Showing papers on "Extended producer responsibility published in 2021"

Extended Producer Responsibility: A Systematic Review and Innovative Proposals for Improving Sustainability

Abstract: Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is an environmental policy introduced in Europe, back in the 1990s. Under EPR, a producer's responsibility for its products is extended beyond the consumption stage, and the producer has to meet the targets of collection and recycling rates imposed by the EPR legislation. Motivated by the importance of this topic, in this paper, we conduct a systematic review on EPR from an operations management perspective. To be specific, we categorize the EPR literature, for both e-wastes and non-e-wastes, by research methodologies (qualitative case studies, quantitative empirical research, and analytical modeling studies) and discuss the respective findings. In addition to systematically exploring the state-of-the-art research within the context of EPR, we investigate pertinent issues, such as the implementation of EPR, EPR management systems, supply chain management under EPR, and EPR-related operations (such as end-of-life product management and design for recyclability). We highlight some EPR-related innovative measures and proposals in five areas, namely policy, product, process, supply chain, and technology. Finally, we discuss future research and propose a concluding picture of how EPR can help establish innovative operational measures to improve sustainability

Exploring consumer participation in environment management: Findings from two‐staged structural equation modelling‐artificial neural network approach

Abstract: A manufacturer's extended producer responsibility for environment management cannot be fulfilled without the participation of end consumers. Therefore, the present study aims to explore the role of consumers in recycling programs of end of life mobile phones. Based on the theory of planned behavior, hypotheses were developed for which data was collected from 746 respondents and a two staged structural equation modelling‐artificial neural network was applied. Both techniques generated similar results which provides validation of the hypothesized relationships. Based on the findings, results are discussed and accordingly policy implications are recommended.

Strategic management of product recovery and its environmental impact

Abstract: Facing a huge number and variety of discarded products, how to conduct strategic management of product recovery and gain better economic and environmental performances are people's concerns. In thi...

The evolution of consumer electronic waste in the United States

Abstract: Technological innovation has transformed the role of electronics in education, work, and society. However, rapid adoption and obsolescence of consumer electronics has also led to new concerns about resource consumption and waste management. Past research to address these sustainability challenges has been constrained by data that do not reflect nascent trends in product evolution and consumer adoption, thereby limiting the ability to create and assess proactive solutions. This study presents a dynamic analysis of electronic waste (e‐waste) in the United States using material flow analysis and highly resolved electronic product sales and material composition data. Findings contradict expectations that e‐waste is growing with mobile device proliferation, instead showing that the total mass of the e‐waste stream is actually declining (10% decrease since the estimated peak in 2015) with phase‐out of large, legacy products like cathode ray tube TVs. The evolving material profile of consumer electronics being purchased and disposed sees reduced risks of e‐waste toxicity from hazards like lead and mercury, but greater risks from reliance on scarce metals and product designs that limit recycling. This study highlights concerns that extended producer responsibility regulations currently implemented in many U.S. states for e‐waste management may become less effective if they continue to rely only on mass‐based collection targets. This article met the requirements for a gold‐gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges.

Extended producer responsibility in the Australian construction industry

Abstract: With the COVID-19 outbreak across the world, policymakers and authorities have realised that they cannot solve the emerging issues using conventional policies and practices. COVID-19 has severely affected many industries, including construction and demolition (C&D) waste management and C&D waste resource recovery sector. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and schemes alike are policy instruments that prevent waste generation and promote a circular economy in the construction industry. These schemes are long adopted in various countries for different waste streams. EPR policy development and implementation, particularly for C&D waste, is still at an early stage in Australia. This study aims to review the Australian regulatory environment and practice to identify barriers and enablers towards successful policy development and implementation of C&D waste-related EPR. This study is based on secondary data that are publicly available. The document analysis was conducted to identify the level of regulatory and other stakeholders support in Australia. Following three rounds of examination of sources and applying multiple selection criteria, 59 different sources were reviewed in total. The results showed that there is widespread support among different stakeholders to develop EPR and expand the existing regulation to other materials. The barriers were cost and time implications for EPR policy establishment and enforcement, diversity of stakeholders involved, construction product lifecycle, responsibility of manufacturers, complexity in implantation of EPR regulations, modification inbuilt facilities and health and safety issues. Recommendations are made to alleviate these challenges. The outcome of this study could serve as a guideline for designing effective EPR policies.

