Waste Management Dissertation Topics

Two billion tonnes of municipal solid waste are produced each year worldwide, and volumes are set to climb toward 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050, shaping climate, health, and city budgets alike. As a team at TopicSuggestions, we work with students and practitioners, and today we will come up with focused ideas you can turn into rigorous dissertations without chasing obscure datasets. Our thesis is simple: strong topics in waste management sit at the intersection of policy, technology, economics, and equity, and they are most compelling when tied to measurable outcomes.

Dissertation Topic Ideas on Waste Management

To make your selection easy, we’ll present a concise list grouped by themes—policy and governance, circular economy and business models, data and technology, public health and justice, and sector-specific streams like plastics, food, e‑waste, and construction—flagging where appropriate the typical methods or data angles you might use.

1. Dynamic Microclimate Equity Zones: A Statutory Framework for Heat-Risk Reallocation in Cities

– We ask how municipal environmental justice statutes could authorize dynamic, sensor-triggered heat emergency zoning that reallocates cooling obligations among landlords and utilities?
– We evaluate whether due process requires notice-and-comment for hourly boundary shifts and what remedies we design for improper activation?
– We model whether tiered building code obligations can be imposed variably and how we reconcile them with takings and equal protection doctrine?
– We test how data governance and privacy rules should structure the public deployment of thermal cameras used to enforce these zones?

2. Parametric Remedies in Environmental Litigation: From Weather Indices to Self-Executing Court Orders

– We examine whether courts can lawfully embed parametric triggers (e.g., rainfall or AQI thresholds) into injunctive relief and what separation-of-powers limits apply?
– We determine how evidentiary standards should operate when satellite datasets auto-trigger a remedy without contemporaneous judicial fact-finding?
– We assess how parametric penalties could reduce monitoring costs while avoiding excessiveness concerns under constitutional and statutory frameworks?
– We explore whether tribal courts could pioneer parametric consent decrees for water quality co-management and how state-federal comity would function?

3. Hydrogen Leakage Liability and the NOx Shadow: Assigning Responsibility in Green Hydrogen Buildouts

– We quantify how small upstream H2 leakage that elevates tropospheric ozone should be internalized under nuisance and product liability theories?
– We compare whether pipeline operators or electrolyzer manufacturers should bear strict liability for leakage-induced air quality exceedances across jurisdictions?
– We explore how permitting under PSD/NSR can incorporate invisible NOx shadow modeling to condition approvals and require mitigation?
– We propose how insurance, bonding, and MRV clauses could price leakage risk and what evidentiary thresholds would trigger claims?

4. Orbital Shade Rights: Domestic Remedies for Transboundary Light Modification by Space-Based Infrastructure

– We ask how national environmental statutes could recognize and remedy local ecological harms from foreign-operated sunshades or SBSP rectennas that alter insolation?
– We test whether coastal states can assert nuisance or public trust claims for changed light regimes that disrupt fisheries and kelp forests?
– We analyze how NEPA-like review should extend to outbound launch licensing to account for downlink shadow externalities on habitats?
– We propose treaty-implementing domestic causes of action that communities could invoke against private orbital operators?

5. Bioacoustic Quiet Corridors: Legal Recognition of Nocturnal Soundscapes as Critical Urban Habitat

– We evaluate how endangered species and migratory bird statutes could define decibel and frequency thresholds as protectable habitat attributes after dusk?
– We design a municipal permitting regime that allocates acoustic budgets for night construction and traffic without violating equal protection or preemption?
– We test whether nuisance defenses change when plaintiffs present machine-learning bioacoustic evidence of reproductive disruption?
– We explore how enforcement could rely on citizen-science sensors while satisfying evidentiary chain-of-custody and Daubert standards?

