waste recycling at events.
• Refinery Wastewater Management Water processing plants that use chemical processes to manage the waste water have now turned to the use of zero-effluent techniques of waste management that ensure that the waste water can be re-used and the […]
• Effective Waste Management Steps Step 6: To guarantee the effective reuse of the waste, it is necessary to pay attention to the containers for storing the waste and to the method used for reusing the substances.
• The Nuclear Waste Management Policy The increase in the nations’ potential will aid in their industrialization and enable them to contribute more significantly to the settlement of the nuclear waste problem.
• Dental Offices’ Waste Management Practices A dental office also has to train its employees to ensure that they are aware of the importance of effective waste management to minimize the likelihood of pollution.
• Climate Change and Food Waste Management Climate change is an international challenge that is reinforced by FW, indicating that FW management can help in maintaining the further worsening of the environment.
• Medical Waste Management and Disposal Plan The movement of hazardous medical waste needs to be carefully controlled from the point of generation to the point of final treatment.
• Food Waste Management: Impact on Sustainability and Climate Change How effective is composting food waste in enhancing sustainability and reducing the effects of climate change? The following key terms are used to identify and scrutinize references and study materials.”Food waste” and sustain* “Food waste” […]
• Waste Management Strategies: Toxic Releases It is expected that numbers need to be higher every year as the management of waste improves. Still, progress is not yet achieved in increasing the number of new source reduction projects.
• Efficient Strategies to Improve Waste Management in Qatar Restaurants The primary aim of the study is to determine the effective strategies that can be used to improve waste management in restaurants operating in Qatar.
• Dental Waste Disposal and Related Issues Thus, it is necessary for such waste to be disposed of in separate containers and for only the required amount to be used to avoid wastage.
• Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Strategies People are informed about the area of the collection facilities and the types of materials that are permissible and inadmissible at the collection site.
• Illegal Hazardous Waste Management Cases It may include the illegal storage of waste under the guise of valuable materials or the illegal dumping of refuse into surroundings.
• Waste Management and Policy Improvement Suggestions However, the existing framework does not allow for rigid and sufficient control of the waste management strategies, particularly in regard to organizational e-waste management and e-waste disposal in families.
• Waste Management Sustainability in the UK Fashion Industry In spite of the presence of the overarching goal, the exact nature and direction of sustainable policies may vary across different contexts and regions of the globe.
• Reign of Recycling and Waste Management Problem Despite the established opinion about the benefits of recycling, John Tierney, the author of the article, debates the advantages of this process.
• Solid Waste Disposal: Alternative Methods From this perspective, the necessity to recycle specific types of waste is easier to explain to the citizens than the benefits of incineration, as the former approach is more explicit.
• Poor Waste Disposal and Pollution in California For instance, the rapid increase in the number of factories and industries in California has led to more waste products in the state.
• Environmental Effect & Waste Management Survey The result shows that most respondents are aware of some of the issues caused by environmental waste and lack of recycling.
• On Waste Management: “The Big Necessity” by Rose George To accomplish this three major issues are addressed; the author’s points as well as my intention, things I have learned from the book as well as my thoughts, and lastly the benefits of the book.
• Waste Disposal: Deductions, Legal Fees S 8-1 Positive and Negative limbs: First positive limb: The extent to which outgoing expenses are incurred in gaining or producing assessable income.
• Waste Management and Hazardous Releases The study assesses the credibility of the area to sustain the facility and the effect on the public health and environment.
• Radioactive Medical Waste Management The discovery of the potential of radionuclides in the management of medical conditions has seen an increase in the use of radionuclides in medical facilities.
• Transpacific Waste Management Facility The company has a wide range of waste removal, management, and disposal arrangements that have been fully certified to manage liquid and hazardous waste materials.
• African Towns’ Waste Management: Port Said, Egypt The report addresses problems in developing African countries in general and the city of Port Said in particular. In Port Said, waste collection is done by local authority employees and is largely dependent on two […]
• Waste Management in Developing Nations: A Need Assessment Plan Information gathering is very important as it will tell the current methods of waste management present in the community and the existing resources.
• E-Waste Management in the US: In Search of a Financial Model This paper defines and considers the peculiar characteristics of electronic waste or E-Waste, and invites particular reference to the system of E-Waste management followed by the US federal government and the member States.
• Mapping Environmental Justice: Water and Waste Management Environmental justice describes a set of values, rules and actions which place the responsibility for the dangers to the environmental health on citizens from all ethnicities and socioeconomic classes of the society and guarantee them […]
• Analysis of the Hazardous Waste Management in American States The report particularly mirrors the relationship of the number of waste generators and total hazardous waste generated by the state, generators versus waste generated, and waste shipped versus a number of regions within the States.
• Electronic Waste Management and Recycling In this modern era, going green is the main concern of companies and thus a stance for competition for the majority.
• Liquid Waste Disposal and Ground Water Contamination The following picture illustrates the contamination of water by the liquid waste disposed by The Davis Liquid Waste Analysis of the two case studies reveals that there was ground water in glacial deposits contamination by […]
• Evaluation and Enhancement of E-Waste Management in Dubai The following are some of the possible research methods that can be used to evaluate how to enhance e-waste management in the United Arab Emirates, specifically in the city of Dubai.
• E-Waste Management: Reducing the Toxicity Thus, the topic of this essay is the assessment of the current problem of e-waste management, the current levels of competence about e-waste management, and the methods of addressing the problem at hand.
• Sustainability and Industrial Waste Management It should be mandatory to use the EPA transport certificates. Landfills should not be used to dispose of wastes that belong to category A.
• Waste Management Steps for Manufacturers In the third step, Cooks argues that waste products and waste vehicles should be organized in such a way as to ensure that the waste collected is transported from the factory to the waste processing […]
• Horizon Company’s Energy and Waste Management The same analogy is true for its high-energy demand because Horizon’s use of fossil fuel and electricity to power its organisational processes contribute to the depletion of the earth’s resources.
• Waste Management: Building Information Modeling The amount of waste generated in construction and demolition processes is enormous and is considered the largest portion of global waste.
• Electronic Waste Management in China According to Liu et al, one of the major areas of concern in environmental conservation is the massive generation of electronic wastes.
• Waste Management in Food Processing: Different Types of Wastes and Recycling Ways Even though countries use a variety of ways to manage waste, the research suggests that they are not sufficiently effective and the accumulating waste poses a danger to the well-being of the population.
• Waste Management in Urban Area: Peer Review The methods applied in Cracow enumerated the mass of the waste collected in 2007 and subdivided it into sections of quantity disposed in containers, landfills, and in the recycling banks.
• Metalico Inc.’s Sustainability and Waste Management The other types of scrap metal are distributed to the other facilities in various states. Since this company is a scrap metal recycling facility, it protects the environment against pollution.
• Etihad Airways Company’s Waste Management Approach Moreover, one of the core values of the company is its determination to create a sustainable system that will minimize the impact of the company’s operations on the environment.
