Redrawing the Boundaries of Resources: Inaugurating a New Academic Era for Global Waste Valorization

Abstract

We find ourselves at a hinge point in history. Much of the world still runs on a linear “take–make–dispose” model, one that depletes resources and fuels the intertwined crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. If we are serious about changing course, we must reclaim the word waste. It is not the inevitable end of a product’s life; it is a reservoir of untapped value.

With that conviction, we are proud to launch Global Waste Valorization, an international journal dedicated to the science, engineering, policy, and practice of transforming waste from environmental liability into economic, ecological, and social opportunity. Our aim is nothing short of a systemic shift that closes loops, creates positive externalities, and accelerates a genuinely circular economy.