6. Conservation DAOs and On-Chain Easements: Reconciling Property Registries with Tokenized Stewardship

– We map how recording statutes and land title systems could recognize smart-contract easements and what failure modes arise in foreclosure or bankruptcy?
– We evaluate whether securities law attaches when a DAO fractionalizes ecosystem services and how we draft conservation-specific exemptions?
– We test governance safeguards that prevent rug-pulls while preserving adaptive management flexibility required by habitat conservation plans?
– We propose an audit standard that courts could accept to verify on-chain performance of restoration covenants?

7. A Right-to-Repair for Ecosystems: Post-Disaster Salvage Duties and Liability Shields

– We ask whether legislatures can impose affirmative ecosystem repair duties after storms or fires akin to maritime salvage and how we calibrate Good Samaritan protections?
– We evaluate how FEMA and state disaster frameworks could condition rebuilding permits on ecological triage plans without creating unlawful exactions?
– We analyze tort exposure for volunteer restoration crews and how environmental Good Samaritan statutes might be modernized to cover them?
– We test catastrophe bond and resilience credit models that trigger automatically when ecological repair metrics lag?

8. Geoengineering Proof-of-Reversibility: A Precautionary Standard for Stratospheric Aerosol Micro-Trials

– We define what counts as reversibility in statute and how we set evidentiary burdens before authorizing micro-scale aerosol releases?
– We compare administrative designs for a reversible-by-design licensing regime that can compel rapid cessation and remediation within specified time windows?
– We test how civil liability should allocate harms when reversal fails due to nonlinear or emergent atmospheric responses?
– We propose verification protocols using open satellite and in situ data that courts would deem reliable for compliance?

9. Thermal Pollution as Energy Storage: Legal Pathways for Closed-Loop Heat Discharge to Balance the Grid

– We ask how Clean Water Act permitting could authorize reversible, time-shifted thermal discharges that store heat in engineered reservoirs without violating antidegradation?
– We evaluate NEPA and state siting rules when facilities propose heat banks that interact with aquatic ecosystems seasonally?
– We test rate design and environmental justice safeguards so that communities do not bear disproportionate thermal burdens during peak pricing events?
– We propose monitoring obligations and adaptive caps keyed to fish spawning calendars and dissolved oxygen thresholds?

10. Seed Data Sovereignty: Treaty-Grade Protections for Indigenous Ecological Datasets in AI Conservation

– We examine how environmental and cultural heritage law could codify Indigenous control over genomic, phenological, and landscape data used to train conservation AI?
– We test model governance clauses that operationalize FPIC, benefit-sharing, and model deletion rights when datasets are withdrawn?
– We analyze conflict-of-laws issues when cloud-hosted datasets underpin permits or enforcement models across multiple jurisdictions?
– We propose an oversight body that certifies data sanctuaries and adjudicates misuse with remedies grounded in environmental and human rights law?

11. Designing AI-mediated Informal Recycling Marketplaces to Improve Material Recovery

We propose investigating how AI platforms can formalize informal recyclers without displacing livelihoods. We ask: How can machine learning match material flows with informal collector capacities while preserving fair pricing? How can privacy-preserving data aggregation be designed for informal sectors? How do AI recommendations affect recycling rates and collector incomes over time? We outline a mixed-methods approach: we will co-design prototype algorithms with recycler cooperatives, we will deploy a field pilot in one city, and we will evaluate socio-economic and material recovery outcomes using ethnography, usage logs, and lifecycle material accounting.

12. Circular-Design Protocols for Repairable Consumer Electronics in Low-Income Urban Contexts

We propose creating actionable design-for-repair protocols tailored to low-income settings to extend product life and reduce e-waste. We ask: What specific design changes yield the greatest increase in repairability at minimal cost? How do local repair ecosystems respond to standardized repair protocols? What regulatory incentives most effectively encourage manufacturers to adopt these protocols? We outline a study combining lab-based design iterations, partnerships with local repair shops for in-situ trials, and policy simulation models to project waste reduction and economic impacts.

