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Reverse logistics and the sectoral agreement of packaging industry in Brazil towards a transition to circular economy
Abstract
The objective of this article is to describe the first phase of the implementation of the Sectoral Agreement of Reverse Logistics of Packaging in Brazil, from the perspective of the transition to the circular economy. For this purpose, a case study was carried out, considering as analysis unit the Brazilian sectoral agreement of reverse logistics of packaging. The data collection was conducted through documental analysis and interviews with waste pickers associations, managers in the business sector and government representatives, who are the key signatories of the agreement in focus. The results were triangulated in order to show different perspectives unveiled by the research sources and methods. The analysis of results was carried out based on content analysis proposed by Bardin (1977), in which categories were defined a priori and adjusted a posteriori. The main results show that the concept of circular economy, although not formally expressed in the Brazilian law and sectoral agreement, guides the actions developed by the signatories of the agreement. This article can serve as an input for researchers and practitioners interested in sectoral agreements in Brazil and in developing countries, as well as input for managers in the public and private sectors and other key stakeholders concerned with the implementation of reverse logistics under relevant legislations on solid waste management that reinforce transitions to the circular economy.
... By analysing the implementation of the first phase of the Sectoral Agreement for packaging in Brazil, Guarnieri et al. (2020) used documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews with government representatives, companies, and recyclable material pickers. Although the term CE is not present in the Brazilian National Solid Waste Law (No. 12,305/10), its objectives, principles, and instruments are believed to align with what this new paradigm advocates (BRASIL, 2010). ...
... In its first phase, the sectoral agreement showed interesting results regarding support for picker cooperatives (who collect, sort, and facilitate the shipment of packaging for recycling), installation of PEVs (Voluntary Delivery Points), and environmental education programs for the population. However, the authors point out that this phase happened as a pilot project since it was implemented only in 12 Brazilian cities, those that would host the World Cup in 2014 and, therefore, had more significant logistical infrastructure (GUARNIERI et al., 2020). ...
... The authors defend coercive isomorphism as they believe the law should be implemented throughout the Brazilian territory, respecting the principles of shared responsibility and socio-productive inclusion of the pickers (GUARNIERI et al., 2020). ...
This study proposes a framework to facilitate the Circular Economy (CE) implementation cases analysis from the Institutional Theory (IT) perspective. The development of this theoretical framework was based on the levels of operationalisation of the Circular Economy and the types of isomorphic changes. To demonstrate the framework's applicability, we present a matrix classifying 59 case studies into nine quadrants (3 x 3). Subsequently, the papers' contents were discussed, revealing strategies and practices for institutional behavioural change that drive CE implementation at the micro, meso, and macro levels. Therefore, the results of this work contribute not only to academia by introducing a new way of analysing CE case studies but also to managers by discussing implemented or ongoing implementation cases.
... Increasing awareness of eco-friendly sustainability and cost reductions has also prompted industrial companies to start producing new goods utilizing circular corporate models. Solid administration structures and an intermediate stage focused on circular economy activities have been established due to the concept of RL (Guarnieri et al., 2020). Hashmi et al. (2021b) stated that indirectness would likely benefit society and businesses. ...
... As a result, adding value or removing garbage is made more straightforward, and the necessary inventory is filled for the next cycle. RL aims to pique attention to increase economic output, client revenues, and market share (Guarnieri et al., 2020). Businesses reorganize supply chain activities to reduce energy use and emissions in response to financial, socioeconomic, legal, and political concerns. ...
... RL and the concept of circular-based economy work together to create value in both sustainable environmental and economic efficiency. Typically, manufacturing and operations sectors work together to produce and use goods in an environmentally friendly manner (Guarnieri et al., 2020). Nowadays, businesses are encouraged to create and recycle products in an efficient circular logistics concept to reduce waste and save environmental costs in an advanced business model and strategy (de Campos et al., 2017). ...
The world is going green to foster the challenges of climate change; every country is implementing environmentally friendly rules and regulations in every industry. While in the automotive sector in Pakistan, especially in reverse logistics or logistics, back from customer to company needs more attention. Thousands of vehicles go into the trash annually, resulting in considerable automotive waste in the country. This research aimed to find companies focused on reverse logistics in the automotive sector through questionnaires and collecting data through cross-sectional data collection techniques from 207 individuals in managerial positions at the automotive giants in the country. Moreover, analyzing this data through quantitative tools to determine how much finances and commitment is needed to cover all these automotive waste issues and contribute to a greener environment in the country through the concepts and techniques of the circular economy. Furthermore, the study aims to find how circular economy concepts can be adopted in reverse logistics in the automotive industry to reach a sustainable environment and organizational performance that, in reality, can contribute to all stakeholders of the country, including the environment.
... The National Solid Waste Policy (NSWP), in force in Brazil since 2010, establishes that all recyclable solid waste should be recovered and only nonrecyclable solid waste can be disposed of in landfills (PNRS 2010). In addition, the NSWP established the principle of shared responsibility in waste management among supply chain actors (Guarnieri et al. 2020). The policy obliges manufacturers, importers, distributors, and traders of different types of products to implement reverse logistics. ...
... Based on the literature review detailed in the Introduction, previous studies have already mapped some of the existing barriers for RL in the Brazilian context. Guarnieri et al. (2020) defined barriers for the RL of packaging in Brazil as (i) technology and infrastructure, (ii) governance and supply chain process, (iii) economic, (iv) knowledge, (v) policy, (vi) market and competitors, and (vii) management. ...
... A study by Guarnieri et al. (2020) revealed that waste pickers do not feel as they are been fairly compensated for their work done in the collection of the packaging waste. A critical barrier is related to this problem as there is a lot of missing information on the collection and RL of packaging, primarily because the negotiation between waste pickers cooperatives and recycling industries is made by intermediates. ...
... An industrial system that seeks to close loops must be restorative and regenerative from design. Therefore, emphasises Waste Management (WM) as something strategic (EMF, 2013;Guarnieri et al., 2020;Sehnem et al., 2019). Thus, the centrality that waste management must have in the path towards Circular Economy is evident. ...
... Some actions have been taken in this direction. For instance, the work of Guarnieri et al. (2020) analysed the Brazilian sectorial agreement of packaging, signed in 2015 by the government, waste pickers association and the packaging industry. According to this research, from the perspective of waste pickers, reverse logistics is still in its initial state in Brazil (Guarnieri et al., 2020). ...
... For instance, the work of Guarnieri et al. (2020) analysed the Brazilian sectorial agreement of packaging, signed in 2015 by the government, waste pickers association and the packaging industry. According to this research, from the perspective of waste pickers, reverse logistics is still in its initial state in Brazil (Guarnieri et al., 2020). ...
Purpose: This paper aims to analyse the human and work situation of waste pickers in the federal capital of Brazil (Distrito Federal) during the COVID-19 pandemic, connecting them to the Sustainable Development Goals. Method/approach: We conducted a descriptive case study using a qualitative approach when interviewing ten leaders of their organisations. Following content analysis technique, we created nine thematic categories to understand the waste pickers' perception of stakeholder participation, besides the challenges and opportunities in the three dimensions of sustainability: social, environmental and economic. Main findings: During the COVID-19 pandemic, waste pickers' organisations in the Distrito Federal had their operations wholly paralysed for six months. The government's participation was negative because of the delay in financial assistance and conflicting information, and some private companies provided support. Due to donations of food and hygiene products, society was the stakeholder that most recognised the importance of work and the vulnerability of the waste picker. We discussed the results from the perspective of Sustainable Development Goals to list the risks and opportunities of this period. Theoretical, practical/social contributions: Theoretically, this article contributes by demonstrating categories for analysing the perception of stakeholders. Public and private agents can use its results to adjust their practices in search of SDGs. Finally, the paper's social importance is providing information about these workers' vulnerability and their role in making the solid waste chain more circular. Originality/relevance: This paper is distinguished from the others because, so far, there are no articles in the Brazilian literature that relate the themes of the COVID-19 pandemic and the work of waste pickers to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.
... This process of moving goods or products from the consumers to the manufacturer for recapturing value or ensuring disposal in an environmentally friendly manner is known as reverse logistics (Hills & Hultman, 2013;Isernia, Passaro, Quinto & Thomas, 2019;Julianelli, Caiado, Scavarda & Cruz, 2020). Firms aim at attaining operational efficiency as they strategically manage the process of product returns (Guarnieri, Cerqueira-Streit & Batista, 2020;Alharthi, 2012;Hersleth et al., 2022). By gaining operational efficiency through strategic management of reverse logistics (RL) can result in the improvement of the agricultural entrepreneurial marketing firm's competitive position. ...
