About this Research Topic

Background

Sustainable wastewater management intertwines closely with the broader agenda of sustaining water resources essential for social equity and environmental health. As per the United Nations' vision for a water-secure world, fulfilling Sustainable Development Goal 6 is crucial—emphasizing clean water and enhanced sanitation practices. Simultaneously, wastewater serves as a substantial secondary resource hub, promoting a Circular Economy by optimizing resource use and maximizing recovery efficiencies of water, energy, and nutrients.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methods are pivotal in evaluating the environmental impacts of urban water systems, aiding the wastewater treatment sector's shift from mere pollutant removal to resource recovery processes. However, while environmental LCAs are extensively utilized, the fields of social LCAs and ecosystem service applications in water management remain underexplored. These approaches provide invaluable insights into social impact and ecosystem benefits—critical for informed decision-making and comprehensive environmental and social sustainability assessments.

This Research Topic aims to delve into the integration of environmental LCA, social LCA, and ecosystem services within wastewater management in a Circular Economy. The goal is to enhance methodological understanding and application, addressing challenges and emerging trends. To further our understanding, we invite contributions focusing on, but not limited to:

• Environmental and sustainability impacts in wastewater management
• LCA-driven environmental performance evaluations
• Locational analysis of valuable secondary resources in wastewater
• Lifecycle footprints of recovered secondary resources
• Regulatory impacts shaped by environmental LCA applications
• Social dynamics and risk assessments via social LCA
• Ecosystem-centric benefits and sustainability measures in wastewater management

This collection seeks to advance both theoretical and practical knowledge, fostering an interdisciplinary dialogue among researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to propel sustainable practices forward.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Life cycle assessment, Ecosystem services, Wastewater treatment, Carbon neutral technologies, Green Technologies, Nature-Based Solutions, Wastewater pollution, Stormwater treatment and management, Agricultural and urban runoff, Secondary resources

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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