• Waste Management in Australia: International Lessons This report is based on the extensive literature survey of the waste management sector in Australia and helps to develop an understanding of the achievements made by the country in the chosen sector. Many developed […]
• Ford’s Waste Disposal in Ringwood Mines Landfill Site In 1984, the area was placed on the Superfund priority list by the Environmental Protection Agency in order to clean up the contamination; however, several attempts of land recovery made by Ford failed as pockets […]
• Medical Waste Disposal: Steps and Regulations Medical waste is “waste sufficiently capable of causing infection during handling and disposal”. Genotoxic Highly dangerous waste that can be teratogenic, carcinogenic, or mutagenic.
• Deep Borehole Disposal for Nuclear Waste 22It is noteworthy that the issue of the feasibility of these projects is still questionable, and the US is unique in actually preparing to test it.
• Hazardous Waste Disposal in the United States The purpose of this report is to present the results of the investigation of the Hanford vitrification plant, a construction projct of Bechtel Corporation.
• Healthcare Waste Management and International Pacts Where a private contractor is involved in the collection, transportation, and disposal of the waste, the duty of care principle requires the health care facility to conduct supervision to ensure that the processes are carried […]
• Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries The major factors that affect the management of waste in cities in developing nations are an ever-increasing quantity of waste generated, overburdened municipal resources because of the increased cost of waste management, and insufficient understanding […]
• Food and Water Waste Disposal in NYC As Grogan observes, many of the problems that are associated with the process of waste disposal are due to the corruption in the state government.
• Waste Management and Action Plan: SP AusNet’s Offices Besides, the report outlines the protocols and procedures for conducting waste management audits such as visual inspection of the current waste boxes and disposal bins.
• Geelong Resource Recovery Centre: Waste Management The Organogram of the facility supports the waste disposal system. Consequently, some waste materials are not transported to the landfill facility.
• Transpacific, Australian Waste Disposal Agency The services department is classified into the general waste disposal, hazardous waste disposal unit, industrial waste disposal and other waste disposal unit. In accordance with the Waste Management Act, the company has the certification and […]
• Nuclear Waste Management Ethical Dilemmas However, the creation of energy through nuclear reactions leads to the production of radioactive by-products that are dangerous to the environment.
• Hazardous Material Waste Management Issues For example, nuclear wastes that are generated during the production of nuclear energy are highly hazardous to people and the environment.
• Benefit Corporation’s Waste Management Owing to the new changes in the operational nature of this company, there is an urgent need to oversee the wellbeing of the immediate environment.
• Hazardous Waste Management Policy at ASU Understanding the seriousness of the issue and the importance of the correct policy applied towards such aspect of work as hazardous waste management, I have read the policy Arizona State University presents.
• Nuclear Waste Disposal Methods The main challenge associated with the nuclear energy is the disposal of the resultant waste. The question of nuclear waste management remains a challenging one given that projections indicate a possible rise in the use […]
• Solid Waste Management in Canada The paper researches and examines the issue of privatization in solid waste management in Canada. The article reveals crucial debates on the issue of privatization of solid waste management.
• “Management Models of Municipal Solid Waste: A Review Focusing on Socio Economic Factors” by Cherian and Jacob Numerous factors impact the quality and results of solid waste management, and the goal of Cherian and Jacob is to review them.
• Introducing E-Waste Management Course in the College The objective of the course would be to ensure that the youths are responsible for the management of wastes, especially the electronic wastes.
• Waste Management Plan – Archivision Garbage collection is inappropriate while the firm produces a great amount of paper and ink wastes, not to mention the food waste and from other activities in the kitchen and in the suites.
• Global Solid Waste Problem and Management Effectiveness in the collection of solid wastes depends on the rate of production of the wastes and availability of resources and equipment to facilitate this collection.
• Waste Management in Australia The first item of the log that is at the top is meant to define the authority under which the bins are managed.
• Waste Management in Australia Numerous materials that end up in landfills determine the types of waste-to-energy management practices that should be executed to save the environment from pollution and devastation.
• Waste Disposal of Victoria City Since the quality of wastes is above the amount which is allowed for disposal through the council, the company should begin by getting waste disposal certificate and observe the rules of disposing the hazardous wastes.
• Wastewater Management Program for Abu Dhabi The plan is to create a conventional treatment plant that will involve a technology to treat the water with efficiency and reliability.
• E-Waste Management Plan for Melbourne School For instance, the e-waste sensitization unit may be encouraged to advice the stakeholders of the school to observe the basic rules of e-waste disposal such as collection of these wastes in designated containers or collection […]
• Sustainability and Waste Management: University of Queensland At the time of the collection of the waste from the bins, the bins are over 50% full, with the general waste bins being 95% full.
• Waste Management in Rye Facility The main aim of Rye facility is to foster waste recovery together with the provision of tipping services to people within the municipality.
• Waste Management in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi The government in the emirate should formulate regulations governing waste management and restricting any form of disposal that could be harmful to the environment.
• A Comparative Analysis of American and Chinese Waste Management Methods In addition, the use of recycling reduces the chances of a country to make use of land fill and incineration and promotes the usability of waste materials again and again.
• Technologies in Improving Air Quality Management Due to Waste Water In this regard, the Eastern Research Group says the temperature of the environment and the physical design of the wastewater treatment facilities have a role to play in the intensity of the pollution In Canada, […]
• Project Management: A Platform Project for Waste Recycling in SMEs and Public Companies Seeing how the manufacturing process includes the location of the resources and the transportation of the given resources to the end customer and, in fact, cannot be viewed outside the manufacturing process, it will be […]
• Management of E-Waste The school can contact the vendors and suppliers of such equipment for disposal. The school can identify the surplus equipment and organize a local auction to dispose them off.
• Sustainability and Waste Management in the Australian Construction Industry In Australia, there is the National Waste Policy that the Waste Management Association of Australia together with the government has put forth to responsibly manage wastes in the country.
• Waste Management Strategies in Australia This is because the population of the country is increasing leading to the creation of more waste. The increase in the quantity of waste generated in the country has a direct link to the increase […]
• The Bamako Convention: Management of Hazardous Waste Materials Movement In the recent past, many countries have been accused of damping hazardous waste in the form of nuclear waste in various parts of the world especially oceans and in third world countries this trend is […]
• Possible Solutions to the Problem of Solid Waste Management Basing on the Comparison of the Situation in the USA and the European Countries To overcome the issue of solid waste management, the USA and the European countries practice the collection, transportation, recycling of the waste at the local and regional levels, with focusing on the competitiveness of the […]
• E-Waste Disposal in US E-waste disposal is destroying the environment in various ways depending on the type of the electronic disposed and the method of disposal.
• Waste Management, Inc. Analysis and Recommendations The company had expressed interest in acquiring its competitor Republic Services, Inc in July 2008 placing a bid of $34 per share, however, this offer was rejected and the company made another attempt in August […]
• Comparison of Secondary and Tertiary Waste Water Management Both the secondary and tertiary treatment methods utilize a number of processes to make each step a success but tertiary treatment is never usually a necessity because it depends on the toxicity of the source […]
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• Published: 23 March 2020