... All of these features have strong associations with the term quality, suggesting that quality can become a significant source of competitive advantage for all of those firms and organisations that are fighting for survival in the new hypercompetitive conditions (Guarnieri, Cerqueira-Streit & Batista, 2020). Twenty businesses, including the best scorers in the Baldrige Award Competition in 1988 and 1989, were studied by the American General Accounting Office to determine the impact of quality improvements on financial outcomes. ...
... D' Aveni (1999); Rindova and Kotha (2001), and others have argued that in highly competitive market conditions, enduring competitive advantages do not stem from a well-formulated single strategy but rather from strategy agility, or the ability to make rapid and continuous adjustments to one's strategies faster than competitors in order to create a continuous flow of innovative advantages (Kazancoglu, Ekinci, Mangla, Sezer & Kayikci, 2021). The third dynamic school of thought holds that any competitive advantage that successfully exploits market imperfections will be fleeting, allowing superior-performing firms and organisations to sustain themselves by focusing solely on such advantages (Guarnieri, Cerqueira-Streit & Batista, 2020). Gaining and maintaining a competitive advantage is an important part of any successful business strategy, as it may lead to increased earnings and new opportunities. ...
The purpose of the study is to analyse how green reverse logistics technology impacts agricultural entrepreneurial marketing firms’ operational efficiency and sustainable competitive advantage. Systematic literature review and meta-analytical methodology was adopted to execute the current study. Reverse Logistics Model has been used for the current study as the theoretical model grounding the study as it enables a quick reaction and finding resolution for the customer return whilst regaining the highest value that is possible on each returned item. Results indicate that green reverse logistics technology has a strong influence on agricultural entrepreneurial marketing firms’ operational efficiency and sustainable competitive advantage. The study further shows existing research gaps that can be closed by future research studies. The study has limitations which may affect the generalisability of the results since they can only be applied testing the validity and reliability of the developed conceptual model. The study adds to theoretical literature development by extending knowledge on the Reverse Logistics Model theoretical modelling framework since there is paucity of research that have directly applied the same model in agricultural inputs entrepreneurial marketing firms’ operational efficiency and sustainable competitive advantage. Practically, the study enhances the need for adoption of contemporary technologies to solve the current challenges facing agricultural inputs entrepreneurial marketing firms’ sustainable operational efficiency and competitive advantage in the marginalised areas, not only in developing and emerging economies, but also dotted around the world. The study contributes to the conceptual development, theoretical and practical policy directions applicable to any agricultural inputs entrepreneurial marketing firms. A model can be tested to prove its validity and reliability in future similar studies, using alternative methodologies.
... For example, a small number of large multinational companies plan to commit in improving the rights of informal recyclers by buying directly from them recyclable materials in fairer prices and under better health safety standards (O'Hare and Fernandez, 2022). In other cases, such as in Brazil, the legislation obligates companies to include the IRS at the formal recycling chain, organizing street collectors in cooperatives, improving their work conditions, and scaling the production through investments in high-quality equipment, appropriated warehouses and paying for the reverse logistics service (Guarnieri et al., 2020). However, some argue that corporate circularity is still largely concerned with improving its recycling practices rather than redesigning their products and services, and with managing material flows rather than supporting the people who move them (Barford and Ahmad, 2021). ...
... Brazil is one of these examples in Latin America, whereby the law 12, 305 related to Brazilian Policy of Solid Waste was enacted, in 2010. Some of its main innovations, is the "principle of shared responsibility" on waste management among supply chain actors, the adoption of reverse logistics enabling closed loop of materials and the inclusion of waste pickers in materials recovery processes (Guarnieri et al., 2020). In a sectorial agreement for logistics reverse to packaging in general was signed in 2015, companies brand owners have the commitment to invest in waste picker cooperatives as an inclusive solution to scale the performance of the recycling chain. ...
The inclusion of the informal recycling sector (IRS) in a circular economy (CE) is challenging and it is gaining increasing attention by the academic community in an exponential yet fragmented way. In this narrative review, we aim to demarcate the direct and indirect contributions of the IRS to various domains of the CE by drawing knowledge from relevant literature. First, we capture the modi operandi of different forms of recycling value chains into a typology. We do so based on distinct foci and policy approaches towards the IRS which have been adopted across different countries. Second, we synthesize various threads of information on reported forms of collaboration, tensions, and challenges in the context of urban waste management, into a conceptual framework to facilitate transitions towards circular and inclusive wise-waste systems. Finally, we discuss important aspects related to circular business models and integration approaches towards the IRS, and we propose avenues for further research.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652623020528#sec1
... Given this scenario, shutting down inadequate disposal areas is a priority, and the transition to sanitary landfills must be followed by emission mitigation measures combined with solid waste valorization projects aligned with the PNRS. In the particular case of packaging, reuse and recycling processes contribute positively to these strategies, which is why knowing the plastic composition of solid waste plays a fundamental role in the progress of these actions [38][39][40][41][42]. According to CEMPRE (2019), the elements that stand out in the gravimetric composition of the plastic fraction of MSW are PET (32%), the result of bottles blown with this material, and what is named "mixed" element (24%), which include packaging composed of more than one type of plastic, making it difficult to separate and reprocess. ...
... As stated in the PNRS, some sectors are obliged to structure and implement appropriate collection systems for the following products: pesticides (their waste and packaging); batteries; tires; lubricating oils (their waste and packaging); fluorescent lamps (of sodium and mercury vapor, and mixed light); and electro-electronic products. There are still no specific requirements regarding the selective collection of consumer goods packaging [38][39][40][41][42]. According to ABIPLAST (2021), the volume of post-consumer plastic resins produced in Brazil in 2019 was 839,000 tonnes, indicating a recycling rate of 24%. ...
The plastic packaging industry has changed its production processes. Population growth, allied to society's new consumption pattern and uncontrolled urbanization, increased solid waste generation, is the main cause of environmental pollution and degradation. Some specific data indicate that the volume of used packaging will continue to grow over the next few years. In this study, we present an overview of the Brazilian plastic packaging sector, the current scenario of urban solid waste with a focus on plastic waste, and global trends in the plastic packaging market in terms of technologies that minimize its impact on the environment. Furthermore, we also highlight the case of the USA. This developed country published most patents on monolayer, multilayer, and nanotechnology packaging from 2010 to 2021. Still, it showed how investing in technologies for the packaging sector was not enough for the population's welfare due to the high social inequality in the country. We conclude that solutions to issues regarding the planet's social welfare and environmental sustainability include the adoption of circular economy models, investment in clean technologies, accountability of rich countries regarding greenhouse gas emissions in their territories, and, in the case of developing countries, public policies that encourage effective actions.
... Therefore, waste disposal, inspection and licensing experiences were grouped around the Legal Compliance subcategory. According to Guarnieri et al. 2020 [88], this is the Brazilian law that comes closest to the objectives and principles of the Circular Economy. Therefore, the government of Brazil needs to monitor and enforce compliance with PNRS if it intends to move towards the CE. ...
... The National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS in Portuguese) [91] is a modern instrument that indirectly encompasses IS and CE through devices that encourage the improvement of production processes, the reuse of solid waste, and the use of energy. So far, developments in plans, programs and actions have not been seen that promote significant changes in waste management in Brazil [21,88,92]. ...
This paper aims to analyze organisations’ behaviour in the Industrial Symbiosis implementation process in the Circular Economy Pilot Project, in Brazil from the actors’ perception. We conducted an exploratory and descriptive study with a qualitative approach to attain the research objective. The data collection involved in depth interviews with eighteen actors. Data were analyzed using the Content Analysis technique. The study results in show a still incipient industrial symbiosis network, with few connections between industrial actors, based on bilateral exchanges of materials, water and energy. From the analysis, it was possible to identify the elements that influence the behaviour of organisations. When it comes to exogenous elements, it is clear that laws and sanctions are the ones that most determine organisational action. However, this pressure is still focused on the traditional and unidirectional model of production processes. Economic viability was identified as a primary factor for the objective elements of organisational action. Regarding the subjective elements, it was found that there was already an interaction before the project between some companies, especially those from automotive sector. With the project’s initiative, this social interaction was intensified, including between companies from different sectors. Regarding the barriers, we found the absence of governmental actions, unavailability of time and involvement of the managers to fully participate in the project, high cost of waste disposal versus the cost of investment and, discontinuity of actions. Overall, the study indicates that the project increased the institutional capacity of the region to develop industrial symbiosis, as it advanced in sharing new knowledge, promoted more significant interaction between organisations and identified business opportunities for companies. However, it appears that the project’s continuity will be conditioned to improve some aspects of the governance structure, regulatory framework and collective engagement. These results can be helpful for researchers studying this topic and managers in Brazil and other emerging countries in Latin America, as well as, policymakers involved in public policies aimed to enable the transition to a circular e more sustainable model.
... The linear concept has the idea of extracting resources from the environment, transforming these resources through industrial processes, distributing them to consumers and thus, discarding them in landfills. The circular concept goes against this idea extending the cycle and reusing the waste in a new process, at the same time that reduces the use of resources, energy and water from the design (Guarnieri et al., 2020). ...
