From Waste to Wealth and Regeneration: A PRISMA Review of Sustainable Biomaterials for Scalable Tissue Engineering

The growing environmental impact of biomedical waste and the unsustainable dependence on petroleum-based polymers call for revolutionary approaches in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM). Waste-derived biomaterials, which come from industrial, agricultural, and marine waste, are critically assessed in this analysis in order to promote scalable TERM while adhering to the circular economy's tenets. Focussing on biocompatibility, mechanical performance, sustainability metrics, and translational barriers, we examined biomaterials from waste streams (such as prawn shells, fish scales, and onion peels) with verified TERM applications using a PRISMA-guided rapid review of 18 peer-reviewed studies (2015–2025). Results showed that cardiac patches made of tunicate cellulose had a native-tissue conductivity of σ = 0.076 ± 0.016, indicating significant clinical efficacy. Bone scaffolds reinforced with mussel shell ceramics increased compressive strength by 50%, antimicrobial dressings infused with onion peel extract expedited wound closure by 64% while reduced MRSA colonization, and S/m σ = 0.076 ± 0.016 S/m restored 40% cardiac function. The benefits of sustainability included 30–60% reductions in raw material costs due to high-yield resource efficiency (150g chitosan/kg shrimp shells) and 40–75% lower carbon emissions (chitosan processing: 0.2 kg CO₂eq/kg vs. PLGA: 1.8 kg CO₂eq/kg). Translational hurdles, however, continued to exist, including immunogenicity risks from residual crosslinkers, unpredictable degradation kinetics (e.g., 30.29% mass loss in cartilage scaffolds), and mechanical fragility (± 15% batch variability) in load-bearing applications. These obstacles were successfully reduced by Industry 4.0 technologies (such as blockchain and 3D bioprinting), AI-driven degradation optimization, and hybrid material methods (such as ceramic-polymer composites). Policy-industry synergies, such as life-cycle-linked reimbursement models and "material passports" for ISO standard compliance, were crucial for scaling innovations. In the end, sustainable biomaterials balance clinical results with environmental health, representing a paradigm shift towards waste-to-wealth regeneration.