13. Microplastics Fate during Pyrolysis of Mixed Municipal Waste and Emissions Mitigation Strategies

We propose characterizing transformation pathways of microplastics during thermal treatment and developing engineering controls to minimize toxic byproducts. We ask: What chemical species derive from common microplastics under municipal-scale pyrolysis temperatures? How effective are staged combustion and sorbent interventions at capturing hazardous compounds? What are the trade-offs between energy recovery and pollutant formation? We outline an experimental program using bench-scale pyrolysis reactors, advanced GC-MS/FTIR analysis, and pilot-scale emission monitoring with modelling of control technologies.

14. Blockchain-Enabled Waste-Stream Credits for Urban Circularity: Design, Governance, and Equity Impacts

We propose evaluating blockchain token models that represent verified diverted material streams and examining governance to ensure equity. We ask: How can tokenization of waste streams avoid speculative behaviors and instead incentivize local circular activities? What governance structures distribute benefits to informal workers and small enterprises? How does token adoption alter recycling infrastructure investment decisions? We outline a design-led field experiment deploying a permissioned ledger with community governance, paired with econometric analysis of market behavior and stakeholder interviews.

15. Agrifood Waste Valorization into Low-Carbon Bioplastics Using Community-Scale Biorefineries

We propose developing processes that convert localized agrifood residues into compostable biopolymers suitable for regional packaging markets. We ask: What feedstock blends maximize polymer yield and functional properties at community scale? How do logistics and seasonal variability affect supply reliability and lifecycle carbon outcomes? What business models enable farmer cooperatives to capture value? We outline pilot biorefinery trials, materials testing, cradle-to-gate LCA, and a co-op business model feasibility study.

16. Drone-Assisted Rapid Response for Illegal Dumping Detection and Community-Led Remediation

We propose integrating autonomous aerial monitoring with participatory remediation workflows to tackle transient illegal dumping hotspots. We ask: How can drones, combined with computer vision, reliably detect small-scale illegal dumping in dense urban morphologies? How does real-time reporting to local community groups affect removal times and re-dumping rates? What privacy-preserving protocols are required to maintain community trust? We outline a pilot involving iterative CV model training, community response trials, and outcome metrics on clearance time, recidivism, and resident perceptions.

17. Cultural Dynamics of Mass-Event Food Waste: Intervention Design for Large-Scale Sporting and Music Venues

We propose studying how cultural, temporal, and spatial factors at large events drive food waste and testing context-specific interventions. We ask: Which venue layouts, sale formats, and cultural norms most strongly predict plate-level and pre-consumer waste? How effective are social-norm nudges, dynamic pricing, and onsite redistribution in reducing waste during events? What are the operational barriers to scaling successful interventions across event types? We outline ethnographic observation at multiple events, randomized controlled trials of interventions, and stakeholder workshops with venue managers and vendors.

18. Grid-Integrated Waste-to-Energy Co-Firing: Impacts on Renewable Integration and Resilience in Mid-Sized Cities

We propose assessing how co-firing waste-derived fuels in municipal power plants affects grid flexibility, emissions, and resilience during peak demand or outages. We ask: How does intermittent co-firing alter dispatchable capacity and renewable curtailment? What emissions profiles arise when varying waste-to-biomass fuel mixes are used? How do different regulatory electricity market designs influence the economics of co-firing? We outline coupling power-system modelling with fuel characterization experiments and resilience case studies using historical outage and demand data.

19. Decentralized Anaerobic Digestion Hubs for Peri-Urban Dairy Waste: Techno-Social Optimization

We propose optimizing small-scale AD hubs that co-digest dairy manure and food waste to deliver energy and fertilizer to peri-urban farming communities. We ask: What hub configurations maximize biogas yield and nutrient recycling while remaining financially viable for farmer collectives? How do social arrangements for feedstock sharing and digestate distribution affect system performance? What sanitation and odor-management practices are essential for community acceptance? We outline comparative pilots of multiple AD configurations, socio-economic surveys of farmer partners, and nutrient flow analysis to design scalable operational models.