... In addition, it is noted that most researchers are more concerned with the rapid resolution of food waste issues in developed countries than in developing countries that suffer more from food waste at the beginning of production (processing, distribution and consumption) (Gustavsson et al., 2011), mainly considering some bottlenecks in the logistics infrastructure. Li et al. (2016) point out that most developing countries still do not fully implement the recycling of food waste and the circular economy discussions are still in the state of infancy, as stated by Guarnieri et al. (2020). As a result, most food waste is mixed with solid waste and then landfilled, a low parcel of this food waste is composted to produce natural fertilizer or used to feed animals. ...
The limit of the linear economic model increased the interest in developing a new economic model based on a closed circle. The circular economy (CE) emerges as a model of sustainable, regenerative and restorative development, whose focus is to maintain products, food waste and natural resources at their highest level of usefulness and value over time. This paper aims to discuss the issue of food waste and how to preserve it through CE. The methodological procedure was the Systematic Literature Review (SLR), based on the protocol by Cronin, Ryan & Coughlan (2008), using the time frame of the last ten years, 2009 to 2019, considering papers published in international journals. It was clear that there is an accumulation of articles published in European countries, focused on attempts to implement circular models that aim to mitigate food waste, and that the transition to this model is essential due to the depletion of natural resources and negative socio-economic externalities. This work highlights the CE processes and benefits of food waste. In addition, it provides suggestions, management, and policy contributions for future research. The valorization and treatment of food waste could contribute to the mitigation of acute hunger in developing countries and the creation of value in food supply chains (FSC).
... O compartilhamento de responsabilidades pelo ciclo de vida do produto é um dos princípios da Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos e o acordo setorial deveria ser o instrumento capaz de reunir poder público com fabricantes, importadores, distribuidores e comerciantes para fazer cumprir este princípio (Brasil, 2010). O trabalho de Guarnieri, Cerqueira-Streit e Batista (2020) avalia a primeira fase do acordo setorial de embalagens com importantes ganhos, principalmente relativos ao investimento das empresas em infraestrutura para cooperativas de catadores de materiais recicláveis, a instalação de PEVs (Ponto de Entrega Voluntária) em algumas capitais brasileiras com campanhas de educação ambiental para a população (Guarnieri et al., 2020). ...
... Os catadores e catadoras são agentes ambientais fundamentais para a Economia Circular de embalagens no Brasil (Guarnieri et al., 2020;Cardoso, 2021). Entretanto, a baixa consciência da população contribui para a pouca participação na coleta seletiva, o que influencia negativamente na qualidade do material que chega à cooperativa. ...
A inclusão de práticas ligadas à Economia Circular no gerenciamento de resíduos sólidos apresentam resultados positivos em algumas partes do mundo. Por isso, este trabalho teve por objetivo analisar os desafios para se institucionalizar a Economia Circular de embalagens no Brasil. Trata-se de uma pesquisa aplicada, de abordagem qualitativa e com objetivo descritivo. Este estudo de caso realizou análise documental e entrevistas em profundidade com base em um roteiro semiestruturado. Foram entrevistados 53 (cinquenta e três) stakeholders do setor de embalagens em geral. A técnica snowball foi utilizada para definir a amostra e o software NVivo® auxiliou na análise de conteúdo. As barreiras desta transição foram apresentadas e discutidas de acordo com a literatura já publicada, entre outros desafios listam-se: A falta conhecimento/engajamento no consumidor; a falta de infraestrutura logística; a bitributação de materiais; o greenwashing; a falta de internalização dos custos de transição nos custos de produção; a falta de fiscalização; a falta de vontade política e lobbies existentes. Por fim, são evidenciadas as limitações e sugere-se pesquisas futuras, bem como são destacadas as contribuições teóricas e gerenciais da presente pesquisa.
... However, interests in repair/remanufacturing, recycling and refurbishments have also risen in developed countries due to the global economic crises and environmental awareness (Ghisellini and Ulgiati, 2020). Guarnieri et al. (2020) also added that these same principles (repair/remanufacturing, recycling, refurbishments) are still in their infancy in developing countries. The awareness of the benefit of CE continues to grow in developed countries with the E.U, USA and Asia, while awareness of CE in countries within Africa and South America is gradually increasing (Masi et al., 2018). ...
... In the views of Guarnieri et al. (2020), issues regarding the practice of "Recycle/recover" are in the infancy stage for developing countries. This, therefore, explains the lower practice of this principle among BE professionals for this study (see Table 2). ...
This study examines the level of awareness and practice of the principles of circular economy (CE) among built environment (BE) professionals in Ghana. A structured questionnaire survey was used to solicit the views of 162 BE professionals working in construction, consulting and developer firms on the issue under investigation. Data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential analysis. The findings revealed that the BE professionals possessed moderate awareness of the six CE principles (i.e. repair, recycle, reuse, renewable energy usage, reduce and redesign) examined. The findings further revealed that only two out of the six principles (i.e. repair and reuse) received some moderate level of practice among the professionals.
Practically, the findings would be relevant to government, policymakers, researchers and other construction professionals. For the government and policymakers, these findings would inform them on the laws and policies to enact to increase awareness and practice of CE principles. For researchers, these findings will assist in exploring gaps for further studies. For the construction professionals, the findings would inform them of the need to step up measures to practice the various principles of CE in their firms adequately. This study provides insights into an under-investigated topic in the construction industry worldwide. It offers new and additional insights into the current state-of-the-art practice of CE principles among BE professionals. This study provides insights into an under-investigated topic in the construction industry worldwide. It offers new and additional insights into the current state-of-the-art practice of CE principles among BE professionals.
... These studies explore strategies, practices, and case studies related to the region's circular economy implementation, sustainable supply chain management, and consumer behavior. Some investigations are linked to the studies conducted by Chiappetta Jabbour, De Camargo Fiorini [37], Cardoso de Oliveira, Machado [38], and Guarnieri, Cerqueira-Streit [39]. ...
... Destaque-se que a LR pode ser vista como todas as ações voltadas ao gerenciamento, redução, processamento e disposição de resíduos perigosos ou não, relacionadas a várias etapas do ciclo de vida do produto, como produção, embalagem, sua fase de uso e seus processos de distribuição e retorno de compra . Complementarmente a isto, Guarnieri et al. (2020) colocam que a LR de pósvenda compreende o planejamento, controle e destinação dos produtos sem uso ou por devoluções, cujos bens podem retornar à origem por razões distintas, como expiração de prazo de validade, excessos em estoque, problemas de garantia, defeitos e substituição de componentes, entre outras razões. ...
A percepção da importância dos Provedores de Serviços Logísticos (PSL) na operação de Logística Reversa (LR) tem aumentado devido ao incremento do fluxo de produtos retornados para as indústrias e, principalmente, das vendas advindas do comércio eletrônico. Desta forma, é intenção deste estudo apresentar e analisar a rede PSL que atua com LR no Brasil. Através de uma pesquisa exploratória e descritiva, combinada com a metodologia de análise de rede, o estudo revela como é constituída a rede de PSL que atuam com LR no Brasil. A visão estabelecida pela análise fornece aos gestores de empresa a relação existente entre os PSL e os segmentos de negócios que operam com processos reversos. Isto permite entender como articular operações otimizando a rede de negócio nesta área. Este estudo é um dos primeiros no Brasil a fazer este mapeamento, oferecendo à academia e às empresas o conhecimento a respeito da rede de LR.
... drive the waste collection process. Indirectly, it also ensures an enhanced social status to waste pickers (Guarnieri et al., 2020). Besides, ensuring the industry status will engage more workers and generate additional investments in waste collection. ...
Adverse environmental impacts and growing environmental awareness among customers have motivated industries to follow sustainable manufacturing practices. Remanufacturing, a sustainable manufacturing practice, plays a critical role in the circular economy and provides economic, environmental, and social benefits. Despite these benefits, remanufacturing practices are still in an embryonic, underutilized state in developing countries like India. Problems at organizational, technological, and operational levels restrict developing countries from embracing remanufacturing practices. The paper aims to develop a framework to recognize and evaluate the remanufacturing barriers in the Indian leather industry. Twenty barriers to remanufacturing practice were identifed and evaluated based on experts’ feedback and a literature survey. An integrated approach, comprising a fuzzy
analytic hierarchy process (F-AHP) and fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (F-DEMATEL), was used to rank and reveal the barriers’ interrelationships. A real world implementation of the integrated approach is demonstrated. Findings reveal that the absence of effective government policy enforcement, lack of constructive publicity of "6R" products for the public, insufficient awareness of the necessity of recovering value from wastes, low financial assistance to the waste collectors, and weak business case are the top five major barriers that impact remanufacturing practice. The study theoretically advances the remanufacturing domain knowledge. It also recognizes that the application with any industrial sector would reduce the impact of such barriers and increase the feasibility of remanufacturing practices. Additionally, the framework used in this study will assist policymakers and industrial practitioners in emerging economies in implementing remanufacturing practices.