Evidence synthesis for tackling research waste

• Matthew J. Grainger   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8426-6495 1 ,
• Friederike C. Bolam   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2021-0828 2 ,
• Gavin B. Stewart   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5684-1544 2 &
• Erlend B. Nilsen   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5119-8331 1  

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107 Waste Disposal Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on waste disposal, 💡 simple waste disposal essay titles, 👍 good waste disposal research topics & essay examples, 🎓 most interesting waste disposal research titles, ❓ research questions about waste disposal.

• Food Waste Management
• Municipal Solid Waste Management
• Poor Solid Waste Management: The Health Effects
• Waste Disposal: Environmental Issue
• Waste Management and Recycling in Poor Communities
• Construction Waste Management
• Waste Management in Hospitality and Tourism Management
• The Clinical Waste Management in Cameroon The proposed research would only investigate clinical waste management processes in Cameroon and its effects on local communities.
• Waste Management in Urban Sprawls The paper discusses the waste dilemmas in the cities, waste management approaches in urban sprawls, and urban sustainability and how each can be solved.
• Economic Examination of US Waste Disposal Programs The environmental policies of the United States include programs aimed at cleaning up land by recycling and establishing requirements for solid waste disposal.
• Locating Landfills for Waste Management in Northern Ghana Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is an emerging tool for effective waste management as well as an efficient method for sitting landfills and other dumpsites.
• Food Waste Management Importance The world is gradually losing its beauty and is constantly coming under pressure from different problems every other day.
• Urban Solid Wastes Management in the USA After the USA realizing the crisis to which most urban areas were exposed as far as solid wastes management was concerned, there were several policies formulation designed.
• Environmental Management Approaches and Waste Audit The current research provides a comprehensive analysis of environmental management approaches in terms of conducting a full-spectrum waste audit.
• Hazardous Waste and Its Management Methods The primary purpose of the following paper is to outline and analyze some of the major hazardous waste characteristics and methods of its management techniques.
• Waste Management Inc.: Accounting Principles Waste Management Inc. was one of the organizations that violated these standards while being accused of financial manipulations and fraud.
• Gabon’s Nuclear Waste Management The paper contributes to the Gabon region’s sustainable development, technological advancement, and promotion of peaceful uses of nuclear technology.
• The Law on Hazardous Waste Management System The law on hazardous waste management systems was published in the Federal Register in 2012. It was designed to make some changes to the hazardous waste identification rules.
• Waste Management: Component of Resource Management This paper aims to offer the most appropriate solutions for waste management by analyzing the working environment and applying 5S principles for workplace management.
• Vapi Pharmaceutical Firms: Strategies for Toxic Waste Disposal Vapi (India) pharmaceutical companies’ strategies on toxic waste products don’t satisfy and comply with laws and legislation on toxic waste management.
• Wastewater Management Systems in Orange County Wastewater management systems in the Orange County water district have become an illustration of potential solutions for areas where droughts are severe.
• Wastewater Management Technological Advances In this report, attention is paid to new technologies that have been recently introduced in the field of wastewater treatment and management.
• Sanergy Waste Management Company: Reverse Logistics Sanergy Waste Management Company utilizes various methods to track its waste bins and trucks as they transport and deposit materials at various designated locations.
• Municipal Waste Disposal as Social and Ecological Issue The study aims to ban the location of the waste incineration industry within the urban zones. This topic covers both social and environmental issues.
• Waste Management in Acres Homes of Houston, Texas This proposal suggests ways of cleaning up trash and maintaining hygiene in the dumpsites with an aim of reducing carbon gases emission known to cause various diseases.
• United Kingdom Environmental and Waste Management Policies United Kingdom made significant progress in increasing recycling and minimising landfills, but there is the need for more and faster action.
• Nuclear Reprocessing, Waste Disposal and Transportation The paper reviews advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy and analyses nuclear reprocessing as a strategy making nuclear a sustainable source of energy.
• Altered Waste Disposal System in Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease
• Can Downstream Waste Disposal Policies Encourage Upstream Design for the Environment?
• Solid Waste Management: Addressing the Hazards and Measures to Tackle Waste Disposal
• Greater Toronto Area Waste Disposal Crisis
• Various Waste Disposal Problems and Some Fantastic Solutions
• Best Waste Disposal Methods to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• The Ocean: Our Chemical Waste Disposal
• Improper Waste Disposal and Community Health Issues
• Optimal Environmental Tax, Waste Disposal Charge, and Illegal Waste Disposal
• Improper Household Waste Disposal in Rural Territory
• Household Demand for Solid Waste Disposal Options in Malaysia
• Environmental Problem: Buried Waste Disposal Sites
• Waste Disposal and Management: All You Need to Know
• Assessing Incentive-Based Environmental Policies for Reducing Household Waste Disposal
• Analyzing Mumbai’s Waste Disposal Problems
• Waste Disposal and Decentralization: A Welfare Approach
• Illegal Waste Disposal: Enforcement Actions and Decentralized Environmental Policy
• Waste Disposal Practices Among Community Pharmacies
• Estimating the Optimal Scale of Public Investments: The Case of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilities
• New Standard for Waste Disposal Across the World
• The Capacitated Distribution and Waste Disposal Problem
• Analyzing Trends in Solid Waste Disposal Management
• Waste Management: Solutions for Sustainable Waste Disposal
• Social Sustainability Through Nuclear Energy and Waste Disposal
• Climate Change and Local Waste Disposal Problems
• Community-Based Problem: Improper Waste Disposal
• Vegetable Waste Disposal and Management in Cebu City Public Markets
• Environmental Policy with Collective Waste Disposal
• Danger Underground: Nuclear Waste Disposal in Yucca Mountain
• Nuclear Waste Disposal in the United States
• Optimal Environmental Policy for Waste Disposal and Recycling When Firms Are Not Compliant
• What Is the Importance of Effective Waste Disposal
• Engineering and Hazardous Waste Disposal: Impacts on Society
• Solid Waste Disposal and Its Relationship with Economic Development in Rural China
• Innovative Waste Disposal Landfill Sites
• Solid Waste Disposal in Chinese Cities: An Evaluation of Local Performance
• Upstream Pollution, Downstream Waste Disposal, and the Design of Comprehensive Environmental Policies
• Talking Trash: Waste Disposal Services in Malaysia
• Best Tips for Implementing Responsible Waste Disposal Practices in the Company
• Rural Waste Disposal Issues Within Urban Borders
• Municipal Solid Waste Disposal by Using Metallurgical Technologies and Equipment
• Food Waste Disposal and Reduction
• The Environmental Impact of Waste Disposal Problems
• What Method of Waste Disposal Is Best for the Climate?
• Exchange Relationships and the Environment: The Acceptability of Compensation in the Siting of Waste Disposal Facilities
• Industrial Solid Waste Disposal Management in Dubai
• Nuclear Waste Disposal: How the Concerned Public Is Involved in Decision Making
• The Ideal Site for Radioactive Waste Disposal
• Hazardous Waste Disposal and the Hudson River Valley Watershed
• Municipal Solid Waste Management in India
• What Are the Modern Methods of Waste Disposal?
• How Does Waste Disposal Relate to Genetics?
• What Are the Elements of Integrated Solid Waste Disposal?
• What Is the Classification of Waste Disposal by Origin?
• Why Is There a Waste Disposal Crisis in Toronto?
• Why Is Waste Disposal of Nuclear Materials a Serious Problem?
• Is Incineration Used During Waste Disposal?
• How Has Community Action Led to Improved Waste Disposal?
• What Are the Biological Hazards to Someone Living Near a Waste Disposal Site?
• Is Us Waste Disposal Policy Effective?
• What Are the Good Ways to Dispose of Radioactive Waste?
• What Are the Types of Waste Disposal Facilities?
• What Is the Cost of Waste Disposal?
• How Does Waste Disposal Relate to Evolution?
• Is Sorting Required Before Waste Disposal?
• What Is the Meaning of the Three R’s of Ecological Waste Disposal?
• Is Waste Disposal Harmful to the Environment?
• What Are the Current Executive Orders on Waste Disposal?
• What Are the Benefits of Waste Disposal?
• What Companies Deal With Waste Disposal in THE US?
• How Is Waste Disposal in Less Developed Countries?
• Are International Agreements Controlling Waste Disposal?
• What Are the Difficulties of Disposal of Radioactive Waste?
• What Are the Methods of Disposal of Nuclear Waste?
• How Does Waste Disposal Help the Environment?
• How Should Chemical Waste Be Disposed of After the Experiment Is Over?
• What Technologies Can Be Used for Waste Disposal?
• How Is Disposal of Waste From Landfills?
• What Methods of Waste Disposal Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions?
• What Are the Causes of Illegal Waste Disposal?

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StudyCorgi . 2023. "107 Waste Disposal Essay Topics." May 7, 2023. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/waste-disposal-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Waste Disposal were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on January 9, 2024 .

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Waste Disposal Dissertation Topics Ideas and Examples

Published by Owen Ingram at January 6th, 2023 , Revised On March 24, 2023

Waste disposal is an important part of our everyday lives that often goes unnoticed. Proper waste disposal ensures that our environment and public health remain safe and healthy. Additionally, it helps to minimise the amount of trash and other materials that enter landfills or pollute our waterways.

Why Conducting Research on Waste Disposal is Important for Students?

The importance of conducting research on waste disposal should not be underestimated when it comes to students completing their dissertations. Waste disposal is a crucial component of the environment and significantly impacts society and how we live.

Researching this topic is critical for students writing dissertations, as it will enable them to understand better the complexities associated with efficiently managing waste products.

