Circular economy is a strategy for sustainable waste management. Researchers in Italy analyzed 609 scientific papers on waste management to evaluate existing tools like industrial ecology and life cycle thinking. They found that some circular economy policies may have small environmental benefits, but these gains could be offset by rebound effects or social behavior. Life cycle thinking is a useful tool to assess the effects of policies and evaluate circular economy characteristics. The study provides guidance for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders on evaluating the sustainability of strategies and suggests future research directions for reducing environmental impacts.