Rethinking recycling in megacities

Megacities account for around 13 per cent of the world's waste and are therefore at the centre of environmental, social and economic problems. In view of growing urbanisation and consumer demands, conventional disposal routes such as landfills or incineration will no longer be sufficient in the future. However, the circular economy concept offers a way out. Chemical recycling in particular makes it possible to recycle carbon-containing waste into recyclable materials for the chemical industry. However, in addition to technological and ecological issues, there are also social challenges. The study "Waste-to-Products" for the sustainability transformation of megacities: Case analysis of impacts of public knowledge and perception on chemical recycling deployment in Singapore" conducted by scientists from Germany and Singapore shows that technical, political and social factors must interact to enable the transition from a "waste-to-energy" to a "waste-to-products" strategy.