Circular Economy Approaches In Sustainable Engineering: A Systematic Literature Review Of Waste-To-Resource Technologies, Economic Impacts, And Policy Frameworks
Article Sidebar
Abstract:
Background of Study: The global challenge of waste management and resource depletion is driven by the traditional linear "take-make-dispose" model. This study addresses the urgent need to transition toward a circular economy (CE) to mitigate environmental degradation and resource scarcity.
Aims Paper: To systematically synthesize and analyze existing literature to identify strategic pathways for advancing sustainable engineering through circular economy principles, integrating technological innovation, economic impacts, and policy frameworks.
Methods: The research employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Data was sourced from Scopus, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore (2015–2025). Bibliometric analysis was performed using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer on 15 high-quality selected articles.
Result: Findings show that the field is dominated by techno-economic studies (28.6%), Life Cycle Assessment (21.4%), and resource recovery optimization (21.4%). Quantitative modeling and simulations are the primary methodologies used (42.9%).
Conclusion: The transition to a circular economy requires an integrated approach linking technical advancement with economic viability and policy support. Future research should bridge the gap between technological innovation and social/digital transformation.
Keywords: Circular Economy, Sustainable Engineering;, Waste-to-Resource, Economic Impact, Policy Framework
Copyright (c) 2026 Abdul Jamal, Adamu Abubakar
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
References
Al–Salem, S. M., & Dutta, A. (2021). Wax Recovery From the Pyrolysis of Virgin and Waste Plastics. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 60(22), 8301–8309. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.1c01176
Almeida, M. P. G. de, Mockaitis, G., & Weissbrodt, D. G. (2023). Got Whey? Sustainability Endpoints for the Dairy Industry Through Resource Biorecovery. Fermentation, 9(10), 897. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9100897
Almusaed, A., Almssad, A., Yitmen, I., & Homod, R. Z. (2023). Enhancing Student Engagement: Harnessing “AIED”’s Power in Hybrid Education—A Review Analysis. Education Sciences, 13(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13070632
Ambituuni, A., Osobajo, O. A., Kamudyariwa, X. B., & Adu, D. A. (2025). Project‐Based Enactment of Circular Economy ( CE ) Business Models: A Systematic Literature Review of The CE –Project Research Nexus. Business Strategy and the Environment, 34(8), 10942–10961. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.70143
Chiriţă, A.-P., Bors, A. M., Rădoi, R., Dumitrescu, I.-C., & Popescu, A.-M. C. (2023). Leveraging Additive Manufacturing and Reverse Engineering for Circular Economy-Driven Remanufacturing of Hydraulic Drive System Components. Applied Sciences, 13(22), 12200. https://doi.org/10.3390/app132212200
Devlin, J. F., Hopeward, K., Hopeward, J., & Saint, C. P. (2023). Leading the Circular Future: South Australia’s Potential Influence on Circular Economy Development in Asia-Pacific Region. Sustainability, 15(18), 13756. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813756
Gonella, J. dos S. L., Filho, M. G., Campos, L. M. de S., & Ganga, G. M. D. (2024). People’s Awareness and Behaviours of Circular Economy Around the World: Literature Review and Research Agenda. Sustainability Accounting Management and Policy Journal, 15(5), 1118–1154. https://doi.org/10.1108/sampj-08-2022-0413
Hira, A., Pacini, H., Attafuah-Wadee, K., & Hassall, J. (2022). Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution Programme (SMEP): A Circular Economy Experiment in the Global South. Journal of Developing Societies, 38(3), 287–309. https://doi.org/10.1177/0169796x221106013
Jakubelskas, U., & Skvarciany, V. (2023). Circular Economy Practices as a Tool for Sustainable Development in the Context of Renewable Energy: What Are the Opportunities for the EU? Oeconomia Copernicana, 14(3), 833–859. https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.2023.025
Kalita, A., Saikia, A. P., & Baruah, S. (2023). A Critical Review on Plastic Waste Administration. Environmental Quality Management, 33(1), 457–471. https://doi.org/10.1002/tqem.22076
Kargar, S., Pourmehdi, M., & Paydar, M. M. (2020). Reverse Logistics Network Design for Medical Waste Management in the Epidemic Outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Science of the Total Environment, 746, 141183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141183
Lande, O. B. S., Layode, O., Naiho, H. N. N., Adeleke, G. S., Udeh, E. O., Labake, T. T., & Johnson, E. (2024). Circular Economy and Cybersecurity: Safeguarding Information and Resources in Sustainable Business Models. Finance & Accounting Research Journal, 6(6), 953–977. https://doi.org/10.51594/farj.v6i6.1214
