Waste Management Policy for Sustainable (Peri-)Urban Development and the Circular Economy

Waste lies at the heart of a paradox: the detritus of progress and the foundation of sustainability. In the ever-shifting landscapes of (peri-)urban systems, where the ambitions of circular economies collide with entrenched inefficiencies, waste management emerges as both a challenge and a beacon of possibility. This collection of studies draws together voices from across the globe, weaving insights that traverse policy inertia, technological frontiers, and the intricate dance of human behavior. It explores how circularity, far from a utopian ideal, must grapple with the unfinished realities of governance, infrastructure, and social dynamics. Here, waste becomes more than material—it is a lens through which we confront the urban future, unearthing the architectures of resilience and the elusive promise of sustainable equilibrium. Each contribution offers not a solution, but a provocation: a call to reimagine the cities we build, the resources we use, and the legacies we leave behind.