20. Modular Smart Household Hazardous Waste Segregation Bins with Embedded Circular Takeback Triggers

We propose designing smart modular bins that classify, segregate, and trigger manufacturer takeback or municipal pickup for household hazardous items. We ask: How accurate can low-cost sensors and simple AI classify common household hazardous waste in a domestic setting? How do automated takeback triggers change user disposal behaviour and municipal collection efficiency? What privacy and cost constraints matter most for adoption? We outline iterative prototyping with sensor suites, in-home user trials, integration with municipal logistics, and a cost–benefit assessment including avoided contamination incidents.

21. Blockchain-enabled micro-incentives for informal-sector waste pickers: design, equity, and scalability

We, the TopicSuggestions team, ask the following research questions: 1) How can blockchain-based token incentives be designed to improve income stability and working conditions for informal waste pickers without excluding the most vulnerable? 2) What governance models (cooperative, municipal, private) best balance transparency and local control? 3) How does tokenization affect recycling rates and material quality at neighborhood scale?
We will work on this by co-designing token incentive prototypes with waste picker cooperatives, running a pilot with blockchain transaction logging, conducting mixed-methods impact evaluation (surveys, interviews, transaction analysis), and modelling scalability and governance scenarios.

22. Urban heat-island effects on anaerobic digestion performance in decentralized biogas systems

We, the TopicSuggestions team, ask the following research questions: 1) How do elevated ambient temperatures and diurnal fluctuations in heat-island zones alter methanogenesis rates and microbial community structure in small-scale digesters? 2) What passive or low-cost adaptations optimize yield and stability under these conditions? 3) How does seasonality interact with heat-island intensity to influence performance?
We will work on this by installing replicated pilot digesters across urban microclimates, monitoring gas yields and microbiomes, testing insulation and evaporative-cooling retrofits, and developing predictive models linking urban thermal profiles to digester performance.

23. Circular-material flows from urban vertical farming: integrating horticultural waste into municipal compost streams

We, the TopicSuggestions team, ask the following research questions: 1) What chemical and biological characteristics of vertical-farm residues (substrates, root mats, nutrient solutions) affect municipal composting processes? 2) How can co-composting protocols be optimized to preserve nutrient value and reduce contaminants? 3) What business-models enable vertical farms and municipalities to co-manage residue flows profitably?
We will work on this by characterizing vertical-farm waste, running co-composting trials at pilot scale with monitoring for contaminants and nutrient recovery, engaging stakeholders for value-chain analysis, and producing techno-economic assessments and operational guidelines.

24. AI-driven routing that prioritizes landfill gas capture and odor mitigation in mixed-collection fleets

We, the TopicSuggestions team, ask the following research questions: 1) Can route optimization algorithms incorporate dynamic landfill-gas capture potential and odor-risk indices to reduce emissions and complaints? 2) What sensor fusion (odor sensors, gas flux monitors, traffic) inputs most improve decision-making? 3) How do trade-offs between collection efficiency and environmental externalities resolve in real-world operations?
We will work on this by integrating mobile sensor data into a routing prototype, training reinforcement-learning models on simulated and real operations, conducting field trials with municipal fleets, and evaluating environmental and operational outcomes.

25. Plasma-assisted chemical upcycling of mixed low-density plastics for small municipal facilities

We, the TopicSuggestions team, ask the following research questions: 1) What plasma parameters enable selective depolymerization of mixed LDPE/LLDPE/PP streams into valuable monomers with tolerable energy inputs? 2) How does feedstock contamination (food residues, pigments) affect product distribution and downstream purification needs? 3) What is the comparative lifecycle carbon and cost profile for decentralized plasma upcycling versus mechanical recycling and incineration?
We will work on this by conducting bench-scale plasma depolymerization experiments on simulated municipal feedstocks, analyzing product streams, performing energy and LCA modelling, and sketching modular small-facility designs with cost estimates.

