How Tech is Reshaping Our Circular Economy Future

Technology, as a driving force, is steering us towards a circular economy. It's not just about solving technical issues but also boosting business efficiency and profit. Moreover, it's creating jobs and fostering inclusivity, leading to positive societal changes. However, most research in this field leans heavily on digital tech, leaving other areas overlooked. This reliance also brings in potential biases as it largely depends on literature reviews and expert opinions. In this piece, we dive into the tech landscape of the circular economy using Natural Language Processing (NLP). By examining over 45, 000 scientific articles, we aim to uncover the main tech areas used in this sector and the challenges they face. Our findings reveal that digital tech, life cycle assessments, and biomaterials are the key players. We've also pinpointed seven unique tech domains within the circular economy (CE) field. Lastly, we discuss the pros and cons of adopting these technologies in industrial settings.