Producer vs. local government: The locational strategy for end-of-life photovoltaic modules recycling in Zhejiang province

Abstract: The collection and recycling of end-of-life photovoltaic modules is emerging as a challenge due to the dramatic growing installment of distributed PV systems worldwide. This paper studies the locational strategy for recycling facilities of end-of-life PV modules from the perspective of various stakeholders with a case in Zhejiang province, one of the leading regions in promoting distributed photovoltaic applications in China. The generation of end-of-life modules in the “Million Household Rooftop PV Project” in Zhejiang Province is estimated from 2041 to 2045. The regional reverse logistics network for collection of the retired PV modules is optimized using the Mixed Integer Linear Programing (MILP) model. The article draws on the PV recycling scheme of PV CYCLE in Europe, and proposes the following two scenarios for comparison: (1) Scenario A: Municipal recycling, in which the local government takes the responsibility to establish the collection and recycling infrastructures; and (2) Scenario B: Producer cooperative recycling under Extended Producer Responsibility scheme, in which the PV producers use their sales and customer services network to help collecting the end-of-life PV modules. The different roles of the stakeholders affect the overall locational strategy for recycling. The result shows that: (1) Both scenarios result in similar path of the utility of recycling facilities: when only one recycling facility is needed in 2041, the recycling plant in Hangzhou will be used to minimize the overall transportation cost for the whole province; while more facilities are needed due to increasing generation of end-of-life modules in the next 4 years, regional collection centers will be assigned to the nearest recycling facility, dividing the province into three regional recycling group: “North Group (including Hangzhou, Jiaxing, and Huzhou)”, “South Group (including Jinhua, Lishui, and Quzhou)”, and the “Coastal Group (including Wenzhou and Taizhou)”. (2) Although the overall cost of reverse logistic in scenario B is slightly higher than scenario A at the beginning in 2041, integrating the producer's sales and service network into the collection network can significantly lower the overall reverse logistics cost up to 9.7 percent at the end of the 2043 when the waste PV generation achieves 72 thousand ton/year. The conclusion suggests the necessity to introduce the Extended Producer Responsibility principle in Chinese PV market to encourage the industry to participate in the construction of an efficient recycling system for the coming wave of end-of-life PV modules.

Modeling waste generation and end-of-life management of wind power development in Guangdong, China until 2050

Abstract: Waste generation and end-of-life (EoL) management of wind power systems (WPSs) have attracted increasing attention as the number of decommissioned wind turbines continues to increase. In this study, we have addressed this issue by applying a technology-specific, component-by-component, and stock-driven prospective dynamic material flow analysis model in the case of Guangdong, a province in South China with high wind power potential. A particular improvement in our model includes the consideration of the foundation type for offshore wind turbines and the impact of water depth. We set three scenario combinations, high, medium, and low, to reveal the scale of material stocks and flows of wind power development in Guangdong from 1989 to 2050. We found that, as the escalating development of wind power continues (particularly offshore), the total waste generation has increased from 0 tons in 1989 to 24 kilotons in 2018, and will further increase to 1,200, 740, and 490 kilotons in 2050 under the high, medium, and low, scenario combinations, respectively. This indicates a growing demand for waste disposal capacity (particularly for recycling) in the future and a necessity to consider such EoL management issue (particularly for EoL blades) and circular economy strategies (e.g., material efficiency) associated with a much-needed ambitious wind energy development plan. We also argue that relevant EoL policy for WPSs (including Extended Producer Responsibility) should be in place in advance and feasible business models should be explored with joint efforts of wind, waste, and utility industries.

The Implications of Recycling Technology Choice on Extended Producer Responsibility

Abstract: W e study recycling technology choice, a critical factor that has received little attention in the context of extended producer responsibility, and its interaction with product design-for-recycling in driving the environmental benefits of recycling systems. Collective recycling systems have long been criticized for restricting the environmental benefits of extended producer responsibility because of free riding issues among producers, which can undermine incentives for product design-for-recycling. We revisit and refine this assertion by analyzing the interaction between recycling technology and product design-for-recycling choices. We develop game-theoretic models where producers and processors decide on product design-for-recycling and recycling technology choices, respectively. We then compare the equilibrium benefits of recycling in collective and individual systems. The key result in this study is that when recycling technology choice is taken into account, collective recycling systems can lead to higher environmental and economic benefits than individual recycling systems. This is because collective recycling systems provide stronger incentives for recycling technology improvements. In turn, these improvements can help overcome the drawbacks associated with inferior product designfor-recycling outcomes caused by free riding concerns among producers in collective recycling systems. In light of these results, we posit that an exclusive focus on product design-for-recycling to assess the environmental benefits of extended producer responsibility-based recycling systems may need scrutiny. Producers and policy makers may need to evaluate recycling systems with respect to the incentives they provide for both product design-for-recycling and recycling technology improvements.