26. Augmented-reality (AR) household nudges for complex waste sorting in multi-ethnic urban communities

We, the TopicSuggestions team, ask the following research questions: 1) How effective are AR overlays (on smartphones or kiosks) at improving sorting accuracy for culturally diverse households with mixed-language needs? 2) Which nudge designs (dynamic feedback, gamification, social comparison) most sustain behavior change over six months? 3) What privacy and accessibility trade-offs arise when deploying AR at scale?
We will work on this by co-developing AR prototypes with diverse residents, running randomized controlled trials comparing nudge variants, measuring sorting accuracy and repeat behavior, and conducting qualitative interviews on usability and equity.

27. Symbiotic coastal-town systems: coupling municipal organic waste anaerobic digestion with shrimp aquaculture effluent processing

We, the TopicSuggestions team, ask the following research questions: 1) Can digestate-derived nutrient streams be safely and efficiently treated to support shrimp aquaculture while closing nitrogen/phosphorus loops? 2) What pathogen or contaminant risks arise, and how can treatment train design mitigate them? 3) How do integrated system economics compare to separate treatment and feed inputs?
We will work on this by designing a pilot treatment train (digestate → constructed wetland/filtration → aquaculture inflow), measuring water quality and shrimp health/growth, performing pathogen screening, and modelling nutrient flows and economics.

28. Engineered microbial consortia for co-degradation of cellulose and PET in mixed municipal organics

We, the TopicSuggestions team, ask the following research questions: 1) Which combinations of cellulolytic and PET-degrading microbes produce synergistic degradation rates in mixed-substrate reactors? 2) How does community stability respond to fluctuations typical of municipal feedstocks? 3) What downstream product profiles (monomers, oligomers, volatile compounds) are generated and how can they be captured?
We will work on this by isolating candidate strains, constructing defined consortia, running bench-scale bioreactors on mixed substrates, monitoring community dynamics and degradation kinetics, and assessing product recovery options.

29. Life-cycle and sewer-impact assessment of “biodegradable” flushable wipes across climatic and plumbing regimes

We, the TopicSuggestions team, ask the following research questions: 1) How do marketed flushable wipes behave mechanically and chemically in different sewer hydraulic regimes and wastewater temperatures? 2) What is the comparative lifetime environmental impact when considering consumer use, sewer blockage costs, and wastewater treatment loads? 3) Which labeling and testing standards best predict real-world sewer impacts?
We will work on this by conducting pipe-flow and laboratory disintegration tests under varied conditions, compiling field reports of blockages, performing LCA including infrastructure maintenance, and recommending testing protocols and labeling criteria.

30. Adaptive policy frameworks to integrate informal e-waste collectors using mobile-money formalization pathways

We, the TopicSuggestions team, ask the following research questions: 1) How can mobile-money platforms be leveraged to formalize payment, traceability, and training for informal e-waste collectors while preserving livelihoods? 2) What regulatory and incentive designs minimize leakiness and black-market flows? 3) How do collectors perceive formalization and which co-designed policy instruments best support uptake?
We will work on this by co-creating mobile-money pilots with collectors and recyclers, running policy simulations, conducting mixed-methods evaluations (surveys, interviews, transaction analytics), and drafting adaptive policy guidelines for municipal adoption.

31. AI-guided micro-collection networks for informal settlement waste streams

We propose designing adaptive, low-cost micro-collection routes using lightweight AI that learns from informal settlement patterns.
We ask: 1) How can federated learning optimize micro-route planning while preserving resident privacy? 2) How do dynamically scheduled micro-collections affect informal recycler livelihoods and informal dumping? 3) What are the cost-benefit and emissions trade-offs versus centralized curbside collection?
We will combine agent-based modelling, pilot deployments with smartphone-based data capture, interviews with informal recyclers, and comparative emissions and cost LCA to evaluate performance.

