Until the 1990s, technology was the main driver when dealing with waste and residues, the objective being the treatment of waste for (landfill) disposal, storage, and in some cases sorting. In the 1990s, depletion of raw materials and socio-economical concerns supported the direct recycling of waste and residues. However, the direct recycling approach is limited when waste/residues contain significant amounts of pollutants such as heavy metals and organics (VOC, PAH), and when the treatment process to remove/stabilize or destruct the pollutant generates emissions. Due to depletion of natural resources, increasing greenhouse emissions, and awareness of the need for sustainable development in terms of safely reusing waste and biomass, the transformation of waste/biomass to valuable materials and energy (i.e. valorization) is emerging as a strong trend.

• Waste & Biomass Valorization is the first journal dedicated solely to waste and biomass valorization
• As such an opportunity exists for a new journal dedicated to the valorization (via chemical, thermal, biological or electrochemical treatments) of waste and biomass to materials and energy as opposed to the treatment of waste and biomass for elimination/destruction
• 93% of authors who answered a survey reported that they would definitely publish or probably publish in the journal again