Membrane recycling and resource utilization: Latest progress and prospects

Membrane technology has thus far played an essential role in promoting environmental sustainability through improving the quality of water. Taking into account the current growth rate of membrane products along with the market capacity, a tremendous rise in the amount of end-of-life (EoL) membranes is inevitable. In 2022, the global records of EoL membranes reached 35,000 tons. Recycling and resource utilization of EoL membranes is a viable option and hold significant promises for energy conservation and carbon neutralization. The present work provides an extensive overview of the latest progress in the field in relation with the prominent application cases. Furthermore, the avenues for the contributions of membrane recycling treatment technology within the framework of "carbon neutrality" are discussed with emphasis on permeability, pollutant interception capacity, and other relevant factors associated with the recycled membranes. This review strives to summarize the recycling and efficient utilization of EoL membranes, aiming at providing technical support to reduce operational costs and promote the low-carbon development of membrane technology. (c) 2025 The Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V.