... Another possible option for sustainable development is the circular economy (CE) (Geissdoerfer et al., 2017). The environmental awareness of a more sustainable world (obtained by the CE) is essential to make the RL process viable (Guarnieri et al., 2020;Taddei et al., 2022). At the same time, RL is a crucial part of CE (Bernon et al., 2018), as it contributes to one of the pillars of CE, which is the reverse route of products and technical materials (EMF, 2013). ...
... A Figura 4 ilustra as principais ações ligadas a estratégia de otimização relatadas pelos participantes da presente pesquisa. Assim como identificado por Guarnieri et al. (2020) ao investigar os resultados da primeira fase do Acordo Setorial de embalagens no Brasil, a presente pesquisa também identificou uma tímida e desintegrada atuação de governo e indústrias no objetivo de desenvolver a cadeia da reciclagem. Parte dos atores entrevistados alegam colaborar para o desenvolvimento da cadeia de diferentes formas. ...
This research analyses the leading strategies and practices for transforming Brazil's Circular Economy of packaging. In-depth semi-structured interviews (n=53) were conducted with stakeholders active in the Brazilian packaging sector and triangulated with document analysis. The main strategies identified were environmental education programs, MSW diversion practices, environmental crimes (regeneration) inspection, efficient use of products, and waste reduction (optimisation). As for sharing, the inequality resulting from regional differences in logistics infrastructure was highlighted. The paper has theoretical contributions, such as applying the ReSOLVE method and practices for generating social, environmental and economic benefits.
... Adopting the framework will affect industry people and support them in changing their reverse logistics practices to one that is more restorative and less impactful. The circular economy relies on production processes that take chances for reverse cycles not just of products but also of leftovers like packaging and other wastes which can be tied to key practices of environmental, economic, and social sustainability (Guarnieri et al. 2020). On the contrary, state that reverse logistics activities are becoming more and more significant in terms of scope and quantity considerations. ...
Sustainability and resilience are both fundamental to ensure the long-term survival of supply chains. Considering that synergies and trade-offs exist, ensuring that their implementation results in positive and non-detrimental applications is fundamental. Having an adequate performance measurement framework, able to include all relevant aspects of sustainability and resilience, in a comprehensive yet concise way, exploiting synergies and links between the topics, is of paramount importance. A literature review allowed retrieving that there is a lack of such a framework as well as the lack of operativity and adaptability to the changing needs of firms. Building on this, a new performance measurement framework was built to simultaneously include sustainability and resilience indicators, integrating the two concepts via the capabilities and the performances. Besides, it was designed to be operative and to be scalable, adapting to different firms and needs. Thus, it can be adapted to the needs of small and medium enterprises or firms at the beginning of their measurement journey. The framework was validated with three supply chain case studies that confirmed its usefulness, comprehensiveness, and ease of use. These results contribute to the discussion about sustainability and resilience performance measurement and provide guidance for practitioners and regulators.KeywordsSupply chainSustainabilityResiliencePerformance measurement systemIndicatorsCapabilitiesEmpirical evidenceScalabilitySmall and medium enterprisesNew adopters
... One of the criteria is the value of the vehicles. Due to these vehicles, it is ensured that the wastes are transported quickly from the construction area to the excavation area (Guarnieri et al., 2020). Unfortunately, many companies in Turkey outsource this transportation business to third-party companies. ...
Due to the decreasing resources in the world, different recycling applications in different sectors are gaining more importance. Urban transformations initiated especially for earthquake remnants and old buildings provide many advantages for the construction sector. Recycling of valuable materials from the wastes from each demolished construction site is very important in terms of costs. It is also important to analyse the effectiveness of both public and private companies to compare different approaches and illustrate best practices. From this point of view, this research has been carried out on the recycling of construction and demolition wastes in Turkey and the performance of companies dealing with this business. Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and gray relations analysis (GRA) will be applied for the evaluation phase. The criteria will be analysed through AHP and the connectionbetween companies will be determined with the GRA method. According to the results, potential improvement opportunities will be identified to increase the performance and competitiveness of construction excavation companies. This will also allow the findings to serve as a potential model for other construction companies operating under different contingency factors, as well as presenting the list of criteria that construction companies should pay attention for performance evaluation.
... A Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos obriga os fabricantes de eletroeletrônicos a implementarem programas de Logística Reversa (LR) de seus aparelhos. A legislação federal exige também que as empresas gerem informações sobre seus respectivos produtos e que orientem os consumidores sobre os riscos socioambientais, formas seguras de acondicionamento e caminhos para a devolução dos bens pós-consumo DEMAJOROVIC et al., 2012;GUARNIERI, 2020). Devido à introdução de novas tecnologias ou à indisponibilidade de peças de reposição, os equipamentos eletroeletrônicos (EEE) são substituídos e, assim, descartados mais rapidamente. ...
OS DESAFIOS DO MANEJO DOS RESÍDUOS SÓLIDOS NO BRASIL
O e-book publicado nesta edição do Congresso Brasileiro de Resíduos Sólidos –
Epersol traz uma discussão sobre os desafios do manejo dos resíduos sólidos no Brasil.
Ao longo dos anos, observa-se um constante crescimento demográfico mundial, que tem, por consequência, um aumento na produção e geração dos resíduos sólidos. Com isso, o gerenciamento inadequado pode ocasionar diversos malefícios para a saúde humana e a qualidade de vida das comunidades, bem como na preservação do meio ambiente.
O conceito de resíduos sólidos está instituído pela Lei 12.305 de 2 de agosto de 2010, que não só estipula a Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos (PNRS), como estabelece princípios, objetivos, instrumentos e diretrizes no tocante à gestão integrada de resíduos sólidos, inclusive os classificados como perigosos. Aprovada após 21 anos do início da sua tramitação, a PNRS também institui as responsabilidades dos geradores de poluentes, do Poder Público e determina os instrumentos econômicos aos quais se aplicam. Com a implementação da PNRS e, mais recentemente, do Novo Marco Regulatório do Saneamento Básico, colocou-se o Brasil num novo cenário de gestão dos resíduos sólidos.
É fato que a gestão destes representa um desafio para os países em
esenvolvimento,
como o Brasil. A logística ambiental advém da preocupação com a sustentabilidade,
visando melhorar as atuações no meio ambiente de organizações, resultando na elevação da qualidade dos processos para obter vantagens econômicas, levando em consideração a sustentabilidade social e ambiental.
No Brasil, a Lei 12.305 estabelece também bases concretas para uma gestão apropriada para os resíduos, como a separação correta com base na classe e no tipo. No entanto, o gerenciamento de resíduos ainda se mostra um desafio, visto que é necessário que os municípios possuam infraestrutura, planejamento e manutenção, além de recursos técnicos e financeiros, o que não é visto no cenário atual. O manejo inadequado dos resíduos sólidos pode causar inúmeros impactos socioambientais, tais como contaminação do solo, poluição da água, proliferação de vetores de doenças, obstrução da rede de drenagem de águas pluviais e alteração das condições de sobrevivência de espécies vegetais e animais.
Em razão dessas inter-relações, tornam-se essenciais para as instituições o planejamento e a implementação de soluções que assegurem a destinação adequada dos resíduos provenientes do consumo de produtos e dos insumos que dão suporte às atividades de rotina. Diante disso, em 2023, foi instituído o Decreto 11.413, que trata do Certificado de Crédito de Reciclagem de Logística Reversa, do Certificado de Estruturação e Reciclagem de Embalagens em Geral e do Certificado de Crédito de Massa Futura. Estas certificações são relativos aos sistemas de Logística Reversa, em atendimento ao Art. 33 da Lei 12.305 de 2010.
De acordo com a Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Limpeza Pública e Resíduos
Especiais (Abrelpe), dados divulgados no Panorama dos Resíduos Sólidos no Brasil
durante o ano de 2022 mostram que a geração de resíduos sólidos alcançou um total de 81,8 milhões de toneladas, aproximadamente, o que corresponde a 224 mil toneladas diárias. Observando a geração de resíduos sólidos por região, o Sudeste continua sendo o maior gerador, com cerca de 111 mil toneladas por dia, o equivalente a 49,7% da geração do país. O Nordeste alcançou 24,7% da geração de resíduos, enquanto o Norte e o Centro-Oeste alcançaram 7,5% do total gerado, as menores dentre as regiões.
Com o tema “Ciclo de Vida dos Resíduos Sólidos”, o Congresso Brasileiro de Resíduos Sólidos - Epersol 2022 promoveu um evento nacional, com discussões acerca da nova configuração global frente à gestão, ao gerenciamento e ao manejo dos resíduos sólidos.
