Integrating life cycle sustainability thinking in the waste-to-energy sector: Existing trends, challenges and a sustainable transition framework

• Integrating life cycle sustainability thinking in the waste-to-energy sector reveals that globally, thermochemical adoption was at least 40 % higher than in biochemical plant, therefore, suggesting a need to investigate bioeconomy potentials. • The sustainable transition pathway provides a six-stage approach that operationalises the application of life cycle sustainability approach for waste-to-energy project by specifically optimising waste mixes, technological options, and the locations of WtE plants. • The illustrative case study revealed that waste-to-energy provides improved global warming potential (of up to 6 %), but combining it with carbon capture systems (achieves 12 % improvement), and will enhance its uptake and improve its financial viability (by up to 44 %) in the Australian context examined. Implementing waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies using the bioeconomy lens provides a comprehensive opportunity to leverage the “triple bottom line” sustainability benefits. This study seeks to silhouette a broader life cycle perspective on WtE case studies towards developing a sustainable transition framework. The research follows a three-stage taxonomy. Firstly, WtE technologies are reviewed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and synthesised with existing theoretical frameworks on bioeconomy. Secondly, a contextual content analysis of diverse macro-level factors leads to the development of a sustainable transition framework. Stage three undertakes an illustrative case study to demonstrate the application of the proposed framework. Based on the systematic review, it was clear that emissions depend upon feedstock constituency, fuel available and desired output. Hence, it was found that in Asia and Europe, thermochemical adoption was at least 40 % higher than biochemical plants. The illustrative case study revealed that WtE provides improved global warming potential (up to 6 %). When combined with carbon capture systems this increases up to 12 % whilst potentially enhancing uptake through 44 % improved financial viability in the Australian context. The sustainable transition framework specifically optimises waste mixes, technological options, and the locations of WtE plants. Developing such a framework provides a viable roadmap to ensure that the issues identified across the literature are addressed holistically without burden-shifting while optimising resource utilisation. This paper advocates further research through ensembles of digital twin models to better reconcile theory and practice, inform policy, and actualise the bioeconomy potential of WtE projects for a genuinely sustainable and resilient future.