• Researching waste disposal can help students gain a deeper understanding of the current global challenges surrounding this issue, such as pollution and climate change.
• By exploring these issues from different perspectives, students can develop new insights that could significantly impact how people think about, manage, and reduce their waste output.
• Additionally, researching this topic can provide insight into how public policy around waste management could be improved to address these urgent environmental issues more effectively.

How to Choose the Right Waste Disposal Dissertation Topics?

With so many waste disposal topics to choose from, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and frustrated. However, there are some critical points that you should consider in order to make sure your selection is right for you.

• Always opt for a topic that has relevance to your field of study. This will ensure that you can produce interesting and well-informed work.
• Pick something that has not been extensively researched already – this will give your paper a unique edge and contribute new insights into the chosen subject area.

Make sure the topic appeals to you personally – selecting something too far removed from your interests may lead to difficulty when it comes time for writing up results or conclusions.

• Waste Management Dissertation Topics
• Climate Change Dissertation Topics
• Renewable Energy Dissertation Topics
• Ecology Dissertation Research Topics

List of Topics for Waste Disposal Dissertation Topics?

• Municipal solid waste management in India: From waste disposal to the recovery of resources?
• Environmental and health impacts due to e-waste disposal in China–A review
• Municipal solid waste disposal in Portugal
• Waste generation, waste disposal and policy effectiveness: Evidence on decoupling from the European Union
• Household waste management in a Swedish municipality: determinants of waste disposal, recycling and composting
• Overview of waste disposal and landfills/dumps in Asian countries
• Domestic waste disposal practice and perceptions of private sector waste management in urban Accra
• Present status of e-waste disposal and recycling in China
• A GIS-based transportation model for solid waste disposal–A case study on Asansol municipality
• Inconvenience cost of waste disposal behaviour in South Korea
• An assessment of material waste disposal methods in the Nigerian construction industry
• Effects of municipal waste disposal methods on community health in Ibadan-Nigeria
• Solid waste disposal methodology selection using multi-criteria decision-making methods and an application in Turkey
• Investigation of waste disposal areas using electrical methods: a case study from Chania, Crete, Greece
• Biodegradation of chemical waste by specialised methylotrophs, an alternative to physical methods of waste disposal
• Waste disposal problems and management in Ughelli, Nigeria
• The problem of solid waste management and people awareness on appropriate solid waste disposal in Bahir Dar City: Amhara region, Ethiopia
• Movement of selected metals, asbestos, and cyanide in soil: applications to waste disposal problems
• The effects of waste disposal on the coastal waters of Southern California
• The environmental effects of mining waste disposal at Lihir Gold Mine, Papua New Guinea
• The inhibiting effects of hydrogen on the corrosion of uranium dioxide under nuclear waste disposal conditions
• Assessment of odour activity value coefficient and odour contribution based on binary interaction effects in waste disposal plant
• Effects of thermal treatment on fracture characteristics of granite from Beishan, a possible high-level radioactive waste disposal site in China
• An essay on the effect of preliminary restoration tasks applied to a large TENORM wastes disposal in the southwest of Spain.

How Does a Good Waste Disposal Dissertation Topic Help Students in Their Research?

A dissertation is an essential milestone in a student’s academic career. It is the culmination of years of research and hard work.

A good dissertation topic can help students to refine their research goals and develop effective strategies for gathering data and completing their project.

A good waste disposal dissertation topic will depend on the student’s area of focus. For example, students interested in local government policies may wish to consider topics such as landfill management or recycling initiatives.

Those interested in public health may wish to look at topics such as hazardous chemicals or air pollution caused by incineration plants. No matter the chosen field, it is essential to select a specific and engaging topic that has not been explored extensively by other researchers in order to maximise its impact on the field.

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

ResearchProspect writers can send several custom topic ideas to your email address. Once you have chosen a topic that suits your needs and interests, you can order for our dissertation outline service which will include a brief introduction to the topic, research questions , literature review , methodology , expected results , and conclusion . The dissertation outline will enable you to review the quality of our work before placing the order for our full dissertation writing service!

FAQ For Waste Disposal Dissertation Topics Ideas

How do i choose the most appropriate waste disposal dissertation topic.

Consider the subject of your degree program and determine what type of research would best match up with the knowledge you have built up over your studies. For example, if you are studying engineering, choosing a waste disposal project related to sustainability or renewable energy sources may be more suitable than focusing on traditional landfill methods.

Can I use these topics for my dissertation?

Yes, you can use these topics for your dissertation. You can also place an order for a unique waste disposal dissertation topic.

Have other students used these topics already?

These topics are unique though other students might have used these topics since they are publically available for anyone to view.

Can ResearchProspect provide unique and customised waste disposal dissertation topics?

ResearchProspect can create unique and customised waste disposal dissertation topics .

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 113 great research paper topics.

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One of the hardest parts of writing a research paper can be just finding a good topic to write about. Fortunately we've done the hard work for you and have compiled a list of 113 interesting research paper topics. They've been organized into ten categories and cover a wide range of subjects so you can easily find the best topic for you.

In addition to the list of good research topics, we've included advice on what makes a good research paper topic and how you can use your topic to start writing a great paper.

What Makes a Good Research Paper Topic?

Not all research paper topics are created equal, and you want to make sure you choose a great topic before you start writing. Below are the three most important factors to consider to make sure you choose the best research paper topics.

#1: It's Something You're Interested In

A paper is always easier to write if you're interested in the topic, and you'll be more motivated to do in-depth research and write a paper that really covers the entire subject. Even if a certain research paper topic is getting a lot of buzz right now or other people seem interested in writing about it, don't feel tempted to make it your topic unless you genuinely have some sort of interest in it as well.

#2: There's Enough Information to Write a Paper

Even if you come up with the absolute best research paper topic and you're so excited to write about it, you won't be able to produce a good paper if there isn't enough research about the topic. This can happen for very specific or specialized topics, as well as topics that are too new to have enough research done on them at the moment. Easy research paper topics will always be topics with enough information to write a full-length paper.

Trying to write a research paper on a topic that doesn't have much research on it is incredibly hard, so before you decide on a topic, do a bit of preliminary searching and make sure you'll have all the information you need to write your paper.

#3: It Fits Your Teacher's Guidelines

Don't get so carried away looking at lists of research paper topics that you forget any requirements or restrictions your teacher may have put on research topic ideas. If you're writing a research paper on a health-related topic, deciding to write about the impact of rap on the music scene probably won't be allowed, but there may be some sort of leeway. For example, if you're really interested in current events but your teacher wants you to write a research paper on a history topic, you may be able to choose a topic that fits both categories, like exploring the relationship between the US and North Korea. No matter what, always get your research paper topic approved by your teacher first before you begin writing.

113 Good Research Paper Topics

Below are 113 good research topics to help you get you started on your paper. We've organized them into ten categories to make it easier to find the type of research paper topics you're looking for.

Arts/Culture

• Discuss the main differences in art from the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance .
• Analyze the impact a famous artist had on the world.
• How is sexism portrayed in different types of media (music, film, video games, etc.)? Has the amount/type of sexism changed over the years?
• How has the music of slaves brought over from Africa shaped modern American music?
• How has rap music evolved in the past decade?
• How has the portrayal of minorities in the media changed?