A temática abordada visa estabelecer relação direta com a questão socioambiental, em particular com o aquecimento global. Conhecendo o ciclo de vida dos produtos, é possível realizar a destinação adequada, viabilizando a criação de medidas de redução das emissões de gases de efeito estufa pela decomposição dos resíduos e o reaproveitamento dos materiais a depender do manejo correto. Assim, estudos sobre esta temática podem indicar e propor alternativas tecnológicas para a gestão de resíduos, visando à valorização destes, por meio de gerenciamento adequado.
Desta forma, o presente e-book está dividido em 5 capítulos que abordam temas e
estratégias sobre os desafios do manejo dos resíduos sólidos. Além de apresentar soluções inovadoras para lidar com os problemas atuais de gestão de resíduos, este livro digital propõe várias diretrizes importantes para mitigar, de forma holística, os impactos da geração de resíduos sólidos. Por fim, espera-se que a leitura deste material implique na criação de estratégias específicas para minimizar a geração dos resíduos sólidos. A seguir, têm-se os conteúdos abordados por cada capítulo.
... CE has vast applications in diverse sectors like clothing (Moorhouse & Moorhouse, 2017), electronics (Jun & Xiang, 2011), agriculture, mining (Singh et al., 2020), and manufacturing (Moktadir et al., 2018;Priyadarshini et al. 2020). This is an opportunity for EV manufacturers also to repair, refurbish, and remanufacture the batteries (Gautam et al., 2022;Guarnieri et al., 2020;Jabbour et al., 2019). Table 2 presents the recent research done in the field of CE. ...
The world is witnessing the fast replacement of fossil-fuelled vehicles by environment-friendly electric vehicles (EVs). This unprecedented growth of EVs is expected to burden the material resource consumption of batteries constituting metals from the earth. However, circular economy in the electric vehicle battery (EVB) ecosystem can provide a sustainable solution to resource management. This has triggered the need to understand and analyse the EVB ecosystem players. Long-term analyses of behaviours of the different variables under dynamic and complex systems are best carried out by the application of system dynamics (SD)—a continuous simulation methodology. This research paper has contributed in developing an interactive SD-based model for the circular production and consumption flow of EVBs to analyse the behavioural dynamics of the different variables involved. Five scenarios have been simulated for the analyses. The behaviour trends of the variables obtained from the SD-based simulation model have provided useful insights and five recommendations for resource sustainability. The recommendations are: the necessity for adopting Industry-4.0 in EVB manufacturing, awareness creation of circular thinking amongst all stakeholders, enhanced end-of-life (EOL) period of EVB, compelling need for high EVB recollection efficiency after EOL, and improvement in the reprocessing technology of EOL batteries.
... Although environmental concerns can affect proenvironmental behavior and the purchase intention for green cosmetics and personal care products (Kumar et al., 2021;Sreen et al., 2021;Suphasomboon and Vassanadumrongdee, 2022;Zollo et al., 2021), the positive attitudes and perceptions of consumers do not necessarily lead to active behavioral participation. Barriers related to the post-consumer use phase and the implementation of a green supply chain were also due to the lack of awareness, lack of expert knowledge, lack of operational infrastructures and management within the context of emerging countries (Kolling et al., 2022;Guarnieri et al., 2020). In sum, the local cosmetic companies still operate on a more linear business model with a focus on traditional growth and profit maximization. ...
... Others have claimed that the participation of third-party institutions could improve waste recycling and disposal to reduce the cost of the WSC based on the scale effect. The successes of Germany's Duales System Deutschland and Brazil's CEMPRE verify this view [11,12]. However, the introduction of third-party institutions leads to an increase in government subsidies and, thus, financial pressure on the government and regulatory difficulties. ...
The stability and efficiency of the waste supply chain (WSC) is related to the urban environment. This study constructed a framework of barriers to coordinating the WSC based on four perspectives: the costs and benefits, mechanisms involved, behaviors of the subjects, and technologies and standards used. We used an analytic network process based on the fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory to calculate the centrality and weight of each barrier factor, and we determined the critical barriers to coordination by combining their results. A causality diagram of the barriers was drawn, and a scheme of coordination of the WSC was designed based on a closed-loop supply chain around the critical barriers. The results show that contradictions in benefits between subjects, contradictions between economic and social benefits, excessive subsidies, the failure of the market mechanism, the lack of a mechanism for supervision, and blocked information and distrust among the subjects are the five most critical barriers to the coordination of the WSC, with excessive subsidies the root cause of the lack of coordination. The subsidy for direct waste disposal should be used to reduce the cost of the operation of the WSC, waste recycling should be improved, an information-sharing platform should be built, and the cost of recyclable waste for manufacturers should be reduced to improve the efficiency of the WSC.
... With the help of these policies, the Chinese government hopes to establish a modern and green logistics system. The attempt to transform from a traditional logistics industry to a green and sustainable logistics industry is very common in the world as many countries try to achieve sustainable development and combat climate change (Guarnieri et al., 2020;Gupta and Garg, 2020). In this context, the promotion of green development in the logistics industry is an inevitable trend in China. ...
The transition from traditional logistics to green and low-carbon logistics is crucial and inevitable due to the pressure of climate change and sustainable development in China. Meanwhile, technological innovation is perceived as an important factor affecting the development of the logistics industry. To explore the impacts of technological innovation and other factors and to propose proper policies based on the results, this study utilizes a generalized estimating equations (GEE) regression model to analyze panel data of 30 provinces during 2001-2019. Firstly, the entropy weight method is applied to calculate the green logistics development level based on an index system considering green factors. Secondly, a GEE model which considers the correlation among different observations is used to investigate the impacts of crucial factors on the green logistics development level. Moreover, regional heterogeneity is also analyzed in this paper by comparing the regression results of the Eastern region, Central region, and Western region. Based on the above analysis, several conclusions are drawn: (1) In terms of the average green logistics development levels, the Eastern region ranks 1st, the Central region ranks 2nd, and the Western region ranks 3rd. (2) GEE regression model is proved effective in our sample. (3) For the full sample, technological innovation, trade openness, and logistics infrastructure positively affect the green logistics development level; while, government regulation and energy intensity negatively influence the green logistics development level. (4) Regional heterogeneity is confirmed in our sample. Related policy recommendations are proposed based on our regional regression results. Take the Eastern region as an example, the local governments in the Eastern region should upgrade the manufacturing industry, reduce government financial investment in the transportation sector, and enhance environmental control expenditure in the transportation sector.
... Adding to the industry initiatives, many governments worldwide are promoting transitions to the circular economy at local, national and transnational levels, as evidenced by a number of circular city transition cases (Prendeville et al., 2018), sectoral agreements toward the circular economy (Guarnieri et al., 2020), the Chinese Circular Economy Promotion Law (McDowall et al., 2017), the European Circular Economy Action Plan (EU Commission, 2020) and so forth. ...
Purpose
This paper introduces initial foundations of a sustainability-dominant logic theory intersecting the sustainable operations and supply chain management (SOSCM) discipline with the circular economy (CE) field of knowledge.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper applies propositional forms of theorising to derive the formulation of propositions and interconnections that interrelate SOSCM and CE principles, concepts and practices which provide a reinforcing theoretical basis underlying the proposed sustainability-dominant logic theory.
Findings
Key findings are represented by elaborated theoretical propositions for a sustainability-dominant logic linking SOSCM and CE principles, concepts and well-established practical assumptions. The initial set of propositions offers useful insights for a sustainability-dominant logic at three managerial levels: product, firm and supply chain level.
Originality/value
The paper offers an original theoretical common ground based on a sustainability-dominant logic linking key SOSCM with CE tenets, this way developing SOSCM theory anchored in the CE paradigm and, conversely, developing CE theory supported by SOSCM principles and praxis. The initial set of propositions introduced in the paper provides a new pathway for future research and debate by OM scholars engaged with SOSCM and CE developments.
... Therefore, city administrations should promote more integration between citizens and the private and public sectors to guarantee sectoral agreements, reduce waste generation and increase the reuse of materials. According to Guarnieri et al. (2020), sectoral agreements are of fundamental importance to enable successful transitions to the CE. ...
A circular city (CC) promotes circular economy (CE) principles. Efficient urban solid waste management (USWM) strategies are essential for promoting a CE at the municipal level. New tools are needed to evaluate waste management (WM) and increase the reuse and recycling of materials to accelerate the transition towards a CC. These tools could assist decision and policymakers in adopting, implementing, and monitoring circular practices. This study proposes creating an index (USWM-index) to evaluate WM in urban areas and discuss how it could be better managed in future sustainable circular cities in Brazil. The index allows city managers to integratively and sustainably assess their USWM. Decision-makers can also use the index to set goals and objectives for recycling and reusing generated waste in cities. The index comprises 19 indicators and 51 sub-indicators. These elements were divided into five groups: Operational, Environmental, Political-economic, Educational, and Social. Cities can assess their performance in each group by using the USWM-index. The index was applied to four Brazilian cities. All cities had their USWM classified as average, and they did not have initiatives to transition to sustainable circular cities regarding WM. This study presents guidelines for transitioning from a linear city to a sustainable circular city in terms of WM.