32. Catalytic depolymerization pathways for mixed textile blends toward circular chemical feedstocks

We investigate novel catalytic processes that convert mixed natural/synthetic textile waste into defined monomers and oligomers.
We ask: 1) Which catalytic systems selectively depolymerize polyester–cellulose blends under mild conditions? 2) How do dye and finishing chemistries inhibit or alter reaction pathways? 3) What is the techno-economic threshold for integrating depolymerization at municipal textile sorting centres?
We will perform bench-scale catalysis experiments, characterize products by GC-MS and NMR, model process economics, and run small continuous-flow trials to assess scalability.

33. Decentralized nutrient recovery from combined domestic greywater and food waste for urban aquaponics

We explore integrated, small-footprint systems that recover nitrogen and phosphorus from combined household greywater and food waste for closed-loop urban aquaponics.
We ask: 1) What modular treatment train maximizes nutrient capture while ensuring fish and plant safety? 2) How does seasonality and household behaviour change nutrient yields? 3) What governance models promote adoption in dense apartment complexes?
We will design modular pilot units, monitor nutrient flows and contaminant residues, survey resident acceptability, and produce a systems model for replication.

34. Tokenized incentives and blockchain governance for equitable informal recycler inclusion

We examine blockchain-based token incentive systems designed to integrate informal waste workers into formal circular-economy markets while safeguarding equity.
We ask: 1) How do token reward structures affect behavior of different informal actor types? 2) What governance rules prevent token capture and ensure fair pricing? 3) How do transaction costs compare to conventional subsidy schemes?
We will build a prototype smart-contract platform, run controlled field pilots with local co-operatives, collect behavioral and economic data, and perform policy and distributional impact analysis.

35. Engineered microbial consortia for anaerobic digestion of heterogeneous polymer–organic wastes

We develop and test defined microbial consortia that enhance methane yield from mixed organic and biodegradable polymer-containing municipal waste streams.
We ask: 1) Which consortia combinations accelerate hydrolysis and depolymerization of biodegradable plastics? 2) How stable are these consortia under feedstock variability and perturbations? 3) What are the downstream contaminant and digestate quality implications?
We will use lab-scale digesters, metagenomics and metabolomics to track community dynamics, and scaled mesophilic trials to assess gas yields and digestate standards.

36. Agent-based environmental justice assessment of waste-to-energy plant siting in post-industrial cities

We apply agent-based models to simulate socio-environmental impacts of WtE facility siting on vulnerable communities in shrinking post-industrial cities.
We ask: 1) How do different siting scenarios alter exposure, property values, and mobility for marginalized groups? 2) What mitigation or compensation mechanisms most effectively reduce disparate harms? 3) How do perceptions and NIMBY dynamics evolve under co-designed engagement strategies?
We will calibrate agent-based models with census, air-dispersion and socio-economic data, run counterfactual scenarios, and validate results through stakeholder workshops.

37. Design-for-disassembly metrics for urban street furniture to reduce C&D waste streams

We create quantitative metrics and certification criteria that measure disassemblability and reusability of urban street furniture to reduce construction and demolition waste.
We ask: 1) Which mechanical and material design features most influence lifecycle circularity in street furniture? 2) How do standardized DfD metrics drive procurement choices by municipalities? 3) What lifecycle savings are achievable under municipal procurement policies?
We will develop test protocols, apply them to real products, engage procurement officers in pilot tenders, and model lifecycle environmental and economic outcomes.

38. Hydrothermal carbonization of municipal biowaste for multifunctional soil amendments and heavy-metal sequestration

We study hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) products from mixed municipal biowaste as soil amendments that immobilize heavy metals and improve soil health.
We ask: 1) How do HTC parameters influence sorption capacity for common urban heavy metals? 2) What are agronomic impacts on crop uptake and soil microbiome? 3) What regulatory and quality-assurance frameworks are needed for safe agricultural application?
We will run parametric HTC experiments, conduct sorption isotherm and pot trials, analyze microbiome shifts, and develop guidelines for quality control and safe land application.