The Sustainability of Waste Management Models in Circular Economies

Abstract: The circular economy (CE) is considered a key economic model to meet the challenge of sustainable development. Strenous efforts are focused on the transformation of waste into resources that can be reintroduced into the economic system through proper management. In this way, the linear and waste-producing value chain problems are solved, making them circular, and more sustainable solutions are proposed in those chains already benefiting from circular processes, so that waste generation and waste are reduced on the one hand, and on the other, the non-efficient consumption of resources decreases. In the face of this current tide, there is another option that proposes a certain nuance, based on the premise that, although circular systems promote sustainability, it does not mean that they are in themselves sustainable, given that, in the first place, the effects of CE on sustainable development are not fully known and, on the other hand, the CE model includes the flow of materials, with only scant consideration of the flow of non-material resources (water, soil and energy). This paper aims to contrast both currents from an empirical viewpoint. To achieve this, a sustainability analysis of the circular waste management systems measured through a sustainability indicator, the carbon footprint (CF), as a main sustainable indicator in climate change action, is carried out. A crucial difference between circular models that promote waste management and those that do not is found in the collective systems of extended producer responsibility (or CPR). One of the most efficient recycling processes in Europe, waste tire management, has been chosen. Thus, the aim is to verify the sense of including environmental sustainability indicators, as CF, in the process of these systems. A sustainability management model (SBA) applies to End-of Life tire collection systems (ELT). This model is based on the accumulation of environmental impacts through the activities that generate them. To be transparent, this study requires a publicly recognized CF, so the study is focused on SIGNUS, the main Spanish waste tires CPR. The results achieved allow us to conclude that CF is much lower using CPR than non-linear processes. Despite the role that CPR have in the management and use of waste as secondary raw material, it is a priority to focus efforts on their redesign in order to reduce waste. In terms of circular economy, all actions are necessary in order to achieve system efficiencies, even when externalities occur in this process.

A comparative study of national variations of the European WEEE directive: manufacturer’s view

Abstract: We are facing the challenge of rapid growth in waste from electrical products (e-waste). In Europe, handling e-waste is regulated by the European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive, which is based on the extended producer responsibility (EPR) model as a regulatory tool forcing manufacturers and importers to take responsibility for their products throughout their lifecycles. However, the directive allows for great variations in implementations in each country, causing e-manufacturers and e-waste handling operators to face challenges in their transition to more sustainable operations. To identify the challenges involved, this study investigates the effect of the WEEE directive from a manufacturer’s perspective. A case study of an e-manufacturer operating subsidiaries in several European countries and the associated producer responsibility organizations (PROs) is presented. The case study includes interviews from 17 stakeholders in 12 organizations in eight European countries. Key findings are as follows. First, the WEEE data reported are not harmonized. Second, the calculations of the environmental fee differ across countries. Third, following up on different national WEEE obligations sometimes leads to over-reporting to avoid negative effects on environmental corporate social responsibility, brand reputation, and profitability. Fourth, outsourcing end-of-life (EoL) treatment responsibility to PROs is seen as positive by the manufacturer but results in a decoupling of the EPR and the operational EoL treatment, which may reduce efforts to transfer to a higher circularity level of its EEE products. Fifth, WEEE is considered a way for e-manufacturers to handle waste not to adopt a circular focus. This paper contributes to both practitioners and researchers within reverse logistics and sustainability by adding knowledge from real-life context of how EPR is implemented in WEEE.

Challenges and Emerging Trends in Toner Waste Recycling: A Review

Abstract: Toner waste is one of the major electronic waste materials posing serious environmental threat and health hazards. Globally, only about 20–30% of toner waste is recycled, while the remaining percentage is dumped in landfills. Recycling options are limited due to the desirably engineered durability of toners, ascribed to a complicated composition of chemicals, carbon black, and plastic particles, which in turn creates critical challenges in recycling. The World Health Organization has classified toner waste as class 2B carcinogen due to its potential health hazard. In this review, the existing challenges in toner waste recycling are discussed from the perspective of environmental, health, and feasibility aspects. In parallel, the challenges have been opening up alternative strategies to recycle toner wastes. Emerging trends in toner waste recycling include transformation of toner waste into value-added products, utilization as raw material for nanomaterial synthesis, generation of composite electrodes for power generation/storage devices, integration into construction materials, and development of microwave absorbing composites. Considering the enormous volume of toner waste generated globally every year, better recycling and transformation strategies are needed immediately. A circular economy could be established in the future by transforming the enormous toner waste into a resource for other applications. For an effective management of toner waste in the future, an integrated approach involving policies and legislations, infrastructure for collection and treatment, and financial planning among the stakeholders is needed in addition to technological innovations.

