Closing the loop : waste valorisation as the pattern for sustainable innovation

Abstract

The global shift towards sustainability demands that we rethink waste – not as an endpoint but as a resource. Running through my research like a golden thread is the principle of waste valorisation woven into the broader circular economy framework. This guiding concept has informed a range of interconnected research strands, each advancing a more sustainable future while directly contributing to key Sustainable Development Goals – specifically SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). One key strand, bioproduction, harnesses microbial and enzymatic systems to transform waste into high-value biochemicals, offering renewable alternatives to fossil-based resources. In parallel, bioremediation and biorecovery leverages microbial consortia and engineered biological systems to detoxify industrial effluents and reclaim valuable elements. Another key focus is Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) beneficiation, extracting polycationic metals and rare earth elements while mitigating water pollution. Interwoven with these, biosorption and advanced materials provide innovative pollutant removal strategies, integrating bio-based and hybrid, materials with recovered waste, such as biochar, to enhance the capture of heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, and emerging contaminants. Looking ahead, my research continues to evolve towards industrial-scale application and integrated systems that combine these technologies for greater environmental and economic impact. By tethering fundamental research with industrial application, my work fosters collaboration across academia, industry, and policy to drive systemic change. Through these efforts, I aim to advance sustainable solutions where environmental responsibility and economic viability are not opposing forces but complementary threads in the fabric of sustainable progress.