39. Gamified augmented-reality interventions to improve waste-sorting in multi-occupancy residential buildings

We design and evaluate AR-based gamification to change sorting behaviour in apartment complexes and measure long-term retention.
We ask: 1) Which gamification mechanics (competition, cooperation, rewards) produce durable sorting improvements? 2) How does AR feedback compare to conventional signage and audits? 3) What privacy and accessibility barriers affect adoption across demographics?
We will co-design the AR app with residents, run randomized controlled trials across buildings, use smart-bin sensor data for outcome measurement, and analyze behavioural persistence over 12 months.

40. Upcycling e-waste plastics into high-value composite panels with recovered metals: lifecycle and policy pathways

We explore manufacturing routes to convert e-waste plastics and embedded metals into structural composite panels and assess environmental and regulatory pathways for market entry.
We ask: 1) Which processing sequences maximize metal recovery and composite mechanical performance? 2) What are the full LCA trade-offs versus virgin-material panels? 3) What certification and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies enable scale-up?
We will perform bench-scale separation and compounding, mechanical testing, cradle-to-gate LCA, and stakeholder interviews with manufacturers and regulators to map policy levers.

41. AI-driven equitable route optimization for urban waste collection

We investigate how route-optimization algorithms can incorporate social equity metrics alongside cost and emissions.
Research questions: (1) How can we mathematically encode neighborhood-level equity (service frequency, response time) into route optimization objectives? (2) How do equity-aware routes trade off efficiency, emissions, and labor constraints in different urban morphologies? (3) How does deploying equity-constrained routing affect resident satisfaction and illegal dumping hotspots after six months?
We will develop multi-objective optimization models, run agent-based and GIS-based simulations on real city data, and pilot the approach with a municipal fleet while conducting household surveys and spatial analysis of complaints.

42. Engineered microbial consortia for decentralized plastic upcycling in anaerobic digesters

We explore the use of synthetic microbial communities to depolymerize mixed polyethylene and PET in small-scale digesters.
Research questions: (1) Which combinations of engineered microbes accelerate depolymerization without inhibiting methanogenesis? (2) How do feedstock heterogeneity and temperature fluctuations affect upcycling yields and byproduct toxicity? (3) Can we design a safe, low-cost starter consortium for rural decentralized treatment units?
We will perform lab-scale bioreactor experiments, sequence community dynamics, optimize consortia via adaptive laboratory evolution, and evaluate energy/material recovery and safety for field-deployable prototypes.

43. Blockchain-enabled integration of informal e-waste collectors into formal traceability systems

We examine practical architectures that make traceability usable by low-literacy informal collectors while ensuring regulatory compliance.
Research questions: (1) What minimal blockchain data model preserves provenance without obstructing informal workflows? (2) How do UX design, QR/USSD interfaces, and incentives affect enrollment and data fidelity among informal collectors? (3) What governance structures are needed to reconcile anonymity, privacy, and recyclers’ livelihoods?
We will co-design interfaces with collectors, implement a lightweight permissioned ledger prototype, run field pilots in partnership with recycler cooperatives, and assess economic, legal, and social impacts through mixed methods.

44. Acoustic and low-cost sensor networks to detect and predict illegal dumping in peri-urban zones

We test whether acoustic signatures and cheap environmental sensors can reliably identify illegal dumping events and predict high-risk locations.
Research questions: (1) Which acoustic and vibration features distinguish dumping events from ambient noise in different terrains? (2) How well can sensor data plus weather and land-use predictors forecast dumping hotspots a week ahead? (3) What are the privacy and maintenance trade-offs of community-deployed sensor networks?
We will deploy sensor arrays in targeted peri-urban areas, label events via field validation and camera corroboration, train detection and forecasting models, and co-develop maintenance protocols with local stakeholders.

