Showing papers on "Extended producer responsibility published in 2009"

Efficient Take-Back Legislation

Abstract: Product and waste take-back is becoming more regulated by countries to protect the environment. Such regulation puts an economic burden on firms, while creating fairness concerns and potentially even missing its primary target: environmental benefits. This research discusses the economic and environmental impacts of extended producer responsibility type of legislation and identifies efficiency conditions. It is shown that the right policy would (i) make producers responsible for their own waste to avoid fairness concerns and (ii) favor eco-design producers to create stronger environmental benefits. Furthermore, the efficiency of take-back systems is also driven by environmental classification of products, industry structure, and end-user willingness to participate in take-back programs.

Evolution of solid waste management in Malaysia: impacts and implications of the solid waste bill, 2007

Abstract: Solid waste generation and its implications for people and the environment are global issues. The complexity of the waste composition and the ever-increasing percapita waste generation is a challenge for waste managers, particularly in developing countries. Thus, the need to have a clear policy on waste management and legislation to realize that policy is imperative. Malaysia is developing rapidly and problems such as the waste generation associated with development and industrialization are evident. The Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Bill, which was approved in August 2007 after a 10-year delay, is envisaged to have serious consequences in waste management practices and implementation in Malaysia. This article explores the main features of this all-encompassing bill and its impacts on the waste management scenario in Malaysia. In addition, a comparative evaluation is also discussed to explore the policies/legislation of selected countries vis-avis the Malaysian bill.

Effects of E-Waste Regulation on New Product Introduction

Abstract: This paper investigates the impact of e-waste regulation on new product introduction in a stylized model of the electronics industry. Manufacturers choose the development time and expenditure for each new version of a durable product, which together determine its quality. Consumers purchase the new product and dispose of the last-generation product, which becomes e-waste. The price of a new product strictly increases with its quality and consumers' rational expectation about the time until the next new product will be introduced. “Fee-upon-sale” types of e-waste regulation cause manufacturers to increase their equilibrium development time and expenditure, and thus the incremental quality for each new product. As new products are introduced (and disposed of) less frequently, the quantity of e-waste decreases and, even excluding the environmental benefits, social welfare may increase. Consumers pay a higher price for each new product because they anticipate using it for longer, which increases manufacturers' profits. Unfortunately, existing “fee-upon-sale” types of e-waste regulation fail to motivate manufacturers to design for recyclability. In contrast, “fee-upon-disposal” types of e-waste regulation such as individual extended producer responsibility motivate design for recyclability but, in competitive product categories, fail to reduce the frequency of new product introduction.

Extended producer responsibility in a non-OECD context: The management of waste electrical and electronic equipment in India

Abstract: Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has caused concern from many sectors of society due to its growing quantity and potential toxicity The situation is particularly worrisome in some non-OECD countries, such as India and China, where acute health and environmental hazards have resulted from a combination of a lack of proper WEEE management systems and the domination of a large backyard recycling sector This study explores the feasibility of dealing with such problems in a non-OECD context by applying extended producer responsibility (EPR), an environmental policy principle that has been applied to the management of WEEE in many OECD countries Using India as a case study, this investigation identifies two main obstacles in the Indian context that can undermine the EPR mechanisms: large grey markets for some electronic products, and illegal imports of WEEE Although an EPR programme might not be able to address the two problems on its own, there are measures that can curb the scale of these two illegal activities More importantly, this analysis of the current situation in India suggests that a timely national programme based on the EPR principle can be a driving force for the formalisation of the downstream sector and strengthen the existing industrial initiatives such as voluntary take-back schemes

Product Design and Supply Chain Coordination Under Extended Producer Responsibility

Abstract: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation focuses on the life-cycle environmental performance of products and has significant implications for management theory and practice. In this paper, we examine the influence of EPR policy parameters on product design and coordination incentives in a durable product supply chain. We model a manufacturer supplying a remanufacturable product to a customer over multiple periods. The manufacturer invests in two design attributes of the product that impact costs incurred by the supply chain—performance, which affects the environmental impact of the product during use, and remanufacturability, which affects the environmental impact post-use. Consistent with the goals of EPR policies, the manufacturer and the customer are required to share the environmental costs incurred over the product's life cycle. The customer has a continuing need for the services of the product and optimizes between the costs of product replacement and the costs incurred during use. We demonstrate how charges during use and post-use can be used as levers to encourage environmentally favorable product design. We analyze the impact of supply chain coordination on design choices and profit and discuss contracts that can be used to achieve coordination, both under symmetric and asymmetric information about customer attributes.

