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Sustainability
Special Issues
Circular Economy and Sustainable Technological Innovation
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Circular Economy and Sustainable Technological Innovation

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 4378

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Joosung Lee

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Enterprise School and Division of Convergence Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Asan 31538, Republic of Korea
Interests: sustainable innovation; environmental technology policy; social venture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

We cordially invite your frontier research in circular economy and sustainable technological innovation for publication in this Special Issue. Of particular interest are the following topics: economics of circular economy, sustainable technology development, innovation for sustainable business and various areas within the scope of this Special Issue.  With the business model of circular economy’s impacts on nature and society as well as future economic growth, it is necessary to aggregate the latest case studies and data analyses to shape the industry’s strategies that can minimize harmful effects while expediting the diffusion of innovative ESG practices. As such, a wide range of research participation from academia, corporations, governments and NGOs is required to develop feasible methods and take meaningful actions. This Special Issue will serve as a key platform for such discussions toward sustainable circular economy. Prof. Dr.Guest Editor

Dr. Joosung Lee
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • circular economy
  • sustainable technological innovation
  • sustainable business model

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 5451 KB  
Article
Machine Learning as a Tool for Sustainable Material Evaluation: Predicting Tensile Strength in Recycled LDPE Films
by Olga Szlachetka, Justyna Dzięcioł, Joanna Witkowska-Dobrev, Mykola Nagirniak, Marek Dohojda and Wojciech Sas
Sustainability 2026, 18(2), 1064; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18021064 - 20 Jan 2026
Viewed by 341
Abstract
This study contributes to the advancement of circular economy practices in polymer manufacturing by applying machine learning algorithms (MLA) to predict the tensile strength of recycled low-density polyethylene (LDPE) building films. As the construction and packaging industries increasingly seek eco-efficient and low-carbon materials, [...] Read more.
This study contributes to the advancement of circular economy practices in polymer manufacturing by applying machine learning algorithms (MLA) to predict the tensile strength of recycled low-density polyethylene (LDPE) building films. As the construction and packaging industries increasingly seek eco-efficient and low-carbon materials, recycled LDPE offers a valuable route toward sustainable resource management. However, ensuring consistent mechanical performance remains a challenge when reusing polymer waste streams. To address this, tensile tests were conducted on LDPE films produced from recycled granules, measuring tensile strength, strain, mass per unit area, thickness, and surface roughness. Three established machine learning algorithms—feed-forward Neural Network (NN), Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost)—were implemented, trained, and optimized using the experimental dataset using R statistical software (version 4.4.3). The models achieved high predictive accuracy, with XGBoost providing the most robust performance and the highest level of explainability. Feature importance analysis revealed that mass per unit area and surface roughness have a significant influence on film durability and performance. These insights enable more efficient production planning, reduced raw material usage, and improved quality control, key pillars of sustainable technological innovation. The integration of data-driven methods into polymer recycling workflows demonstrates the potential of artificial intelligence to accelerate circular economy objectives by enhancing process optimization, material performance, and resource efficiency in the plastics sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy and Sustainable Technological Innovation)
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17 pages, 1228 KB  
Article
Enabling Circular Value Chains via Technology-Driven Scope 3 Cooperation
by Elena Kazakova and Joosung Lee
Sustainability 2025, 17(20), 9099; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17209099 - 14 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1055
Abstract
Despite major policy, industry, and individual efforts to reduce global environmental damage, the industry-induced carbon footprint continues to persist under changing geographical patterns. Having shifted significantly from advanced economies to emerging economies and developing world regions, greenhouse gas emissions from footprint-heavy activities, such [...] Read more.
Despite major policy, industry, and individual efforts to reduce global environmental damage, the industry-induced carbon footprint continues to persist under changing geographical patterns. Having shifted significantly from advanced economies to emerging economies and developing world regions, greenhouse gas emissions from footprint-heavy activities, such as raw material sourcing and waste disposal, are not addressed by institutional and corporate solutions due to different regional standards or the overall absence of mandatory reporting. Rooted in the analysis of industry practices and past literature, the present research presents an integrated theme-based perspective on the interplay between focal firms and their suppliers in the context of advanced and emerging economies in underreported Scope 3 activity carbon footprint management. We argue that it is technology-driven unified efforts, which enforce factors such as traceability, transparency, and predictive and prescriptive capabilities within Scope 3 activities, that need to be addressed to ensure the activation and maintenance of a truly sustainable global value chain (GVC). By departing from traditional command-and-control practices and extending upon the existing governance-focused framework of sustainable value creation, this paper highlights the essential co-creating stance of non-focal actors in achieving a circular approach to sustainability within GVCs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy and Sustainable Technological Innovation)
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23 pages, 384 KB  
Article
Impact of Digitalization, Technological Innovation, and ICTs on Sustainability Management and Strategies
by Gökçe Akdemir Ömür and Ahmet Erkasap
Sustainability 2025, 17(12), 5351; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17125351 - 10 Jun 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2246
Abstract
This study examines the impact of technological innovation, digitalization, and information and communication technologies (ICTs) on trade-related carbon emissions (TAEs) and the role of economic growth in this relationship. Using data from the 15 countries with the highest carbon emissions in the world [...] Read more.
This study examines the impact of technological innovation, digitalization, and information and communication technologies (ICTs) on trade-related carbon emissions (TAEs) and the role of economic growth in this relationship. Using data from the 15 countries with the highest carbon emissions in the world for the period 1997–2022, analyses were conducted with Panel-Corrected Standard Errors (PCSEs), Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR), and Driscoll–Kraay (D-K) estimators. TAEs provide a more comprehensive environmental assessment than traditional emission calculations by taking into account the impact of international trade on carbon emissions. The findings show that technological innovation, digitalization, and ICTs use increased trade-related carbon emissions, and economic growth further strengthens this effect. These results reveal that sustainable production models and green energy policies should be emphasized more in order to minimize the environmental impacts of technological developments and economic growth. The findings of this study provide important strategic information for policymakers, environmental regulators, and international trade institutions in developing sustainable technology and trade policies to reduce carbon emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy and Sustainable Technological Innovation)
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