Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The study navigates how circular economy (CE) principles can be applied to water and waste management to address critical issues like water scarcity and practicing sustainability at an age marked by consumption of water, ignoring the consequences of contaminated water. The purpose of this study is to examine recycling at a household (individual) level and industrial wastewater treatment practices to improve water use and reduce discharge of toxic waste. Adopting a circular approach in water management compels one to accept waste water as a reusable and recyclable resource. This paper focuses on analysing recent methods, economic factors, and technological advancements that influence CE adoption in water management and preservation strategies. The existing literature indicates that domestic water recycling techniques, such as utilising grey water for irrigation, may drastically reduce the need for freshwater and support sustainable water management at a large scale. However, when it comes to industry level, there are far more complex issues involved in the treatment of water due to existence of harmful contaminants in wastewater, such as heavy metals and chemical pollutants, which are usually not present in the wastewater discharged by households. In order to properly recycle industrial wastewater, support resource efficiency and minimise the environmental impact of industrial operations, treatment techniques such as improved filtration, biological treatment, and detoxification have proved to be efficient. However, the high cost and complexity imposed by these technologies often limits their wider adoption, especially for small and medium sized businesses and at places where water resources are scarce. One can reduce the amount of impurities added to water during industrial processes, if the individuals build the habit of computing carbon footprint of the products they are willing to purchase, this will motivate the producers to manufacture eco- friendly products with low carbon footprints, this will help in preserving potable water. Whereas at the domestic level, rainwater collection and grey water reuse can be achieved with minimal investment. This review paper also identifies a number of research gaps, such as economic studies of water recycling systems are not common, particularly when it comes to cost- benefit analysis for low-income households and small businesses. Also, there is still a dearth of research on low-energy methods for treating industrial wastewater, which puts smaller businesses at a disadvantage when it comes to implementing CE standards. The lack of comprehensive legislative framework demotivates businesses and households to engage in waste water management and then, water recycling becomes another concern. Furthermore, studies do not indicate a lot about the social aspects that would affect the adoption of CE in water usage, thus emphasising the need for observing community participation and awareness campaigns.
Authors: Lavanya Jain, Sarita Yadav
Institutions: Delhi Technological University, Amity University
Language: English
Subfield: Waste Management and Disposal
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4410178220