Derivation of hazardous wastes: Pharmaceutical and food applications

Around the globe, solid waste generation rates are reaching 2.01 billion tons, resulting in a footprint of 0.78 kg per person per day as of 2020. It is expected to escalate by 70% and reach approximately 3.42 billion tons by the end of 2050, indicating that waste generating and its disposal are a relevant issue worldwide. Waste can be a source of various useful pharmaceutical and food raw materials, which partially solves the global waste problem. This comprehensive review paper focuses on different types of wastes that can yield carbohydrate polymers for pharmaceutical or food purposes. It covers systemic documentation and summarizes numerous scientific articles published in 2004–2022. The review demonstrates a great perspective for waste re-utilization as an alternative source of pharmaceutical and food materials. It provides a complete insight into the responsible approach to hazardous waste recycling, thus promoting research in bio-waste remediation, novel raw materials, and natural sustainability.