Difficulties in applying extended producer responsibility policies in developing countries: case studies in e-waste recycling in China and Thailand

Abstract: Developing Asian countries have started to apply the principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR) to electronics and electrical equipment waste (e-waste). This policy approach aims to give electronic appliance manufacturers and importers responsibility for the collection and recycling of discarded electronic equipment. China and Thailand have drafted regulations on the recycling of e-waste with common characteristics such as the financial responsibility of producers and subsidies for collection. Although the proposed system is sensible, taking into account the fact that e-waste is a market-traded commodity, there are two major difficulties in implementing EPR in developing countries. First, it may be difficult for governments to collect funds from producers or importers if smuggled, imitation, or small shop-assembled products have a large share in the market. Second, the system creates incentives for collectors and recyclers to over-report the amount of collected e-waste in order to gain extra subsidies from the fund. Other policy measures such as the enforcement of pollution control regulations on informal recyclers, the prevention of smuggling, and the protection of intellectual property rights should accompany EPR policies.

Treatment and recycling system optimisation with activity-based costing in WEEE reverse logistics management: an environmental supply chain perspective

Abstract: Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) reverse logistics management has increasingly received much attention in recent years not only because of the fast increase of WEEE but also the legislations in many developed countries. This paper focuses on the treatment and recycling system, and proposes a two-stage multi-objective decision framework. In the treatment stage, the responsible producer selects treatment suppliers under extended producer responsibility by a pre-emptive goal programming model. After the wastes are depolluted and transformed to recyclable materials, the process enters the recycling stage in which the decision-maker plans the reclaimed material production by a linear programming model for profit maximisation. An illustrative case study is presented, and the sensitivity analyses show that the ranking of suppliers is more stable than the quantities allocated to suppliers under different priority structures, so ranking of suppliers should also be given attention in such multi-obje...

Barriers, drivers and challenges for sustainable product recovery and recycling

Abstract: There has been a significant growth in research and applications of product recovery and recycling over the last two decades, in particular with the view of recent product take-back legislation whi...

A methodological framework for end-of-life management of electronic products

Abstract: A growing number of regulatory interventions such as the European Union's Extended Polluter Responsibility Policy hold manufacturers accountable for the damage inflicted to the natural environment by their products However, not all components of an industrial product have an equitable role regarding their overall burden to the environment In this context, it is of great interest to manufacturers to identify and rank those components with the highest potential value at the end of their useful life, employing an array of economical and environmental criteria In order to assist manufacturers on their decision-making for the optimal end-of-life alternatives for their products, the “Multicriteria Matrix” methodology has been developed The methodology relies on multicriteria analysis and takes into consideration the residual value, environmental burden, weight, quantity and ease of disassembly of each component With the developed methodology only those components that do not have any residual value end up in landfills, while the majority of the components are either reused or recycled The application of the developed methodology is demonstrated employing a real-world case study; that of an ISDN network terminal Finally, the paper is concluded by presenting interesting managerial insights that were obtained

