Abstract
With global populations becoming more urbanized at an accelerated pace, humanity increasingly requires creative approaches to optimize the efficiency and sustainability of urban infrastructure while maintaining the quality of life in cities. In this work, we review some of these circular economy technologies implemented in integrated waste management systems aiming at sustainability and focusing on recycling, waste-to-energy (WTE), and material recovery. Integrating environmental science, chemical engineering, and economics in this study suggests a frame with which to approach sustainable waste management solutions that can deliver both economies of scale as well as efficiency. Using a mixed-method framework that combines case studies and simulations, we assess how circular economy technologies can reduce waste, recover resources, and lessen environmental damages. The outcomes demonstrate their impacts on sustainability metrics and socio-economic performance, confirming the potential of adopting circular economy principles to change urban waste systems. The study hues with the burgeoning genre of sustainable technologies, which yields observations for engineers and policy makers.