... Efforts related to a more sustainable plastics value chain are currently focused primarily on the recycling of plastic waste [55]. For example, in Europe, single-use plastics (SUP) in particular have been banned in a variety of end-user products, and other measures encouraging the reduction, separation, and recycling of other SUPs are considered by the Directive on the Reduction of the Impact of Certain Plastic Products on the Environment [56]. ...
Plastics are used widely, and modern civilization would have to behave differently without them. However, plastics pose a threat to sustainable life. This paper focuses on some of the provisions being made for sustainable production to date and focuses on one key sector-plastic manufacturing-where sustainable production patterns are urgently needed. The paper describes the latest trends related to plastic production, its environmental impacts, and how this sector is adjusting its processes in order to meet the current and forthcoming legal requirements and consumer demands. The methodological approach of the study has focused on both a literature review on the one hand and the consumers’ perspective obtained via a survey on the other. These two approaches were then crosschecked in order to assess current trends in plastic manufacturing and to understand how consumers see these trends as being consistent with the aims of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12. The results obtained suggest that a greater engagement of consumers is needed in supporting the efforts to manage plastic more sustainably. Based on its findings, the paper provides useful insights linked to principles and tools for sustainable plastic production and design, and it demonstrates the usefulness and urgency of a sound materials management in order to tackle plastic pollution, one of today´s major environmental problems.
... The sales division is divided into digital marketing and direct field promotions (Cimpan et al., 2021). The packaging division is the simplest because it is not divided into smaller parts (Guarnieri et al., 2020). The processing division is in charge of providing still good plastic that can be recycled and is tasked with recycling plastic materials (Hidayat et al., 2019). ...
The problems experienced by SME actors often become obstacles in society to improve their economic business
such as business licensing, limited capital, expansion in marketing, constraints during the production process, and
management of financial management. This research uses a qualitative type with Parsons's AGIL theory. The aim
is to find out the division of roles of recycling empowerment actors and to analyze the resilience of this community
through AGIL analysis. The research location was chosen because the empowerment carried out through Ex-Industry SMEs was successful due to an equilibrium role distribution system. The research subjects were selected
using a purposive method. Data was collected using two primary data types (observation and interviews) and
secondary data (through digital libraries). The analysis used in this study is the AGIL scheme's structural
functionalism analysis focusing on analyzing the roles of Ex-Industry SME actors and Wedoro Hamlet residents in
carrying out economic activities. The data validity checking technique used is triangulation. This research shows
that their adaptation is carried out by prioritizing products in terms of quality and expanding the market to be able
to compete with Chinese-owned products, goal orientation is carried out through conducting market research,
innovation and creativity, which are continuously updated to increase market turnover, the latency that is applied is
the value of discipline and kinship to strengthen solidarity between employers and employees, and the integration
that is built is to establish a sense of solidarity and employee welfare to maintain business continuity.
Keywords: social welfare; solidarity; business continuity; small business; structural functionalism
... In developing countries, reverse logistics of end-of-life or unused medication in the public sector may reduce overall costs, but understanding the variables that affect reverse logistics of end-of-life medicines in the context of the pharmaceutical care process gains much more relevance in the pandemic context. Although there is a stated conceptual transition from reverse logistics to the wider concept of circular economy (Fischer and Pascucci, 2017;Genovese et al. 2017;Guarnieri et al. 2020), the managers of companies, industry, and the public sector are unable to implement or even manage it efficiently. There is a double challenge since the already complex direct logistics performance of the pharmaceutical care process may be influenced by the implementation of reverse logistics, but to what extent? ...
The management of healthcare waste and end-of-life medication coming from different sources are primary challenges faced by public health leaders. Several factors may be considered critical and inhibitive to reverse logistics within the context of waste management processes. If those factors are not addressed, they may become obstacles to reverse logistics implementation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect that critical factors play in the adoption of end-of-life management practices for medication and its influence on logistics performance. Literature provided some critical factors: management factor, collaboration factor, information technology factor, infrastructure factor, politics factor, financial and economic factor, end-of-life management practices, and logistics performance factor. A sample of 67 professionals from the public pharmaceutical care process answered a structured questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using partial least square-structural equation modeling. The theoretical structural test confirmed eleven out of the fifteen hypotheses considered. The results have indicated that end-of-life management practices exert a direct influence on logistics performance. The analysis confirmed a direct effect of the information technology factor on end-of-life management practices, but not a moderation effect. Findings have contributed to the literature by providing deeper insights into the relationship between end-of-life management practices for medicines and logistics performance. Moreover, it supports health managers’ decision-making in the pharmaceutical care process improvement and engagement with solid waste management policies.
... Clear laws facilitating circularity is important as research found that in developing economies, there is a lack of strong implementation of laws and weak structure of policies (Zhu, 2017). CSCM requires establishing shared responsibility laws for return and waste management delineating roles and collaboration among all the actors of the supply chain, the government, third party waste collectors and customers (Guarnieria et al., 2020). ...
Purpose
The major purpose of this study is to investigate the role of Industry 4.0 in circular supply chain management (CSCM). The study also identifies variables that positively influence circular performance of a supply chain and examines the relationships among them.
Design/methodology/approach
This research uses a novel mixed-method exploratory methodology with sequential design. To understand the relationships among the enablers and the role of Industry 4.0 in circular performance of supply chain, a qualitative method (interpretive structural modeling) was utilized. Following the qualitative phase, a questionnaire based quantitative study was conducted and the hypothesized mediating relationships were evaluated through smart-PLS structural equation modeling tool.
Findings
The findings of interpretive structural modeling (ISM) model revealed the hierarchical relationships among the enablers of circular supply chain management based on their relative importance. The variables were clustered in three groups of driver, dependent and linkage variables. The results of the structural model indicated that Industry 4.0 play a mediating role between the driver and dependent variables that influence circular performance in a supply chain.
Practical implications
The research offers practical insights for supply chains moving in the direction of zero waste by highlighting the important variables that require actions from different stakeholders. The research also reveals the importance of integrating Industry 4.0 technologies in restorative and regenerative cycles of circular supply chain.
Originality/value
The originality of the research stems from the scarcity of research on circular supply chain management. The authors argue about the critical role that Industry 4.0 can play in achieving circularity in supply chains.
... Professionals involved often lose information and do not have access to possible technologies that could be implemented. The interaction between academia and public sectors is far from perfect due to this lack of information between institutions [80,81]. ...
Because of the need to limit extraction of raw materials and reduce amounts and impacts of waste, countries and businesses are challenged to transition to a circular economy: an economic system in which the materials are reduced, reused, or recycled, but not wasted. Yet, transition-ing from a linear to a circular economy implies societal-level, structural changes that have deep implications for existing business models and practices-and the current economic system is still largely organized around virgin material extraction and linear modes of production and consumption. Despite stated ambitions at various geographical scales to become more or fully circular, the outcomes still fall short of such visions. One important reason why the transition towards a circular economy is not proceeding as quickly as hoped can be found in the decision processes used by companies, investors, and policy makers. Suitable frameworks that support decision-making could thus be a key enabler of this transition, if based upon a circular and transformative, rather than a linear optimization logic. In this paper, we therefore explore a different decision-making logic that is developed based on circularity. This provides the basis for an operational framework designed to help decision-makers such as policymakers, investors, and entrepreneurs navigate tradeoffs and take decisions considering the quality of innovation circularity and its respective diffusion potential. To develop, test, and refine our framework-the "Circular Decision-Making Tree"- we synthesized insights from existing frameworks and conceptually integrated these with our understanding of transition theory and the circular economy. We then verified the internal logics and applicability of the framework in a series of usability workshops across four application contexts (Netherlands, Brazil, UK, and South Africa) with feedback from a total of n = 50 stakeholders from policy, practice, and academia. We critically discuss the application potential as well as the limitations and describe implications for future research to further validate the framework's logics and operationalization.
The hospitality industry has been highlighted as an important economic sector that is vulnerable to climate change. However, this industry is also considered to have a substantial contribution to the degradation of the environment by consuming excessive quantities of energy, producing approximately 8% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. Previous studies have proposed the circular economy as an optimal concept to address this issue by eliminating waste and maximizing resource utilization. In light of that, many hotels are striving to shift the traditional linear economy into a circular economy by adopting green marketing into their business operations. However, they still face many obstacles in making an effective transition to a circular‐style economy due to the lack of an appropriate approach. To fill this gap, this study aims to develop a framework to give insights on which aspects can foster the circular economy transition process through green marketing implementation. Therefore, this study proposes a hybrid method that integrates an exploratory factor analysis with a fuzzy synthetic method and a decision‐making trial and evaluation laboratory to structure the hierarchical model and provide guidance to decision‐makers for future improvements under resource constraints. The results reveal that advantage acquisition and behavior transition are the most influential aspects in accelerating the transition to the circular economy in the hospitality industry. The crucial theoretical and managerial implications are also discussed.