Current Events

• What have been the impacts of China's one child policy?
• How have the goals of feminists changed over the decades?
• How has the Trump presidency changed international relations?
• Analyze the history of the relationship between the United States and North Korea.
• What factors contributed to the current decline in the rate of unemployment?
• What have been the impacts of states which have increased their minimum wage?
• How do US immigration laws compare to immigration laws of other countries?
• How have the US's immigration laws changed in the past few years/decades?
• How has the Black Lives Matter movement affected discussions and view about racism in the US?
• What impact has the Affordable Care Act had on healthcare in the US?
• What factors contributed to the UK deciding to leave the EU (Brexit)?
• What factors contributed to China becoming an economic power?
• Discuss the history of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies  (some of which tokenize the S&P 500 Index on the blockchain) .
• Do students in schools that eliminate grades do better in college and their careers?
• Do students from wealthier backgrounds score higher on standardized tests?
• Do students who receive free meals at school get higher grades compared to when they weren't receiving a free meal?
• Do students who attend charter schools score higher on standardized tests than students in public schools?
• Do students learn better in same-sex classrooms?
• How does giving each student access to an iPad or laptop affect their studies?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Montessori Method ?
• Do children who attend preschool do better in school later on?
• What was the impact of the No Child Left Behind act?
• How does the US education system compare to education systems in other countries?
• What impact does mandatory physical education classes have on students' health?
• Which methods are most effective at reducing bullying in schools?
• Do homeschoolers who attend college do as well as students who attended traditional schools?
• Does offering tenure increase or decrease quality of teaching?
• How does college debt affect future life choices of students?
• Should graduate students be able to form unions?

• What are different ways to lower gun-related deaths in the US?
• How and why have divorce rates changed over time?
• Is affirmative action still necessary in education and/or the workplace?
• Should physician-assisted suicide be legal?
• How has stem cell research impacted the medical field?
• How can human trafficking be reduced in the United States/world?
• Should people be able to donate organs in exchange for money?
• Which types of juvenile punishment have proven most effective at preventing future crimes?
• Has the increase in US airport security made passengers safer?
• Analyze the immigration policies of certain countries and how they are similar and different from one another.
• Several states have legalized recreational marijuana. What positive and negative impacts have they experienced as a result?
• Do tariffs increase the number of domestic jobs?
• Which prison reforms have proven most effective?
• Should governments be able to censor certain information on the internet?
• Which methods/programs have been most effective at reducing teen pregnancy?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Keto diet?
• How effective are different exercise regimes for losing weight and maintaining weight loss?
• How do the healthcare plans of various countries differ from each other?
• What are the most effective ways to treat depression ?
• What are the pros and cons of genetically modified foods?
• Which methods are most effective for improving memory?
• What can be done to lower healthcare costs in the US?
• What factors contributed to the current opioid crisis?
• Analyze the history and impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic .
• Are low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss?
• How much exercise should the average adult be getting each week?
• Which methods are most effective to get parents to vaccinate their children?
• What are the pros and cons of clean needle programs?
• How does stress affect the body?
• Discuss the history of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
• What were the causes and effects of the Salem Witch Trials?
• Who was responsible for the Iran-Contra situation?
• How has New Orleans and the government's response to natural disasters changed since Hurricane Katrina?
• What events led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
• What were the impacts of British rule in India ?
• Was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki necessary?
• What were the successes and failures of the women's suffrage movement in the United States?
• What were the causes of the Civil War?
• How did Abraham Lincoln's assassination impact the country and reconstruction after the Civil War?
• Which factors contributed to the colonies winning the American Revolution?
• What caused Hitler's rise to power?
• Discuss how a specific invention impacted history.
• What led to Cleopatra's fall as ruler of Egypt?
• How has Japan changed and evolved over the centuries?
• What were the causes of the Rwandan genocide ?

• Why did Martin Luther decide to split with the Catholic Church?
• Analyze the history and impact of a well-known cult (Jonestown, Manson family, etc.)
• How did the sexual abuse scandal impact how people view the Catholic Church?
• How has the Catholic church's power changed over the past decades/centuries?
• What are the causes behind the rise in atheism/ agnosticism in the United States?
• What were the influences in Siddhartha's life resulted in him becoming the Buddha?
• How has media portrayal of Islam/Muslims changed since September 11th?

Science/Environment

• How has the earth's climate changed in the past few decades?
• How has the use and elimination of DDT affected bird populations in the US?
• Analyze how the number and severity of natural disasters have increased in the past few decades.
• Analyze deforestation rates in a certain area or globally over a period of time.
• How have past oil spills changed regulations and cleanup methods?
• How has the Flint water crisis changed water regulation safety?
• What are the pros and cons of fracking?
• What impact has the Paris Climate Agreement had so far?
• What have NASA's biggest successes and failures been?
• How can we improve access to clean water around the world?
• Does ecotourism actually have a positive impact on the environment?
• Should the US rely on nuclear energy more?
• What can be done to save amphibian species currently at risk of extinction?
• What impact has climate change had on coral reefs?
• How are black holes created?
• Are teens who spend more time on social media more likely to suffer anxiety and/or depression?
• How will the loss of net neutrality affect internet users?
• Analyze the history and progress of self-driving vehicles.
• How has the use of drones changed surveillance and warfare methods?
• Has social media made people more or less connected?
• What progress has currently been made with artificial intelligence ?
• Do smartphones increase or decrease workplace productivity?
• What are the most effective ways to use technology in the classroom?
• How is Google search affecting our intelligence?
• When is the best age for a child to begin owning a smartphone?
• Has frequent texting reduced teen literacy rates?

How to Write a Great Research Paper

Even great research paper topics won't give you a great research paper if you don't hone your topic before and during the writing process. Follow these three tips to turn good research paper topics into great papers.

#1: Figure Out Your Thesis Early

Before you start writing a single word of your paper, you first need to know what your thesis will be. Your thesis is a statement that explains what you intend to prove/show in your paper. Every sentence in your research paper will relate back to your thesis, so you don't want to start writing without it!

As some examples, if you're writing a research paper on if students learn better in same-sex classrooms, your thesis might be "Research has shown that elementary-age students in same-sex classrooms score higher on standardized tests and report feeling more comfortable in the classroom."

If you're writing a paper on the causes of the Civil War, your thesis might be "While the dispute between the North and South over slavery is the most well-known cause of the Civil War, other key causes include differences in the economies of the North and South, states' rights, and territorial expansion."

#2: Back Every Statement Up With Research

Remember, this is a research paper you're writing, so you'll need to use lots of research to make your points. Every statement you give must be backed up with research, properly cited the way your teacher requested. You're allowed to include opinions of your own, but they must also be supported by the research you give.

#3: Do Your Research Before You Begin Writing

You don't want to start writing your research paper and then learn that there isn't enough research to back up the points you're making, or, even worse, that the research contradicts the points you're trying to make!

Get most of your research on your good research topics done before you begin writing. Then use the research you've collected to create a rough outline of what your paper will cover and the key points you're going to make. This will help keep your paper clear and organized, and it'll ensure you have enough research to produce a strong paper.

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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201 Recycling Research Topics & Questions

One tin would not damage the environment. But hundreds of thousands of cans can destroy the ecosystem in a decade. Waste sorting has become the everyday reality of our lives – we do not doubt where a plastic bottle or paper package should go.

Waste management and disposal is also powerful engine for the economic system. This article lists its benefits and challenges. But most importantly, here, you will find 200+ recycling research topics for students that would suit creative writing and essays.

📘 Top 15 Recycling Research Topics

• ✒️ Recycling Research
• 🌱 Recycling History
• 🌿 Legal Aspects of Recycling
• 🧹 Recycling Household Waste
• 🧱 Recycling Industrial Waste
• 💡 Criticism of Recycling
• ❓ Recycling Research Questions

🖇 References

• The costs of collection, transportation, and processing trash outweigh its benefits.
• Recycling industrial waste: Should individuals pay for it?
• Artificial reefs on sunken ships: Is it an ecological way to recycle broken vessels?
• Plastic cannot be recycled; it can only be downcycled.
• Solar panels are not as good as we think: Recycling issues.
• Why is a garden waste as harmful as used oil and tires to the environment?
• Creating transparency and public awareness of recyclate quality.
• Reverse vending machines have been the best recycling solution for decades.
• The easier the sorting, the better the recycled raw materials.
• Third-country business: Collecting and sorting garbage?
• The environmental impact of processing paper packages.
• Compulsory measures or laissez-faire: What is more efficient for the recycling industry?
• Trash fees are inevitable.
• Will complete recycling ever become possible?
• How could we increase the public participation rates in recycling?

