The impact of circular economy initiatives on urban air quality in the United States
Abstract The study attempts to establish a connection between circular economy practices and urban air pollution in the United States, utilizing panel data from fifty states from 2009 to 2022. Given the poor state of air quality and its ominous threat to public health and environmental sustainabilit...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08554-6 |
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| author | Hadi Esmaeilpour Moghadam Arezou Karami Ali Rezaee Moghadam Ebrahimabad Magdalena Radulescu |
| author_facet | Hadi Esmaeilpour Moghadam Arezou Karami Ali Rezaee Moghadam Ebrahimabad Magdalena Radulescu |
| author_sort | Hadi Esmaeilpour Moghadam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The study attempts to establish a connection between circular economy practices and urban air pollution in the United States, utilizing panel data from fifty states from 2009 to 2022. Given the poor state of air quality and its ominous threat to public health and environmental sustainability, the present study aims to provide empirical evidence on the effectiveness of circular economy methods in reducing harmful air pollutants. Applying the GMM estimator to the regression analysis reveals a significant positive relationship between high recycling rates and reduced air pollution levels. An Environmental Kuznets Curve has also been depicted by this study—a postulation showing that although per capita income may be increasing to start with higher pollution levels, at high-income levels it could further lead to improving air quality. These findings demonstrate the significant impact of population density on pollution levels, highlighting some of the challenges faced by metropolitan regions. The article underscores the significance of incorporating circular economy approaches into urban policy frameworks and offers fresh perspectives on guiding sustainable urban development processes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-55c05e6fb18b4cfd873ddd30a82a32f4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-55c05e6fb18b4cfd873ddd30a82a32f42025-08-20T04:01:35ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111610.1038/s41598-025-08554-6The impact of circular economy initiatives on urban air quality in the United StatesHadi Esmaeilpour Moghadam0Arezou Karami1Ali Rezaee Moghadam Ebrahimabad2Magdalena Radulescu3Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Ferdowsi University of MashhadDepartment of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Ferdowsi University of MashhadDepartment of Geography, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of MashhadDepartment of Finance, Accounting and Economics, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica BucharestAbstract The study attempts to establish a connection between circular economy practices and urban air pollution in the United States, utilizing panel data from fifty states from 2009 to 2022. Given the poor state of air quality and its ominous threat to public health and environmental sustainability, the present study aims to provide empirical evidence on the effectiveness of circular economy methods in reducing harmful air pollutants. Applying the GMM estimator to the regression analysis reveals a significant positive relationship between high recycling rates and reduced air pollution levels. An Environmental Kuznets Curve has also been depicted by this study—a postulation showing that although per capita income may be increasing to start with higher pollution levels, at high-income levels it could further lead to improving air quality. These findings demonstrate the significant impact of population density on pollution levels, highlighting some of the challenges faced by metropolitan regions. The article underscores the significance of incorporating circular economy approaches into urban policy frameworks and offers fresh perspectives on guiding sustainable urban development processes.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08554-6Waste managementRecyclingSustainable developmentEnvironmental policy |
| spellingShingle | Hadi Esmaeilpour Moghadam Arezou Karami Ali Rezaee Moghadam Ebrahimabad Magdalena Radulescu The impact of circular economy initiatives on urban air quality in the United States Scientific Reports Waste management Recycling Sustainable development Environmental policy |
| title | The impact of circular economy initiatives on urban air quality in the United States |
| title_full | The impact of circular economy initiatives on urban air quality in the United States |
| title_fullStr | The impact of circular economy initiatives on urban air quality in the United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of circular economy initiatives on urban air quality in the United States |
| title_short | The impact of circular economy initiatives on urban air quality in the United States |
| title_sort | impact of circular economy initiatives on urban air quality in the united states |
| topic | Waste management Recycling Sustainable development Environmental policy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08554-6 |
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