A survey of life cycle approaches in waste management

Abstract: Life-cycle thinking and life-cycle approaches are concepts that are getting increased attention worldwide and in particular in EU Policies related to sustainability. The European Commission is launching a number of activities to strengthen life-cycle thinking in policy and business. EU policies aim to decrease waste generation through new waste prevention initiatives, better use of resources and shift to more sustainable consumption patterns. The approach to waste management is based on three principles: waste prevention, recycling and reuse and improving the final disposal and monitoring. In particular, concerning the prevention and recycling of waste, the definition of a waste hierarchy should be the basis for the prioritisation of waste management options. The benefit of using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in analysing waste management systems is the provision of a comprehensive view of the processes and impacts involved. However, it is also clear that the studies will always be open for criticism as they are simplifications of reality. Moreover, in order to become the LCA, a leading tool within businesses and government to understand and manage risks or opportunities related to waste management and treatment technologies, there are methodological choices required and a number of aspects that still need to be worked out. It is therefore important to review open and grey literatures, EU guidelines, relevant environmental indicators and databases for the waste sector and data easily usable in waste policy decision-making, with an agreed approach and methodology based on life-cycle thinking. The following survey gathers and describes the existing guidelines and methodologies based on life-cycle thinking and applicable in waste policy decision-making. This survey is focused on three main issues: definition and categorisation of waste streams and technologies; review and interpretation of existing waste-specific guidelines and tools; identification of specific key environmental performance indicators for the waste sector. Considering that a wide part of municipal solid waste is biodegradable and that their degradation is the main cause of greenhouse gas emissions in the waste management sector, considerable attention has been paid to biodegradable municipal waste. The survey shows that general technical guidance documents should take into account the following key issues: how to categorise waste streams, how to develop a waste hierarchy from a life-cycle point of view, how to include any possible new waste treatment technologies and to take into account local and waste-related factors. Moreover, the survey summarises the generic/default values that could be used for waste-related key parameters when insufficient information/data are available. The survey identifies some key environmental performance indicators in the waste sector. The analysis of existing waste-specific guidelines and tools leads to a list of available methodologies and foreground/background environmental data sources that satisfy specific data constraints (origin, time-related coverage, geographical coverage, technology coverage). The survey points out the need for strategic guidance documents for policy makers with quantitative examples to define the waste hierarchy. Depending on the characteristics of the specific cluster or area, such as climate, population density, etc., these documents should be integrated with quantitative considerations related to cost and social dimension, as complementary information to the environmental aspects of sustainability in waste management in order to address the preferable options to be considered for the definition of a local waste hierarchy. The survey shows that a considerable number of decision models and methodologies for the integration of life-cycle thinking into waste management have been developed for several waste streams and waste-management and treatment technologies. This leads to the need of a critical analysis of the existing guidelines and tools. A survey of life-cycle approaches in waste management has been presented in this paper. The analysis of specific waste streams and the integration of different environmental tools supporting the choice between different waste-treatment options could be taken into consideration for further work.

End-of-Life vehicle recovery in china: Consideration and innovation following the EU ELV directive

Abstract: Implementation of the EU’s end-of-life vehicle (ELV) directive eight years ago had a profound influence on China’s automotive industry, leading to the consideration of concepts such as extended producer responsibility. It also provided some impetus for ELV recycling industry developments within China. This article provides insight into current thinking within China about ELV recycling as well as vehicle recovery activities.

Producer responsibility in a sustainable development context: ecological modernisation or industrial ecology?

Abstract: The concept of producer responsibility has become a major tenet of EU waste management policy. It forms part of an effort to set a regulatory context for firms supportive of sustainable development. Two contrasting notions of the theory and implementation of sustainable development are ecological modernisation and industrial ecology. Ecological modernisation emphasises economic development and technological advances, within a suitable policy framework. Industrial ecology, by contrast, emphasises inter-firm cooperation and voluntary compliance inspired by eco-efficiency savings. Recently, however, industrial ecologists have shown greater interest in the potential for policy implementation. With aims such as increasing recovery of value from waste, creating a demand for recycled materials, and decreasing the potential harmful effects of waste, the producer responsibility directives can be seen as attempts to implement industrial ecology principles. This paper examines interrelationships of ecological modernisation and industrial ecology to understand the potential and shortcomings of the producer responsibility regulations as a means to promote waste minimisation through eco-design.

Waste interfaces: biodegradable waste, municipal policy and everyday practice

Abstract: Recent years have seen a rapid rise in the political saliency of the ever growing volumes of municipal waste produced in the UK. In this paper, we examine how one particular part of the municipal waste stream – biodegradable waste – has come under the policy spotlight. As targets to divert biodegradable waste from landfill under the Landfill Directive come into force, the need to focus explicitly on recovering value from biodegradable materials has risen up national and local policy agendas, not least with the introduction of the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme. Accompanying this new rationality for managing waste has been a suite of different policy interventions. In this paper we examine the impact of the changing nature of municipal waste policy and the ways in which it has sought to rework the disposal and collection of biodegradable waste. We argue that the predominantly technical framing and instrumental rationality of these interventions does not sufficiently challenge entrenched understandings regarding the boundaries between public and private responsibility for waste, and thus short-circuits their capacity to engage with everyday community/individual waste practices. In conclusion, we suggest that, in order to move waste management towards sustainability, there is a need both to engage with the institutional and infrastructural dimensions of the systems of provision within which waste management occurs, and to take seriously the everyday contexts within which making waste is practiced.