✒️ Recycling Research: The Basics

Recycling means processing disposable items that would otherwise be thrown into the dump. As a result of this process, raw materials and new products are produced. Recycling is beneficial for the environment and has many pros :

• Reducing the waste volumes in landfills and incinerators;
• Preserving timber, water, oil, energy, and minerals;
• Cutting down greenhouse gas emissions;
• Providing a domestic source of materials that would otherwise be imported;
• Creating new industries and jobs.

Challenges of Recycling

Several challenges are hindering the popularization of recycling. Here are some excellent suggestions on what could be done to change them.

While writing your answers to recycling research questions, you will find these ideas useful. Below we have listed a broad selection of topics about recycling for high school and college students.

🌱 Topics about Recycling History

• Plato as the first advocate of recycling.
• Evidence of first recycling attempts in the pre-industrial era.
• Economic benefits of recycling in pre-industrial times.
• The rise of the shoddy industry in Britain in the 19th century.
• Toyota Motor Corporation’s Sustainability Agenda.
• The impact of industrialization on recycling.
• The role of chemistry in recycling during the 19th century.
• Recycling as a way to generate value in the early 19th century.
• Salvaging scrap as a way to victory.
• Municipal Solid Waste in the State of Kuwait.
• Salvaging materials during World War II.
• Recycling campaigns of different countries during World War II.
• Recycling as a patriotic act in U.S. history.
• Recycling aluminum in the 20th century.
• Solid Waste Management in the Arab World.
• History of first recyclable electronics.
• Extracting valuable materials from waste.
• Electronic waste in Asia during the late 20th century.
• The emergence of the recycling industry.
• The Ecological Footprint Calculation.
• First automated recycling facilities in Europe.
• The changes in consumption and production.
• New Chinese policies and the crisis in the recycling industry.
• Exporting waste for recycling.

🌿 Legal Aspects of Recycling: Research Topics

• Ways to create a waste supply and demand.
• The efficiency of recycling targets for cities.
• The effects of bans on refuse in cities.
• How to improve the success rate of recycling laws?
• Optimal ways to organize the costs of refuse collection.
• The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Control Implementation.
• Governmental policies that promote recycling.
• Legal ways to decrease the use of non-recyclable materials.
• Supporting supply and demand of recycling services.
• Illegal dumping and ways to prevent it.
• The Built Environment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
• The role of product labeling for recycling purposes.
• Educating consumers on sustainable materials through labeling.
• The benefits of utilization rates versus content mandates.
• Promoting environmentally friendly options through laws.
• Policies on minimum recycled material inclusion.
• Financial aspects of material procurement mandates.
• Can governments affect consumers’ preferences through recycling policies?
• European Union laws on recycling electronic waste.
• The impact of the Environmental Protection Agency actions.
• Increasing the demand for products made from recycled materials.
• Regulating prices of recyclable products through policies.

🧹 Recycling Research Questions on Household Waste

• Ways to collect consumer waste.
• How does the recycling industry resolve the unsorted garbage problem?
• Expenses versus profits in collecting recyclates.
• Systems involved in curbside waste collection.
• Plastic vs. Paper Bags Comparison.
• Mixed versus a separate collection of recyclates.
• How sorting facilities deal with refuse from the curbside collection.
• The impact of public education on the efficiency of curbside collection.
• The role of source separation on waste collection costs.
• Renewable Energy Generation, Application, Impacts.
• Benefits of upholding a proper recycling stream.
• Lowering the operational costs of sorting centers.
• Decreasing contamination of sorted waste for better reusability.
• Is commingled collection more efficient for the recycling industry?
• Water, Wind, Solar, and Nuclear Power Technologies.
• Incentivizing consumers to sort their waste through buy-back centers.
• Should cities use drop-off or buy-back centers?
• The necessity to support sorting centers by governments.
• The profitability of educating citizens on waste disposal.
• Recyclebots as an example of promoting sustainable plastic usage.
• Automated waste sorting processes in material recovery facilities.
• The importance of separating plastics and cardboard from other materials.
• The removal of contaminants and their impact on waste processing costs.
• How sorting waste helps the recycling industry?
• Can early sorting transfer the savings to benefit consumers?
• The process of sorting recyclates from households.
• San Francisco’s goal of zero waste and its outcomes.
• How sorting technologies reduce prices for consumers.
• Why is it necessary to remove glass refuse from other materials?
• Can waste drop-off replace curbside collection?
• City-wide policies on recycling.
• Educating citizens on recycling benefits.
• Is sustainable waste collection impossible without increasing costs?
• Reimbursing recycling costs at buy-back centers.
• The value of mixed recyclables.
• Is cleaning recyclables necessary?
• The role of 3D printers in recycling.
• Refuse logistics in different methods of collection.
• Innovations in sorting consumer waste.
• Methods of improving landfill diversion rates.
• Food waste as a contaminant in consumer-generated refuse.
• The impact of color-coordinated waste bins.
• The need to create opportunities to sell garbage.

🧱 Topics about Recycling Industrial Waste

• Industry-generated waste reduction methods and factors that prevent them.
• Increasing cost-effectiveness of industrial recycling.
• Ways to promote metal recycling among industrial refuse.
• How to increase the recycling rates of rare metals?
• Global Warming, Its Causes, and Potential Solutions.
• Incentivizing industries to recollect used goods for recycling.
• Disposing and recycling of military equipment and vehicles.
• Reusing nuclear waste for military purposes.
• Nuclear Waste Storage in the U.S. and Other Countries.
• The link between renewable energy and recycling policies.
• The usage of recycled plastics in industries.
• Giving electronics manufacturers’ responsible recycling opportunities.
• Poisonous chemicals stemming from non-recycled electronics.
• Plastic Bags, Their Danger and Alternatives.
• Ways to improve the recycling process of electronics.
• Relationship between vehicle recycling and car prices.
• How can recycling benefit the construction industry?
• The decrease in the quality of recycled plastics.
• Applying chemical and physical recycling for plastic waste.
• How can the chemical recycling of polymers extend their life?
• Using pyrolysis to produce valuable chemicals from plastics.
• Dealing with poisonous materials during industrial recycling.
• Promoting “urban mining” in the recycling industry.
• Sustainability in the Food Service Industry.

💡 Criticism of Recycling: Research Topics

• Achievability of zero pollution at production recycling facilities.
• Are the economic costs of recycling justified?
• Conflict of logistic operations and waste recycling.
• Consequences of reusable materials: Morbidity and ill-health.
• Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability.
• Cost: Virgin materials are cheaper than recycled materials.
• Cultivated forests will not renew soil resources.
• Destruction of wood resources due to recycling.
• Do companies allocate funds to reduce waste?
• Does recycling lead to a culture of informed consumption?
• Does the effect of recycling cover its cost?
• Eco-friendliness of recycling: pollution is only increasing.
• Effects of metals with long half-lives.
• Ecological Models in Healthy People 2030.
• Energy costs of recycling and production of recyclables.
• Environmental effects of recycling electrical equipment.
• Inadequacy of plastic recycling due to an abundance of materials.
• Inadequate cost of recycling: Blurred boundaries of profitability.
• Is resource continuity worthwhile in the city?
• Is the personal profit of corporations from recycling greater than the public benefit?
• Lack of effective technologies for incineration and recycling.
• Low efficiency of the recycling industry.
• Market value crisis: The impact of recycling.
• Paper or plastic: Where more resources go.
• Plastic recycling policy: Disadvantages and consequences.
• Product unsuitability for recycling: Consequences.
• Hydroelectric Power Dams’ Environmental Impact.
• Unsafe and unhygienic recycling centers.
• How are recycling conditions socially detrimental?
• The impact of recycling on non-renewable resources.
• Do recycling programs follow biodegradation principles?
• The role and effects of lobbying in recycling.
• Shifting the responsibility for recycling to less national development.
• State evasion of responsibility for harm from recyclables.
• The recycling cycle: unattainable strategies of environmentalists.
• The government’s role in substandard recycling.
• The inefficiency of recycling for economic development.
• The mismatch between urban and natural ecosystems.
• The positive effects of recycling are too long-lasting.
• The problem with recycling: the zero-sum game.
• The quality of recyclable materials is not proportional to their value.
• The social dimension of recycling: poverty and unequal labor.
• Why is ubiquitous recycling not achievable: equal opportunity issues?

