•Study of strategies to improve SCC eco-efficiency performance.•Review of SCC dosing methods.•Review of waste incorporation in SCCs.•Use of the desirability statistical function for eco-efficiency analysis.•Eco-efficiency comparison of SCCs containing waste. This review article assesses the origin and mitigation routes for the environmental impacts of self-compacting concretes (SCC), analyzing existing dosing methodologies and comparing the incorporation of different residues. SCC is one of the most harmful concrete mixtures to the environment due to the higher contents of cement and chemical admixtures. Comparing the eco-efficiency of SCC based on mechanical performance showed that small changes in materials can modify the fluidity and strength and, consequently, the eco-efficiency of the mixture. Thus, incorporating residues can increase the eco-efficiency of SCCs since an efficient dosing methodology is used.