Charting the Knowledge Landscape of Solid Waste Management:A bibliometric Study

The growing challenges of solid waste management (SWM) have attracted increasing scholarly attention, warranting a systematic evaluation of the research landscape. This study employs a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to map the intellectual structure, research trends, and scholarly collaborations in SWM research, from 2000 to 2024. Data were retrieved from the Scopus database and analyzed using VOS viewer and Biblioshiny, an R-based bibliometric tool. Key performance indicators, including publication growth, source productivity, author contributions, institutional output, and country-level scientific production, were examined alongside co-citation, co-authorship, and keyword co-occurrence networks. The analysis reveals a steady increase in publications over the study period, with Waste Management, Waste Management & Research, and Science of the Total Environment emerging as dominant sources. China and India lead in both research output and citation impact, while a concentrated group of prolific authors and institutions significantly shape the field’s development. Thematic mapping indicates that recent research increasingly focuses on sustainable waste treatment technologies, circular economy, life cycle assessment, and climate change mitigation. This study provides valuable insights into the evolution, dynamics, and emerging directions of SWM research globally, offering guidance for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to address existing gaps and advance sustainable waste management practices.