❓ More Recycling Research Questions

• Are existing recycling opportunities adequate for the consumer?
• Are energy and material costs of recycling justified?
• Are there any effective recycling strategies?
• Do corporations harm the environment more than the public?
• Does recycling shape the predisposition to various diseases?
• How are policies regarding the recycling of hazardous materials shaped?
• How did legislation stimulate environmental harm reduction?
• How did the principles of recycling evolve?
• How did World War II affect recycling?
• How does legislation regulate and control the coding of recyclables?
• How does recycling affect the added value of the commodity?
• How does recycling impact society?
• Is recycling an ethical choice?
• How does the controversy over recycling affect consumer perception?
• How have policies for recycled products influenced the culture of consumption?
• How should the government influence corporate attitudes toward recycling?
• Is recycling paper beneficial compared to using plastic?
• Is the recycling market fair to the consumer?
• Is there social support for recycling?
• How is the consumer responsible for recycling?
• What are the economic effects of recycling raw materials?
• What are the most relevant critical claims in recycling raw materials?
• What are the positive effects of piecemeal trash sorting?
• What are the short- and long-term effects of recycling?
• What changes in plastic recycling are effective?
• What have principles of recycling industrial waste become prevalent?
• What is the effect of recycling on public well-being?
• What is the value of the recycling cycle?
• What tools exist to improve the quality of recyclables?
• Why are programs aimed at the consumer and not the producer?
• Recycling Basics – the United States Environmental Protection Agency
• Despite challenges, recycling is still the right thing to do – for the environment and the economy – Washington State Department of Ecology
• Novel Advances in Waste Recycling Towards Circular Economy – Frontiers Research Topic
• Frequently Asked Questions: Benefits of Recycling. Land, Buildings & Real Estate – Stanford University
• The Ecology of Recycling – United Nations

120 Recycling Research Topics, Questions, & Essay Ideas 

Recycling involves collecting, processing, and reusing materials to manufacture new products. With its help, we can preserve natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save energy. And did you know that recycling also creates jobs and supports the economy?

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If you want to delve into this exciting topic in your essay, you’ve come to the right place. This article by Custom-Writing.org experts has 120 recycling research topics and prompts to choose from. It will also explain how to write a paper about recycling.

Let’s get started!

🔝 Top 10 Recycling Research Topics

• ❓ Top 10 Research Questions

✅ Benefits of Recycling

• 🎒 Essay Topics for High School Students
• 💡 Topics for Argumentative Essays
• 🌱 Other Research Topics
• 🚀 Writing Prompts
• ♻️ Recycling Essay: How to Write

🔗 References

• Benefits and challenges of recycling
• Ways to reduce waste and pollution
• Innovations in recycling technologies
• Costs, benefits, and incentives of recycling
• Social and cultural perspectives on recycling
• Recycling regulations, laws, and governance
• Recycling in the circular economy: closing the loop
• How waste management helps preserve natural resources
• Suggestions to promote environmental responsibility
• Recycling as a way to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions

❓ Top 10 Recycling Research Questions

• What is the positive impact of recycling?
• How do social factors affect recycling habits?
• What are the challenges of recycling e-waste?
• How can AI help improve recycling processes?
• How does public awareness influence recycling?
• What can help recycling factories get more efficient?
• What are the best methods to increase recycling rates in cities?
• What are the implications of implementing mandatory recycling?
• What psychological factors can stop people from going green?
• Can sustainable practices help us get rid of landfill waste?

Recycling has numerous benefits for the society and the planet as a whole:

🎒 Topics about Recycling for High School Students

• The golden rules of recycling everyone should know
• Analyze how sustainable fisheries and aquaculture create jobs
• How to promote eco-friendly tourism among teenagers
• Organic farming : benefits and adverse effects
• How do schools contribute to green and renewable energy ?
• How should governments invest in green technology ?
• Investigate how green business models create employment
• Green energy and fossil fuels: compare and contrast
• How do countries worldwide invest in green energy ?
• How can we engage more people in plastic recycling ?
• How does recycling relate to green energy sources?
• Does recycling do more good than harm?
• Ways of reducing the schools’ transportation impact on the environment
• Why is green energy the best choice for the country’s economy?
• What are the four main issues with reusing materials?
• The United Nations’ actions for the renewable energy sector
• Adoption of green technology through startups
• Why are green jobs essential for sustainable development ?
• How do we attract more employees to green jobs?
• Evaluate the economic potential for green jobs in the service industry

A high school paper on recycling can cover many topics, from the importance of waste reduction to the types of recycled materials . You can explore the environmental, economic, and social benefits of recycling. Another option is to discuss the role of technology and innovation in improving recycling and reducing waste.

💡 Recycling Essays Topics for Argumentative Papers

• How can recycling materials help improve the agricultural business?
• Do green jobs impact the environment, and why?
• How can recycling materials help create jobs?
• Why should people be engaged in environmentalism ?
• Why enhancing the effect of environmental justice is critical
• The value of recycled materials in developing countries
• Do the benefits of recycling outweigh its costs, and how?
• Is upcycling better than recycling, and why?
• Why should recycling be mandatory for all global businesses ?
• How can an anti-plastic attitude help businesses?
• The power of recycling and green chemistry
• How does overpopulation cause more problems with waste management?
• Does overconsumption prove the effectiveness of recycling materials?
• Why is limiting consumption better than recycling?
• Why do governments make recycling economically attractive for society?
• The importance of recycling and green energy
• Evaluate the impact of recycling on landfills
• Why are the consequences of refusing to recycle plastic detrimental?
• How can we utilize wastewater to increase agricultural impact?
• Recycling waste is a success for green farming

In your argumentative essay , you can focus on the effectiveness of recycling as a solution to environmental issues. While recycling is important, more is needed to address all ecological problems.  Your paper can also argue that recycling must be coupled with other practices to make a meaningful impact and that it’s critical to a broader sustainability strategy.

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🌱 Other Recycling Topics to Research

Recycling research topics: waste management.

• What are the categories of municipal solid waste ?
• How do landfills harm the environment?
• The effect of poor waste management on water sources
• The barriers to implementing waste diversion acts
• How to avoid inadequate management of non-industrial hazardous waste
• The biggest problem of municipal waste management
• Standardization of recycling bins: importance and legal regulations
• How can we improve waste diversion programs?
• How do waste management services vary across the US?
• How does solid waste affect carbon footprint ?
• Discuss the contribution of food waste to climate change
• How odor management is related to waste management
• Legal frameworks of waste management
• How do types of waste management differ?
• Composting of waste: advantages and disadvantages
• Control of waste to minimize its effect on public health
• The most effective global waste prevention practices
• Why is food overproduction critical for food service waste management?
• Proper and safe food waste management
• How can people minimize food waste on a daily basis?

Your research can cover various topics related to waste collection, transportation, processing, and disposal. One option is to describe the benefits of different types of waste households, businesses, and industries. Alternatively, you may write about the potential environmental and health impacts of poor waste management .

