Extended producer responsibility

About: Extended producer responsibility is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1120 publications have been published within this topic receiving 26805 citations. The topic is also known as: EPR.

Designing New Products from Reverse Flows – Empirical Survey

Abstract: Content of reverse flows and the way of dealing with them in companies can serve as one of the sources for inventions and innovations in new product design. This issue can have manifold reasons - from lean thinking or just simply cost and profit focused approach (e.g. how can we use and prevent waste from the reverse flows?), through Extended Producer Responsibility (legal requirements for product design), Corporate Social Responsibility approach (sustainability for stakeholders based on product design that would not harm anybody and promote sustainability of partners in the case of reverse product flows) to Environmentally Conscious Manufacturing and Product Recovery or green or eco product design. This paper introduces results of preliminary empirical survey focused on the investigation of relationships between different dimensions and measures of new product designing and several reverse flows management issues. The aim of the analysis is to discover some patterns of companies’ behavior when the possibility to utilize the content of reverse flows for the new product development exists.

Complying with extended producer responsibility requirements: business impacts, tools and strategies [electronic products]

Abstract: As electronic product take-back requirements and materials restrictions spread throughout the EU, Asia and North America, multi-national companies must adapt by improving due diligence programs and incorporating compliance steps into supply chain management systems. This paper first reviews the regulatory background of requirements that manufacturers and importers of electronic goods are (and will be) required to meet. Secondly, examples of how these extended producer responsibility (EPR) requirements are impacting businesses are provided. Finally, the paper introduces tools and management strategies that are available to minimize costs of compliance.

Development of E-waste recycling infrastructure in Africa

Abstract: The paper presents the activities of an alliance of original equipment manufacturers (e-waste solutions alliance for Africa). A sustainable solution to the electronic waste problem in Africa is discussed, including how the proposed solution works with the existing formal and informal sectors. The application of EPR (extended producer responsibility) is described, together with clear allocation of roles and responsibilities. The importance of clear definitions, standards and control mechanisms is presented together with key aspects and review of legislation required to facilitate business investment. In the proposed solution electronic waste management is considered an opportunity to recover valuable materials, create jobs and protect the environment and human health. The plans do not solely focus on the valuable end of life products, they also consider the entire ICT e-waste stream including problematic materials and fractions (currently being burned or landfilled), as well as materials and fractions with no value.

Waste Management: The Brown Side of Green Economy

Abstract: The article presents a framework for assessing integrated waste management opportunities adopting an economic life-cycle analysis approach. Results show that greening the waste management sector represents an opportunity for sustainable development. However, this will hardly occur without considering that waste exists and has to be dealt with, not necessarily with the «soft» solutions advocated by supporters of the «zero waste» strategy alone. Industrial management of waste must include either «soft» and «hard» techniques; landfill diversion, which is the real priority, can be achieved only if material recovery (direct and indirect) and energy recovery will be allied.