Through waste prevention towards corporate sustainability: analysis of the concept of waste and a review of attitudes towards waste prevention

Abstract: The three types of capital relevant within the concept of corporate sustainability, economic, natural and social, are analysed from the point of view of the object-oriented concept of waste. Waste is suggested as a measure of ineffi ciency, implying that waste avoidance would further sustainable conduct. Most waste defi nitions recognize waste at the point of its generation. Similarly, the failure to reach economic and social sustainability is recognized. However, to prevent ‘waste’, we need to act before the activity that gives rise to the failure ever happens. This calls for the analysis of the reasons for waste creation. Further, the paper reports on a series of surveys mapping practices and attitudes towards industrial waste prevention, performed in Finland, the United Kingdom and Czech Republic. Apart from technologies, environmental legislation and environmental management systems, human attitudes and environmental awareness are outlined as the most important drivers of waste prevention. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Opportunistic versus Life Cycle Oriented Decision Making in Multi-Loop Recovery - An ECO-ECO Study on Disposed Vehicles

Abstract: Multinational companies have recently been encouraged by government policies to implement Extended Producer Responsibility, defined as 'a policy approach in which producers accept significant responsibility, financial and/or physical, for the treatment or disposal of products'. One objective is to stimulate high level recovery, the other is to introduce life cycle thinking. This paper studies decision making in recovery, comparing opportunistic decision making with short term optimizing versus a life cycle perspective. After comparing the problem with the literature, a model is presented optimizing NPV of revenues and calculating environmental impact with cumulative energy demand. Sensitivity analysis tests strategies on various sources of uncertainty. Based on the results it is concluded that life cycle thinking, which materializes through multi-loop recovery, is preferred both economically and environmentally. Moreover, advises are formulated for industry and governments to improve their policies. Finally, future research is mapped based on handles and delineations of the study.

Electronic waste: An emerging issue in solid waste management in Australia

Abstract: Electronic waste or e-waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world today. Around 20-50 million tonnes of e-waste produced worldwide annually cause serious social problems and an environmental threats to many countries. Australia has 12th largest Information and Communication Technology (ICT) market in the world. Currently there are around 14 million computers in use in Australia with 3 million entering the market each year. The aim of this paper to provide an overview of how Australia deals with the emerging issue of used computers given that there is no national legislation to deal with it.

Efficient Operation Policy in a Closed-loop Tire Manufacturing System with EPR

Abstract: This paper deals with a closed-loop remanufacturing system with one manufacturer and one remanufacturer. The manufacturer sells new products bearing the ‘Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).’ It is assumed that the manufacturer’s collection rate of used products depends only on the buy-back cost, while that of the remanufacturer depends on the minimum allowed quality level of used products in addition to the buyback cost. Through the development of mathematical models with the objective function of maximizing profit, we study an efficient operation policy of each party. The decision variables are the unit selling price of new products and remanufactured products, the unit buy-back cost of the used products of the manufacturer and remanufacturer, and the minimum allowed quality level. The validity of the model is examined through numerical examples and sensitivity analysis.

International regulations and treaties on electronic waste (e-waste)

Abstract: Different policies are being developed worldwide to deal with electronic waste (e-waste) which is one of the fastest growing waste streams in modern society. European Union's Directives on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) are pioneers on the issue. Japan, China and Korea have implemented similar laws. In addition Japan, Canada and State of California in the USA have adopted Advanced Recycling Fee systems. United Nations through Basel Convention adopted the Nairobi declaration on e-waste in 2006. The paper deals with latest developments on the major international laws, regulations and activities related to e-waste.

Implementing individual producer responsibility (IPR) under the European WEEE directive - Experiences in Germany

Abstract: In order to implement producer responsibility as required by the European WEEE-Directive, Germany decided to allow producers to determine the extent of their individual responsibility based on brand sorting. This paper presents this approach, the challenges related to its practical application and possible alternatives to implement individual producer responsibility.

The New Waste Directive — Trying to Do it All… An Early Assessment:

Abstract: At the heart of ongoing debate over Community waste policy (and thus its regulatory form) is an unclear message about its goals, which include both ‘preventing’ and ‘regulating’ waste and, after a new Directive, maintaining high environmental standards for the use of resources generally. This article asks whether the new Directive is likely to resolve the tension that arises in determining which of these goals takes priority, or whether it perpetuates it. It answers this question by analysing the changes introduced by the 2008 Waste Directive and by examining its goals and the legal issues that arise from the Directive's efforts to clarify, simplify and reorient the provisions of previous Waste Directives. The article concludes that the new Waste Directive is broadly and overly ambitious, at the expense of clarity concerning its goals and certainty in relation to its regulatory provisions. In short, there is a lot to digest in legally understanding and appraising the new Directive.