Recycling Research Paper Topics: Recyclable Materials

• The potential for job opportunities in recycling materials
• What are the economic benefits of recycling ?
• How does recycling contribute to the conservation of natural habitats?
• What happens to the plastic that remains unrecycled?
• What do the symbols on plastic items mean?
• How does poor application of recycling harm the environment?
• Which daily products should we all recycle, and why?
• Ways of overcoming low market demand for recycled materials
• What are the benefits of recycling aluminum?
• Water recycling : benefits and limitations globally
• What are the most recycled materials in the world?
• What happens to paper when it is recycled?
• The purpose of using animal waste as recycling material
• Top recycled materials innovations and trends
• How is the recycling of hazardous waste possible?
• Which brands use eco-friendly and recycled materials?
• The challenges companies encounter when reusing materials
• Why should people continue using plastic ?
• Compare glass disposal systems in different countries
• Reasons to use disposable face masks during COVID-19

In addition to these topics, you may describe the types of materials that are commonly reused, such as paper, plastic, glass, and metal. Your research could also delve into the benefits, challenges, and limitations of recycling certain materials.

Research Topics about Recycling: Environment

• The impact of recycling on reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• Are recycling programs effective in mitigating climate change ?
• The ecological benefits of recycling paper and reducing deforestation
• What are the environmental consequences of recycling plastic waste ?
• The role of recycling in conserving natural resources and reducing resource extraction
• The economic and environmental implications of recycling electronic waste
• Can recycling help reduce water pollution and conserve freshwater resources?
• Explain the environmental impact of recycling glass and reducing energy consumption
• Can recycling reduce air pollution and improve air quality ?
• The lifecycle assessment of different recycling processes and their environmental implications
• Ways of mitigating ocean pollution and protecting marine ecosystems with the help of recycling
• How does reusing of materials correlate with waste management challenges?
• The environmental benefits and challenges of recycling organic waste and composting
• What is the influence of recycling on reducing the extraction of rare and valuable minerals?
• Can recycling promote sustainable consumption and production patterns?
• The environmental impact of recycling metals and reduction of mining activities
• Is recycling efficient in reducing manufacturing industries’ energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions?
• The social and environmental implications of recycling textiles and reducing textile waste
• How does recycling influence the pollution from hazardous materials and public health?
• What is the long-term sustainability of recycling practices, and how can we improve it?

If you want to explore the environmental benefits of recycling, you can write about reducing greenhouse gas emissions , conserving natural resources, and preventing the accumulation of waste. Alternatively, discuss the role of people and governments in promoting sustainable waste management practices. You may also suggest ways to encourage the popularization of recycling to preserve the environment.

🚀 Recycling Essay Prompts

In addition to the recycling topics, we’ve also developed plenty of fresh essay prompts to inspire you! Check them out below:

Benefits of Recycling Essay Prompt

In your essay, you might discuss the benefits of recycling and provide specific examples and evidence to support your arguments. You can consider the perspectives of different stakeholders, including individuals, businesses, and governments.

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Here are some of the questions to answer in your paper:

• What are the environmental benefits of recycling? Analyze how recycling helps conserve natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and prevent pollution.
• How does recycling support the economy and create jobs? Consider analyzing the industries that benefit from recycling and the impact of repurposing materials on the growth of a green economy.
• What are the social benefits of recycling? Here, you can focus on how recycling promotes responsible consumption and waste reduction. Does it encourage individuals and communities to adopt more sustainable lifestyles?
• What are the challenges and limitations of recycling, and how can they be addressed? You can also explore technology and innovation’s role in improving recycling and reducing waste or suggest your own ideas.

Should Recycling Be Mandatory: Essay Prompt

Some people believe mandatory recycling is necessary to reduce the environmental impact of humans. However, it may be challenging or counterproductive. In your paper, consider the arguments both for and against compulsory recycling.

Here are some questions to consider:

• What are the economic, environmental, and social benefits of mandatory recycling?  Argue that compulsory recycling is necessary to ensure individuals and businesses take responsibility for their environmental impact.
• What are the potential drawbacks of mandatory recycling policies? You might also choose another side, namely: how might the policies be enforced, and at what costs?
• What alternative strategies are there to encourage greater recycling rates?  You can propose your own or already existing ideas, such as more recycling bins, reusable bags, online promotions, etc.

Prompt for an Essay about Paper Recycling

Paper recycling is an essential aspect of waste management and sustainability. Your essay can explore the benefits and challenges of paper recycling and its role in promoting a more sustainable future.

Consider answering these questions:

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• What are the benefits of paper recycling? You can analyze how paper recycling impacts the environment and how it fits into broader sustainability efforts.
• What challenges exist in paper recycling? You can also suggest ways to address them. Is there any difference between the challenges in recycling paper and other materials?
• How can individuals and businesses promote paper recycling? You can focus on the initiatives and programs that have been successful in increasing paper recycling rates.

♻️ Research Paper on Recycling: How to Write

Have you decided on the topic but don’t know how to start writing? Keep reading to learn how to write a research paper on recycling!

Recycling Research Paper: Introduction

In the introduction , provide the context of the topic and introduce the main arguments and themes you will discuss. For example, review the importance of recycling, the environmental challenges it addresses, and the potential benefits it provides. Your introduction should end with a thesis statement that outlines the central argument or perspective of the paper.

To attract your audience’s attention, you would need a catchy hook. For instance, consider using a citation such as this one:

“Recycling is a simple act with complex benefits. It takes a little bit of our time, yet it yields environmental, economic, and social returns that are simply too good to ignore.” – Ed Begley Jr.

Recycling Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is one or two sentences that highlight the main argument of a paper. It should also provide a roadmap for the reader by outlining all the critical points discussed in the essay. Here’s an example of a good recycling thesis statement:

By implementing effective recycling programs and encouraging individual responsibility, we can significantly reduce waste, conserve natural resources, and mitigate the harmful effects of climate change, leading to a more sustainable future for all.

You can also use our free thesis statement generator to save time and energy.

Research Paper on Recycling: Main Body

Describe the key arguments and evidence supporting the thesis statement in the main body. Pay particular attention to the structuring of your paper. Remember that each paragraph should focus on a specific idea that aligns with the thesis statement. Also, don’t forget to support your claim with evidence, such as statistics:

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA,) recycling aluminum cans allows saving 95% of the energy needed to produce new aluminum cans from raw materials. 

Topic Sentence about Recycling: How to Write

A topic sentence expresses the main idea or point of a paragraph. It should briefly describe the paragraph’s content. 

To write a good topic sentence, ensure that it supports the thesis statement and the overall argument of the paper. It should introduce the idea you will discuss in the paragraph and relate to the essay’s broader themes. Here’s an example:

Recycling reduces the need for new resource extraction, preventing environmental degradation and conserving natural resources.

Recycling Essay Conclusion

For the conclusion , summarize the key arguments and evidence presented in the body of the paper. Additionally, rephrase the thesis statement and provide a final reflection on the importance of your topic. Your conclusion should leave your readers with a sense of the significance of the issue and its future implications. Check out this example of a concluding sentence:

We can create a more sustainable future for everyone by establishing successful recycling initiatives and promoting individual accountability, which can significantly decrease waste production, preserve natural resources, and mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change.

 Now you’re all set to write an excellent recycling research paper or an essay. Good luck! Feel free to leave a comment or share this article with your friends.

Haven’t found a suitable topic? Use our random topic generator to get more ideas for your essays.

Further reading:

• 180 Environmental Research Topics & Questions to Write about
• 250 Geography Essay Topics & Geology Writing Ideas
• 521 Research Questions & Titles about Science
• Environment vs. Development Essay: Tips & Topics [2024]
• 233 Hottest Global Warming Essay Topics & Research Ideas
• Recycling: Encyclopedia Britannica
• Benefits of Recycling: National Institutes of Health
• Recycling and Composting: New York (.gov)
• How Recycling Can Help the Climate and Other Facts: BBC
• What to Know About the Benefits of Recycling: WebMD
• Frequently Asked Questions: Benefits of Recycling: Stanford University
• Benefits of Recycling: LinkedIn
• The Pros and Cons of Recycling: ThoughtCo
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