Mărgineanu, E. (2021). Implementation of Innovative Engineering Solutions in Moldova Through the Prism of the Existing Legal Framework. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 1(3), 977–993. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-021-00062-9
Meramo, S., Puello, P., & Cabarcas, A. (2020). Process Analysis of Hydrogen Production via Biomass Gasification Under Computer-Aided Safety and Environmental Assessments. Acs Omega, 5(31), 19667–19681. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.0c02344
Nandan, A., Suresh, A., Saole, P., Jeevanasai, S. A., Ramprasad, C., Meili, L., Azelee, N. W., & Selvasembian, R. (2023). An Integrated Approach for Electronic Waste Management—Overview of Sources of Generation, Toxicological Effects, Assessment, Governance, and Mitigation Approaches. Sustainability, 15(24), 16946. https://doi.org/10.3390/su152416946
Neisig, M. (2021). The Circular Economy: Rearranging Structural Couplings and the Paradox of Moral-Based Sustainability-Enhancing Feedback. Kybernetes, 51(5), 1896–1914. https://doi.org/10.1108/k-12-2020-0843
Piñones, P., Dérpich, I., & Venegas, R. (2023). Circular Economy 4.0 Evaluation Model for Urban Road Infrastructure Projects, CIROAD. Sustainability, 15(4), 3205. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043205
Rahimireskati, S., Ghabraie, K., Garcez, E. O., & Al-Ameri, R. (2021). Prediction of the Mechanical Performance of High-Strength Concrete Containing Biomedical Polymeric Waste Obtained From Dialysis Treatment. Applied Sciences, 11(5), 2053. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11052053
Saeed, S., Arshad, M. Y., & Ahmed, A. S. (2023). Advancing Circular Economy in Industrial Chemistry and Environmental Engineering: Principles, Alignment With United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and Pathways to Implementation. European Journal of Chemistry, 14(3), 414–428. https://doi.org/10.5155/eurjchem.14.3.414-428.2452
Saidani, M., Kravchenko, M., Cluzel, F., Pigosso, D. C., Leroy, Y., & Kim, H. (2021). Comparing Life Cycle Impact Assessment, Circularity and Sustainability Indicators for Sustainable Design: Results From a Hands-on Project With 87 Engineering Students. Proceedings of the Design Society, 1, 681–690. https://doi.org/10.1017/pds.2021.68
Salesa, A., León, R., & Abadía, J. M. M. (2022). Is Business Research Shaping the Circle? Systematic and Bibliometric Review of Circular Economy Research. Sustainability, 14(14), 8306. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148306
Salinas-Navarro, D. E., Arias-Portela, C. Y., Cruz, J. R. G. de la, & Vilalta-perdomo, E. L. (2024). Experiential Learning for Circular Operations Management in Higher Education. Sustainability, 16(2), 798. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020798
Segovia‐Hernández, J. G., Contreras‐Zarazúa, G., & Ramírez‐Márquez, C. (2023). Sustainable Design of Water–energy–food Nexus: A Literature Review. RSC Sustainability, 1(6), 1332–1353. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3su00110e
Stempfle, S., Roselli, L., Carlucci, D., Leone, A., Gennaro, B. D., & Giannoccaro, G. (2022). Toward the Circular Economy Into the Olive Oil Supply Chain: A Case Study Analysis of a Vertically Integrated Firm. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2022.1005604
Tabet, A., Bouafia, A., Al‐Essa, K., Laib, I., Laouini, S. E., Alharthi, F. A., Souwaileh, A. A., Mokni‐Tlili, S., & Trzepieciński, T. (2025). Unveiling the Synthesis, Characterization, and Multifunctional Applications of Ca₅(PO₄)₃F@Ca₅P₈ Nanocomposites From Phosphate Waste for Antioxidant Activity and Evans Bleu Decomposition. Chemistryselect, 10(16). https://doi.org/10.1002/slct.202406193
Takarada, Y., Dong, W., & Ogawa, T. (2020). Shared Renewable Resources and Gains From Trade Under Technology Standards. Review of Development Economics, 24(2), 546–568. https://doi.org/10.1111/rode.12651
Tay, Z. Y., & Konovessis, D. (2023). Sustainable Energy Propulsion System for Sea Transport to Achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: A Review. Discover Sustainability, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-023-00132-y
Vargas-Merino, J. A., Ríos-Lama, C. A., & Panez-Bendezú, M. H. (2022). Circular Economy: Approaches and Perspectives of a Variable With a Growing Trend in the Scientific World—A Systematic Review of the Last 5 Years. Sustainability, 14(22), 14682. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214682
Wang, H., Sun, Z., Ni, Z., Qi, Y., Feng, X., Xiao, H. B., Wang, L., Hong, J., Liang, Y., & Li, C. (2025). From Genetic Constraints to Process Hurdles: A Review of Kluyveromyces Marxianus for Efficient Bio-Manufacturing and Bio-Processing in Food Industry. Current Research in Food Science, 11, 101221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crfs.2025.101221
Zhang, Y. (2024). Circular Economy Innovations: Balancing Fossil Fuel Impact on Green Economic Development. Heliyon, 10(18), e36708. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36708
