Recycling of end-of-life vehicles and electrical and electronic equipment waste: Current state-of-the-art, challenges and opportunities in a circular economy

• Systematic Literature Review: The study analyzes 86 journal articles and 10 book chapters from Scopus and Web of Science, focusing on WEEE and ELV recycling since 2011. • Data Classification and Analysis: Selected literature is treated as a dataset, examining research trends, technological innovations, and geographical distributions. • Research Growth Assessment: The study tracks the rise of research interest from 2011 to 2024, highlighting publication trends and regional research activity. • Key Recycling Challenges: The methodology explores efficiency, costs, material-specific challenges, geopolitical factors, and future research opportunities. The increasing production levels of electrical and electronic equipment, vehicles, and recent product applications using composite materials are leading to unprecedented quantities of waste material. This waste must be managed for a wide range of reasons: health, environmental issues, ethical considerations, and because much of the waste represents valuable resources that could be recovered. One purpose of this study is to present and categorise the wealth of research that has been carried out since 2011, so that other researchers may quickly find the prior work relevant to their own interests. A second purpose is to recognise strengths in the existing body of research and to identify areas that merit more attention. From a managerial perspective, the review highlights how informed waste‑management strategies can reduce operational costs, support compliance goals, and strengthen long‑term sustainability planning. Finally, it has been noted that while many strategies exist for waste management, the area with the greatest potential for further research, increased product cost savings, and highest product sustainability is the strategy of “Design for End of Life”.