Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Sustainable waste management and resource recovery are increasingly important components of circular economy and sustainability transitions, yet the intellectual structure and thematic evolution of this interconnected research domain remain insufficiently characterized. Previous bibliometric studies have largely examined individual dimensions of waste management, recycling, circular economy, or resource recovery, leaving their broader interrelationships comparatively fragmented. This study provides a global bibliometric assessment of sustainable waste management and resource recovery research published between 2015 and 2025, with particular emphasis on the evolution of research activity, intellectual and collaborative structures, and thematic priorities. A total of 19,473 English-language research articles indexed in Scopus were analyzed using bibliometric indicators and VOSviewer-based network visualization. The analysis examined publication and citation patterns, leading journals, authors, institutions, countries, funding agencies, collaboration networks, intellectual structures, and keyword co-occurrence patterns. The results show a substantial increase in scientific output during the study period, indicating growing scholarly attention to sustainable waste management, resource recovery, circular economy, climate change, and environmental sustainability. China, India, the United States, and the United Kingdom emerged as major contributors, with extensive international collaboration characterizing the research landscape. Keyword analysis revealed four interconnected thematic pillars: sustainable waste management and circular economy; wastewater treatment and pollution control; resource recovery and bioenergy generation; and environmental impact assessment and climate change mitigation. The thematic structure indicates an increasing integration of waste management with resource efficiency, waste valorization, environmental assessment, and circular economy concepts, while digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and blockchain are emerging research areas. Overall, the findings indicate an evolution in research themes, publication patterns, and knowledge structures from predominantly conventional waste-management concerns toward more integrated resource-recovery, circular-economy, and sustainability-oriented research. The study provides an integrated knowledge -domain perspective that can support researchers, policymakers, funding agencies, and industry stakeholders in identifying research priorities, collaboration opportunities, and emerging areas for investigation. Importantly, the observed bibliometric trends represent changes in scholarly activity and thematic development and should not be interpreted as direct evidence of technological effectiveness, environmental performance, economic feasibility, or policy implementation success. Clinical trial number Not applicable.
Source: Discover Environment
Language: English
Subfield: Waste Management and Disposal
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,390
OpenAlex ID: W7225199295