The　aim　of　this　study　is　to　investigate　the　publication　characteristics　and　development　of　Resources　Conservation　and　Recycling　(RCR)　during　its　past　30　years.　Through　bibliometric　analysis,　this　paper　identified　the　most　prolific　authors/institutions/countries　and　the　most　cited　articles,　and　tracked　the　dynamic　evolution　of　hot　topics.　Besides,　VOS　viewer　software　was　applied　to　visualize　the　collaboration　network,　journal　co-citation　network,　and　keywords　co-occurrence　network.　The　study　revealed　a　positive　trend　in　literature　production　of　RCR.　The　most　productive　institution,　is　University　of　Utrecht　in　Netherlands,　in　terms　of　both　total　publication　and　total　citations.　Keywords　frequency　and　keywords　co-occurrence　network　analysis　showed　that　the　most　prolific　themes　are　corresponded　to　the　basic　aims　and　scope　of　the　journal.　The　mainstream　research　in　RCR　focuses　on　recycling,　waste　management,　sustainability,　and　environmental　impact.　Life　cycle　assessment,　material　flow　analysis,　and　substance　flow　analysis　are　popular　methods　in　recent　years.　Moreover,　the　emerging　hot　topics　may　attract　great　interest　in　future,　including　＂food　waste＂,　＂carbon　footprint＂,　＂resource　efficiency＂,　＂circular　economy＂,　＂waste　of　electric　and　electronic＂,　＂packaging　waste＂,　and　＂China＂.　Knowing　the　objective　bibliometric　characteristics　and　the　research　topic　evolution　can　serve　as　a　useful　reference　for　future　studies,　which　may　be　of　interest　to　the　general　audience.