Improving waste and resource management (WaRM) around the world can halve the weight of plastics entering the oceans, significantly mitigate global heating and contribute directly to 12 of 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs). Achieving such results demands understanding and learning from historical evolution of WaRM. The baseline is 1970, prior to environmental legislation. Early steps in the Global North focused on the ‘technical fix’ within strictly enforced legal frameworks, first bringing hazardous wastes and municipal solid wastes (MSW) under control, then gradually ramping up environmental standards. Using modern technologies to the Global South often failed due to institutional and financial constraints. From 1990, focus switched to integrating technical and governance aspects: local institutional coherence, financial sustainability, provider inclusivity, user inclusivity, national legislative and policy framework. The Global North rediscovered recycling, using policy measures to promote segregation at source; this relied on new markets in emerging economies, which had largely disappeared by 2020. The Global South is making progress on bringing wastes under control, but around 2.7 billion people lack access to waste collection, while ~40% of collected MSW is open dumped or burned – a continuing global waste emergency. So, much remains to be done to move further towards a circular economy. Three policy priorities are critical for all countries: access to sustainable financing, rethinking sustainable recycling and worldwide extended producer responsibility with teeth. Extending services to unserved communities (SDG11.6.1) requires a people-centred approach, working with communities to provide both quality services and decent livelihoods for collection and recycling workers.
Este estudo tem como objetivo conhecer por meio de pesquisa de opinião com especialistas da área de resíduos sólidos no Brasil, os desafios relacionados ao manejo de resíduos sólidos em áreas rurais à luz das proposições do Programa Nacional de Saneamento Rural (PNSR). Foram consultados 30 especialistas por meio do método Delphi. Os resultados apontaram que os desafios para implantação do manejo dos resíduos sólidos em áreas rurais, segundo prerrogativas do PNSR, passam pela falta de estrutura técnica e gerencial dos municípios; pelo uso de soluções coletivas para atendimento às demandas individuais; pela falta de participação social para a tomada de decisões; além da não aderência das diretrizes e estratégias do PNSR à Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos e ao Marco Legal do saneamento, representado pela Lei no 14.026/2020.
Purpose
This study examines how compliance with government and firm's own policy and reverse logistics practices relate with firm environmental performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This study draws on insights from stakeholder theory, and follows a two-phase research approach. The first phase utilized an extended literature review that seeks to provide a qualitative and comprehensive understanding of the research problem. The 2001–2023 data was collected from the Web of Science and Scopus databases, complemented with Google Scholar. The second phase involved an empirical study—adopting a quantitative cross-sectional survey design with a self-administered questionnaire to validate the theoretical conceptualizations deriving from the literature review. The empirical data were collected from 203 food and beverages manufacturing firms in Uganda and analysed using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach.
Findings
The study findings suggest that compliance with government policy positively influences firm environmental performance, both directly, and indirectly through fostering reverse logistics practices, and that the relationship between compliance with government policy and reverse logistics practices is contingent upon compliance with the focal firm's own policy.
Research limitations/implications
The study findings will enhance the theoretical and conceptual development of the ideas that underpin stakeholder theory and applications. The Ugandan government will come up with better mechanisms for enforcing compliance with policy regulating the application of reverse logistics practices. In addition, the study advances the use of multi-method approaches in investigating interesting research aspects requiring in-depth examination. However, considering the fact that the empirical study was conducted in a single country context, and focused on firms more or less from the same sub-sector, the findings of the study might not be generalizable globally.
Practical implications
This study provides useful insights to logistics and supply chain managers involved in reverse logistics activities in food and beverages manufacturing firms. These managers can know how to leverage reverse logistics practices to enhance environmental performance of firms amidst environmental policies in the industry where they operate.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the built body of knowledge in operations, logistics and supply chain management literature; understanding about reverse logistics practices as a mechanism through which compliance with government policy influences environmental performance of firms. The interaction between compliance with government policy and compliance with firm policy is essential in explaining the performance effects of reverse logistics practices. In addition, the study advances the use of multi-method approaches in investigating interesting research aspects requiring in-depth examination. Complementing extended literature review with and empirical research to investigate reverse logistics practices influences on firm environmental performance, and incorporating the role of policy in explaining this relationship should make considerable contribution. Besides, the study highlights important areas for future research.
In recent years, academic and industry circles have focused more on circular economy (CE) and reverse logistics (RL) to add more value to the industry, many studies focused on waste management, and the closed-loop process have helped to gain additional success. Accordingly, there have been numerous research opportunities in the dairy industry in developing nations (e.g., Bangladesh). This industry must introduce modern concepts (CE and RL) to extract more value from their processes and unused/leftover waste or products. These are the gray areas for the industry right now, and farmers are searching for an improved approach to gain further sustainable benefits. These research scopes include achieving sustainability, increasing productivity, waste management, genetic advancement, commercialization of dairy products, high-quality meat production, and a well-functioning supply chain. By creating a reverse logistics process and following environmental aspects, this research fills a significant research gap in dairy waste management to build sustainable dairy operations. Such a process will integrate CE and RL concepts to make the operation more profitable and sustainable. This chapter developed a supply chain model on a case dairy farm using the system dynamics method. The model was developed using a simulation application and the case method following a positivist and quantitative framework. This study creates a causal/qualitative model that is converted into quantitative algorithms in a simulation contest. Afterward, the simulation model was tested and expanded to use dairy wastes based on realistic and theoretical experience. This study reviewed sustainability, circular economy, and reverse logistics concepts to build a simulation model. Finally, the model outcomes supported the above theories to enrich the dairy industry by generating substantially diversified byproducts for renewable energy and household usage.KeywordsDairy wastesCircular economyReverse logisticsSystem dynamicsBangladesh
The process of tracing the formation of contract economy as a legal concept entails searching for it in jurisprudence and the court. This notion is not new to them, and it is observed that it first arose in the Anglo-Saxon tradition. As for French jurisprudence, it lagged, unlike the court, which had a long history with this notion. It was used by the Paris Court of Appeal in the nineteenth century, which saw it as revealing the parties' same intent. As a prerequisite for adopting the theory of emergencies, it was also embraced by the French State Council when it evaluated the imbalance in the contract economy resulting from unanticipated unusual events. It was also used by the administrative judiciary to check the validity of altering administrative contracts to ensure that these adjustments do not impede the contract's economy or alter its purpose. In 1996, however, it started to expand in the Latin school, which was represented by French law. From a legal perspective, it was exposed in publications and research, and the phrase continued to be used afterward.
O Brasil é um dos principais países geradores de resíduo plástico no mundo, diante de uma crescente preocupação mundial com impacto ambiental. Aliado a isso, a comercialização de produtos orgânicos no varejo vem aumentando e demanda a utilização de embalagens que protejam o produto; contudo, observa-se o aumento da geração desses resíduos, entrando em desacordo com as práticas da produção orgânica. O objetivo deste estudo é analisar o processo de adoção de embalagens plásticas sustentáveis a partir da percepção dos consumidores e gestores do setor agroalimentar em face da Economia Circular. O método de pesquisa utilizado foi de uma pesquisa aplicada, descritiva, qualiquantitativa, cujo procedimento técnico foi o estudo de caso, com coleta de dados por meio de questionários e entrevistas, resultando em 499 questionários válidos e 8 entrevistas. Notou-se uma certa resistência por parte dos consumidores à utilização de embalagens plásticas sustentáveis, devido à má popularidade do plástico e, em consequência, uma maior popularização de embalagens biodegradáveis. Neste contexto, o varejo se adapta à demanda do consumidor e busca a utilização de embalagens sustentáveis, como o papel e o papelão, impactando diretamente na realidade dos produtores e de cooperativas de reciclagem. É crescente a criação de iniciativas pelo mundo em busca da diminuição da geração de resíduos sólidos urbanos, como a popularização da Economia Circular, que tem como foco a eliminação dos resíduos e circularidade dos materiais; além disso, mostra-se necessária a responsabilização de todos os atores da cadeia, por este resíduo gerado, e a disseminação do conhecimento das alternativas existentes para a população.
