Showing papers on "Extended producer responsibility published in 1999"

Business case Oce : reverse logistics network redesign for copiers

Abstract: The introduction of extended producer responsibility forces Original Equipment Manufacturers to set up a logistic network for take back, processing and recovery of discarded products. In this paper, we discuss a business case study carried out at Oca copier firm in Venlo (NL). It concerns the installment of remanufacturing processes. There is a choice from two locations in Venlo (NL) and one in Prague (Czech Republic), where assignments are subjected to managerial constraints. The study is meant to verify whether the strategic decision of Oc ´ e to move remanufacturing activities to the Czech Republic is also economically feasible. We limit ourselves to an optimisation of the HV02-machine network. We follow our general approach, in which we first determine how return products are processed (recovery strategy) and subsequently optimise the reverse logistic network design. We optimise on total operational costs over all possibilities and also compare three pregiven managerial solutions (=network designs) with a Mixed Integer Linear Programming model. Differences in economic costs appear to be very small, hence installing recovery activities in Prague for the HV02-machine must be well motivated from a strategic point of view. Moreover, we argue that besides cost minimisation, Oc´ e should include performance indicators, such as JIT, reliability, in logistic optimisation to support its quality oriented business strategy. In addition, we discuss aspects regarding specific modelling elements in this case situation, the definition of cost functions, the possibility of optimising the forward and reverse logistic network and the use of LP- versus MILP-models in this kind of situations.

Extended Product Responsibility: An Economic Assessment of Alternative Policies

Abstract: Extended Product Responsibility embodies the notion that agents along a product chain should share responsibility for the life-cycle environmental impacts of the product, including those associated with ultimate disposal. Extended Producer Responsibility is a narrower concept which places responsibility on producers and focuses primarily on post-consumer waste disposal. Manufacturer "take-back" requirements are the policy lever most often associated with Extended Producer Responsibility. In this paper, the authors discuss alternative incentive-based policies that are consistent with the objectives of Extended Product and Producer Responsibility. They argue that an upstream combined product tax and recycling subsidy (UCTS) is generally more cost-effective and imposes fewer transactions costs than the take-back approach. They also consider the strengths and weaknesses of a policy not targeted at producers: unit-based pricing of residential waste collection and disposal. The authors find that this option shows potential for achieving non-trivial reductions in solid waste. Widespread application in the U.S. of a $1.00 charge per 32-gallon bag could reduce total municipal solid waste disposed by approximately 13 percent per year.

Input-output analysis of waste cycles

Abstract: Any production activity including recycling of waste materials and consumption emits waste. This paper presents an accounting framework describing the interdependence between the flow of goods and waste among different sectors of the economy, and derives a linear input-output model from it that can be used for analyzing the relationships among environmental loads, technology/institutions, and life-style. The accounting framework is used to analyze the municipal solid waste flow of a city in Hokkaido with an extensive waste management policy. The input-output model is used to evaluate the effectiveness of the policy with respect to the requirements for landfill capacity and energy.

Meeting the 'Producer Responsibility' Challenge The Management of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment in the UK

Abstract: Since the late 1980s, various governments have been moving towards a new marketbased approach to waste management known as ‘Producer Responsibility’. Through this approach, producers of electrical and electronic equipment will be made responsible for the end-of-life waste management costs of their products. Focusing on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (E E), this paper examines the environmental rationale behind this new approach to waste management, and discusses its political evolution and development across Europe. Cases for the most effective and workable approaches are argued, and the scope and implications of future legislation in the UK is summarised. It is concluded that Producer Responsibility will be effective only if legislation is deployed such that well-defined price mechanisms result in the appropriate level of environmental improvement. This will be achieved in the U K only if producers become more proactive in collaborating with each other, and with policy-makers, in proposing a suitable way forward.

European end-of-life systems for electrical and electronic equipment

Abstract: This paper provides an overview of current end-of-life systems in three Western European countries: Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. It is described how brown and white goods are collected and processed once they have reached the end of their life-cycle. Tables with qualitative information on collection and processing scenarios are provided, as well as with quantitative data on costs involved. Furthermore, the most recent developments in European and national legislation on producer responsibility and take-back obligation are addressed. The paper concludes with an outlook on the way that product end-of-life scenarios are likely to develop in the future.

ISO standards on environmental labels and declarations and its implications on the market

Abstract: Economic instruments such as extended producer responsibility (EPR) and green purchasing network (GPN) are conducive to environmentally sound and sustainable development in our society. The implementation of EPR and GPN would require tools such as environmental labels and declarations (EL). EL has been used to encourage the demand for and supply of those products that cause less stress on the environment, thereby stimulating the potential for market-driven continuous environmental improvement. However, EL may act as potential trade barriers. Harmonization of EL by International Organization for Standardization (ISO) results in EL standards termed the ISO 14020 series. The contents of the ISO 14020 series and its implications on the market are discussed.