Circularity for Electric and Electronic Equipment (EEE), the Edge and Distributed Ledger (Edge&DL) Model

Abstract: In the transition to a circular focus on electric and electronic products, manufacturers play a key role as the originators of both the products and the information about the products. While the waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) directive’s contemporary focus is on handling the product as waste after its end of life, the circular economy focuses on retaining the product’s value with a restorative system. The polluter-pays principle requires producers of pollution to bear the costs of handling the pollution, leading to the extended producer responsibility (EPR) principle. This requires manufacturers to change their focus from their current passive role of out-sourcing end-of-life treatment to taking explicit responsibility for product management over an extended period of time. This paper investigates how a manufacturer can assume its responsibility to achieve circularity for its products. Based on our findings, three fundamental circularity principles, the circular electric and electronic equipment (CEEE) principles, for manufactures of electronic and electrical equipment are defined: (1) Serialize product identifiers, (2) data controlled by their authoritative source at the edge, and (3) independent actors’ access to edge data via a distributer ledger are the foundation of the Edge and Distributed Ledger (Edge&DL) model. We demonstrate the model through a case study of how to achieve circularity for lighting equipment. The CEEE principles and the demonstrated model contribute to building new circularity systems for electronic and electric products that let manufacturers undertake their extended product responsibility.

Prospects of legal regulation in the field of electronic waste management in the context of a circular economy

Abstract: The purpose of the study is to identify the existing problems in the field of electronic waste management and to consider the possibilities and prospects of their legislative regulation. The method of political and legal analysis and the legal forecasting method made it possible to trace the evolution of international legislation in the field of management and disposal of electronic waste, the dynamics of its development, and make a forecast regarding possible vectors of its development. The research aims to answer the question of what are the existing problems in the field of e-waste management within their interdependence with the “circular economy” concept and what are the possibilities and prospects for their legislative regulation. The study analyzes the perspective directions of the formation of international policy and legal regulation in the field of electronic equipment waste management and disposal. The issues of the transfer of electronic waste to developing countries, the difficulties associated with the lack of proper legal regulation and enforcement in these countries, the protection of the labor rights of workers in the field of electronic waste disposal were considered. In addition, the practice of application and prospects for introducing into the legislation the principle of extended producer responsibility are considered. This study is intended to contribute to a better understanding of current trends in the field of electronic waste management in order to demonstrate the need to improve the existing international legal framework, adapt it to modern challenges and show the main directions of its changes.

The Decision-Making Analysis on End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling and Remanufacturing under Extended Producer Responsibility Policy

Abstract: This research develops a dual-cycle ELV recycling and remanufacturing system to better understand and improve the efficiency of the ELV recycling and remanufacturing businesses. For the flawless operation of this system, the researchers employed evolutionary game theory to establish a game model between original vehicle manufacturers (OVMs) and third-party recyclers with the government involved. This research presents evolutionary stable strategies (ESS) that could promote an ELV recycling and remanufacturing system. Results show that OVMs’ expected profit difference between choosing and not choosing authorization is crucial in their ESS. The licensing fee plays a part of OVMs’ expected profit difference. Based on the results, optimal ESS could be achieved when the OVMs’ expected profit difference between choosing authorization and not choosing authorization and the third-party recyclers’ profit when paying the licensing fee are both positive. Then, the two groups’ involvement in dual-cycle ELV recycling and the remanufacturing system can be ensured. This research implicates the government to devise appropriate reward and punishment strategy to encourage OVMs and third-party recyclers to collaborate for efficient recycling and remanufacturing systems. Particularly, the government is suggested to impose strict restrictions on OVMs to carry ELV recycling and provide support to promote recycling quantity standards. Hence, the ELV recycling and remanufacturing system would be strengthened, thus improving waste management which is crucial for both environmental and resource efficiency.