Making Sense of Extended Producer Responsibility: Towards a framework for policy transfer

Abstract: Policy transfer of complex interventions often falls into the trap of uninformed, incomplete, and/or inappropriate transfer because the interventions are insufficiently identified with some of their perceived core components. This is no exception in the interspatial learning about extended producer responsibility (EPR) programmes. This thesis aims to transcend this shorthand approach to policy transfer. It combines the evaluations of EPR programmes for the management of end-of-life vehicles (ELV) and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in the developed world with the analysis of the contexts in developing countries. The political areas include the United Kingdom, Sweden, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China, India, Argentina, and Thailand. The evaluation research applied theory-based evaluation (TBE) to archival and case data. The context studies used topical interviews and secondary data to conduct qualitative material flow analysis (MFA). The thesis maps out different variances of programmes and policy proposals, linking their mechanisms with policy outcomes, and then specifies key moderating and mediating factors in the actual contexts. In this way, it contributes to the prospect of policy development in developing countries by increasing the analytical tractability and checking the transferability of policy lessons. (Less)

Municipal waste management policy in Europe: how the treadmill of production undermines sustainability goals

Abstract: Though sustainability is the official goal of European Union waste management policy, the recent problem of illegal municipal waste shipment from Germany to the Czech Republic suggests that achieving a sustainable municipal waste management sector within a more broadly sustainable society is threatened by current and proposed policies. To understand the lessons of the Czech case for European waste policymaking, the treadmill of production theory is applied. This approach suggests that because there is a direct link between economic activity and waste generation, the successful implementation of waste-reduction strategies is hindered by powerful structural forces. The article explains the relevance of the Czech-German waste dispute, describes current waste policies, practices and principles, and analyses weaknesses in existing and proposed waste management rules. The article concludes that macro-level political economic forces contribute to the problem of illegal waste shipment, and that potential European Union waste policy reforms threaten to undermine sustainability principles in the future.

Recycling E-Waste: A Solution through Third Party Recycler

Abstract: With 50 million metric tons of e‐ waste disposed worldwide each year, e-waste recycling has become an increasingly important issue globally. The U.S. alone generated a total of 3.01 million tons of e-waste in 2007, of which only 13.6% was recycled. Improper disposal of e-waste poses an immediate and prominent threat to environmental and public health. Many electronic vendors have initiated either the Expended Producer Responsibility or the Producer Stewardship and launched manufacturer-sponsored recycling programs. Many of these programs, however, are in trouble because of the fee generated for recycling, thereby blocking the road for effective actions. In this paper, we propose a third party recycler model as an alternative solution to e-waste recycling. The third party recycler works as the intermediary between consumers (source of e-waste) and electronic vendors (recipient of recycled items) to recycle disposed electronics properly. The proposed information system is composed of five modules and supports the business operations and functionalities of the third party recycler. We hope the third party recycler structure will be adopted globally in the near future.

Evaluation of trade-offs between cost, perceived and environmental risk associated with the management of computer waste

Abstract: Growing public concern over the hazards associated with management of computer waste necessitates assessment of risk perceived by the public for such activities. This paper presents a goal-programming approach to achieve satisfaction of multiple objectives of economy, perceived risk and health and environmental risk during the entire life cycle of waste computers. A case study of Chennai (India) is presented to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed approach. The model can assist the decision makers in selecting optimum configuration of waste management systems and to arrive at the optimum reuse time span of a particular waste category.

Taking Construction Site Waste Management to the Next Level

Abstract: Building a single family home in the United States typically produces between three to five pounds of waste per square foot (SIH). Costs of disposing this waste are mounting throughout the country, and environmental aspects of this issue are receiving heightened scrutiny. Although research on this topic has shown that 80 percent of waste generated during the construction of a home can be recycled (Laquatra and Pierce 2004; SBIC 2007), less than 30 percent actually is (Martin 2007). This is likely to change as state and local government regulations of construction waste increase, with some mandating waste recycling. In addition, builders who participate in green building programs are learning that reducing the amount of waste generated during construction, and recycling waste that is produced, earns points toward certification. This paper describes elements of a successful waste management plan for home builders. Issues specific to each type of waste are examined, and ideas for improving recycling...