Soares, M.Santos, J. S.Jacquinet, MarcFerreira, Célia2026-01-062026-01-062025-06http://hdl.handle.net/10400.2/20660Conventional approaches to waste management often struggle to address the complexity and interdependence of social, institutional, and environmental dimensions. The increasing complexity of urban waste systems and the transition towards circular economy models underscore the need for collaborative, knowledge-driven approaches. Communities of Practice (CoP) are widely recognised in literature as promising instruments for facilitating innovation and collective action in multiple actions and subject domains. This paper explores the potential of CoPs as a tool for sustainable waste management. It presents a literature review, conducted using the SCOPUS database, which resulted after screening in a final corpus of 9 articles that was used for in-depth analysis. A systematic analytical framework was applied to each article of the final corpus to map geographical location, the specific waste stream addressed (e.g., municipal, industrial, hazardous), the typology of actors involved (e.g., technicians, policymakers, residents, NGOs, outcomes and challenges. Eight CoP related to waste were identified, covering a broad geographical spectrum that included Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania. These CoPs operated through diverse dynamics, ranging from grassroots community initiatives and hybrid digital–in-person interactions to formalised international expert networks. Learning processes combined peer exchange, experiential learning, and knowledge co-production across institutional and citizen groups. Thematic focuses varied from household and organic waste to hazardous, radioactive, and recycling systems. A temporal analysis reveals that applications of CoPs in waste management have expanded since 2019, mirroring the global rise of participatory and circular economy approaches. These reviewd cases illustrate the ability of CoPs to act as strategic knowledge infrastructures, aligning stakeholders, co-producing actionable solutions, and contributing to measurable gains such as higher recycling rates, reduced contamination, and improved regulatory coherence. The findings position CoPs as a promising instrument for participatory governance and collective problem-solving in the pursuit of sustainable waste management.engKnowledge sharingPeer learningCollaborative policy-makingWaste systemsGovernanceconference object