45. Circular construction: designing metamaterials from mixed demolition waste for thermal and acoustic retrofit

We evaluate how processed mixed C&D waste can be engineered into metamaterial panels for building retrofits.
Research questions: (1) What waste processing and binding strategies produce panels with predictable thermal and acoustic metamaterial properties? (2) How does variability in feedstock composition affect structural performance and durability? (3) What is the embodied carbon and economic viability compared to conventional retrofit materials?
We will characterize feedstock streams, prototype composite panels with tailored internal geometries, perform lab mechanical/thermal testing, and run cradle-to-grave LCA and cost analyses with pilot installations.

46. Psychogeography of waste: mapping public aversion, visibility, and policy placement for service optimization

We study how perceptions of waste visibility and disgust influence the spatial success of waste infrastructure and policies.
Research questions: (1) How do walking routes, sightlines, and memory of past cleanups shape reported aversion and dumping behavior? (2) Can psychogeographic maps predict where bins, recycling centers, or enforcement will have the greatest behavioral impact? (3) How does participatory mapping change resident engagement and compliance?
We will combine cognitive mapping interviews, smartphone GPS walking traces, spatial statistical models, and participatory workshops to redesign placement and communications strategies with municipal partners.

47. Solar-powered pyrolysis kiosks for safe rural medical and hazardous waste treatment

We design and evaluate compact solar-driven pyrolysis units for on-site treatment of small-volume hazardous wastes in low-resource clinics.
Research questions: (1) What reactor designs maximize pathogen destruction and minimize toxic emissions under intermittent solar input? (2) How feasible and acceptable are kiosk workflows for clinic staff with minimal training? (3) What are lifecycle emissions, costs, and regulatory barriers to scaling?
We will build bench and field prototypes with thermal storage, validate pathogen inactivation and emissions in accredited labs, run short-term operational pilots in rural clinics, and perform techno-economic and regulatory analyses.

48. Adaptive pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) using real-time sensors and behavioral nudges to reduce household waste generation

We test whether combining sensor-based PAYT with personalized nudges yields sustained waste reduction without unfair burdens.
Research questions: (1) What sensitivity and privacy settings for bin sensors optimize compliance while maintaining equity across household types? (2) Which nudge framings (social comparison, loss aversion, goal setting) work best when coupled with dynamic pricing? (3) How does the intervention affect recycling contamination, illegal dumping, and low-income households’ costs?
We will design a randomized controlled trial with sensorized bins, integrate automated nudges through apps/SMS, monitor waste streams and social outcomes, and conduct subgroup equity analyses.

49. Life-cycle assessment and design rules for 3D-printed building components from recycled polymer composites

We develop LCA-informed material and geometry design rules to make 3D-printed architectural elements from mixed recycled polymers viable.
Research questions: (1) How do print orientation, infill geometry, and composite additives affect material performance and lifecycle impacts? (2) Which recycling preprocessing steps (sorting, compatibilization) are critical to keep environmental impact below virgin alternatives? (3) How do scale and local material availability change optimal design decisions?
We will manufacture test specimens with varied parameters, perform mechanical and durability tests, run detailed LCAs, and synthesize design guidelines and parametric tools for architects and fabricators.

50. Waste-driven urban nutrient micro-economies: modeling monetization of organic waste streams for closed-loop neighborhood farming

We model and pilot small-scale economic systems that convert household organic waste into revenue-generating nutrient products for urban farms.
Research questions: (1) What business models (subscription, revenue-sharing, tokenized credits) make neighborhood-scale composting or black soldier fly systems financially sustainable? (2) How do quality control, logistics, and seasonal demand affect price signals and farmer adoption? (3) What social and regulatory mechanisms ensure inclusion of low-income households and prevent perverse incentives?
We will build agent-based economic models, run community pilots linking source-separation to production and local sale, track flows and finances, and use interviews and surveys to refine governance and scaling strategies.