The obligations arising from legislation and other instruments affect the macro-level decision-making related to the transition toward a circular economy (CE), which is a multifaceted topic since it tries to aggregate the interests of different stakeholders. In this context, this paper aims to analyse the current policies, strategies and initiatives related to the CE transition from a multicriteria perspective and under the lens of NIT (New Institutional Theory). This is the first approach that analyses which CE strategies and related practices boost the transition from a macro-level perspective, using a multicriteria method and considering developed and emerging economies. For this reason, this paper can be helpful for researchers and practitioners involved in implementing strategy and policymaking aimed at the transition toward a CE. It also contributes to the discussion on the global transition to the CE by identifying differences and similarities between countries. The proposed methodology has been applied to compare the realities in Italy and Brazil. The perceptions of several stakeholders from the two countries have been gathered through a questionnaire to evaluate numerous strategies against several social, environmental, economic, and technical criteria. The main results are: Italy presents a proactive behaviour, a higher level of institutionalisation, and a coercive isomorphism related to European regulations and strategies. In contrast, Brazil has reactive behaviour, a lower level of institutionalisation, and is impelled by mimetic isomorphism. Although it is possible to observe several advances in the last years in Brazil, the transition to a CE is still in the early stages compared to Italy.
Companies have recently embraced sustainable supply chain management to lessen the adverse effects of their supply networks on the environment and society. The supply chain literature has developed a circular approach within this paradigm. Industry 4.0 technologies and circular economy have been established to convert end-of-life products into new ones with a variety of applications. The coordinated use of the CE and I4.0 concepts in may boost supply chain efficiency and competitiveness. The circular economy concept has been raised to the top of the corporate agenda due to demands from several stakeholders; as well as environmental and social issues; and corporations now recognizing the need to develop more sustainable operations. The adoption of smarter equipment and the digitalization of processes are essential success elements that increase output, resource efficiency, and waste reduction. The study recommends a thorough analysis of the literature that highlights the most important advancements while examining and organizing the data in the circular SC area made available by CE and I4.0.
Contemporary business models need to re-imagine the production and distribution of goods and services embedding social, economic, and environmental goals concurrently. To this end, reverse logistics in streamlining a circular economy (take, make, use, reuse, repair, and recycle) catapulted to the top of the discussion for collecting and distributing products. Yet, little is empirically known about the role of reverse logistics in the circular economy. This study attempts to fill this knowledge gap in theory and practice through a multiple case study approach including 40 semi-structured interviews with reverse logistics specialists from the four largest retailing firms in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Findings reveal multiple ways by which reverse logistics contributes to a circular economy: for instance, reverse logistics enables firms to develop a circular product design; the combination of reverse flow with the forward flow consolidates the high volume of products, thus mitigating waste; use of innovative tools (robots, autonomous bikes) in reverse logistics increases the used products’ return rate and thereby enhancing recycling; technological advances (e.g. big data and IoT) in reverse logistics help trace the product thus reducing waste. The paper offers several valuable insights for practitioners to build a circular economy via reverse logistics (waste reduction, responsible consumption, and sustainable logistics). Our study also contributes to multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 11, SDG 12, and SDG 13).
With environment becoming deteriorated, packaging industry is expected to take the circular economy (CE) approach through packaging design which is estimated to effect up to 80% of environmental sustainability impacts. This research aims to investigate the practical design guidance and considerations throughout the design process for developing CE-oriented packaging design solutions. Qualitative methods including interviews, workshops and secondary data were adopted to explore the circular packaging design practices which have been proven effective from 9 internationally leading firms. A 'Design for Circular Packaging (DfCP)' framework for packaging industry has been developed to guide firms and designers to create effective circular packaging design solutions. Major considerations in the CE packaging concepts, material selection, design process and manufacture are also addressed.
Plastics are alternatives to enable the distribution of industrialized products, especially food. Packaging is versatile and of great importance for the conservation of products. However, plastic packaging impacts the environment and calls for a clean technology and circular economy approach to mitigate the damage. A scientometric analysis of the relationship between plastic packaging production and the circular economy was reviewed based on the premise that research is intrinsically linked to clean technologies. VosViewer software was used to conduct the analysis, and the revision was conducted for discussion and relationship building. We concluded that there is a gap regarding the connection between the circular economy and clean technologies with plastic packaging. The development of technologies that adapt plastic packaging to the circular economy is rarely discussed. To make plastic packaging more environmentally attractive, technologies based on eco-design are necessary to achieve an alternative scenario associated with a more sustainable circular economy.
Este articulo presenta los resultados de una revisión bibliográfica a la producción intelectual nacional asociada a la exploración en la gestión de calidad de los procesos en las empresas de reciclaje en la ciudad de Bogotá y teniendo en cuenta como hay elementos que están directamente relacionados entre sí con la implementación de la calidad. En específico, y a partir de dicha revisión, se establecen las características de los objetos de estudio de las investigaciones y se presenta el cómo están manejando los procesos en este tipo de empresas. Al concluir, se tiene que estas empresas manejan muy informalmente sus procesos de interacción entre los clientes internos y externos haciendo que el aprovechamiento que se hace de los recursos no sea el adecuado y por consiguiente la productividad sea muy baja; al mismo tiempo dejan de ser competitivas e innovadoras resignando las oportunidades de negocio que existen.
Dicho libro tuvo como propósito reflexionar sobre la Economía Circular (EC) que se consolida cada vez más como una estrategia importante dentro de la sostenibilidad ambiental. A nivel mundial se ha visto que trae beneficios sociales, económicos y ambientales y por eso se vienen implementando grandes apuestas al respecto. En Colombia, se establece la Estrategia Nacional de Economía Circular (2018), donde se propende por crear nuevas oportunidades para el desarrollo sostenible de los territorios y de las cadenas productivas. De acuerdo con lo anterior, en el libro se plantea, la economía circular desde: las ciudades circulares, la construcción de ciudades inteligentes, la gobernanza urbana, las políticas públicas y, por último, las finanzas desde una mirada en los contextos internacional, nacional y local.
Green supply chain management (GSCM) helps to improve the organizational performance and introduces environmental thinking into supply chain management. It is critical to comprehend the factors that promote GSCM acceptance. Hence, the research aims to develop and analyse a GSCM enabler–based model for implementation of its practices. A hybrid model based on Pythagorean fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (PFAHP) and Pythagorean fuzzy combined compromise solution (PFCoCoSo) is developed to study the influence of GSCM enablers on selected GSCM practices. The selected GSCM enablers are analysed, and its weights are determined using PFAHP. Using the GSCM enablers’ weights, GSCM practices are analysed using the PFCoCoSo method. This study identifies thirty-four GSCM enablers and twenty GSCM practices with rigorous literature review and discussion with selected experts. Environmental and legislation enablers (ELEs) and strategic managerial enablers (SMEs) are at the top among all GSCM enablers. The best practice to start GSCM is internal environmental management followed by formulating green policy and providing green training. The suggested model will assist industry practitioners in efficiently implementing GSCM practices taking help of GSCM enablers. The practitioners can focus on higher weight enablers to implement first. The ranking of GSCM practices helps the practitioners to develop the action plan in the initial phase of greening the current supply chain. This results in the reduction of failure chances and enhances the chance of successful GSCM adoption.
O colapso sanitário global causado pela COVID-19, tragédias ambientais cada vez mais devastadoras, profundas crises econômicas e os desequilíbrios sociais que perduram, têm levado cientistas de todo o mundo a pensar alternativas ao atual modelo econômico. Ainda que os princípios da Economia Circular (EC) não sejam novos, sua implementação em países do hemisfério norte tem demonstrado benefícios potenciais. Desta forma, a presente pesquisa visou elencar as oportunidades que o Brasil poderia alcançar diante de uma EC de embalagens devidamente implementada. Um estudo de caso qualitativo foi realizado com 53 (cinquenta e três) atores participantes da cadeia de embalagens, representantes de organizações localizadas em 20 (vinte) estados brasileiros além do Distrito Federal. As entrevistas transcritas passaram pela análise de conteúdo com o auxílio do software NVivo®. Desta forma, foi possível constatar potencialidades no nível micro (como ganhos de imagem corporativa e otimização operacional), assim como no nível meso (a exemplo da redução de custo, compartilhamento de custo logístico). No nível macro foram lembradas oportunidades como geração de emprego e renda e melhor alocação do orçamento público e maior engajamento do cidadão. Portanto, a presente pesquisa demonstra que pode contribuir para a gestão sustentável de recursos materiais, além de sugerir investigações futuras.
There are widely differing experiences and practices in the development of indicators to monitor, report and communicate progress towards the implementation of the circular economy (CE). We present a framework for developing CE indicators which link to the core goals, principles and building blocks of a CE. To do this we utilise the Ellen MacArthur Foundation butterfly model as a coherent systems overview of key material stocks and flows, and representation of relationships between inputs, outputs, recovery processes, emissions, energy and value loops in physical and financial measures which constitute the CE supply chain. Based on nine multinational organisations and four cases of leading companies engaged with CE activity, we address the types of indicators being used and make recommendations for indicators to reflect key goals and principles of CE. Our research on the development and expansion of circular practices leads to the question of what new opportunities and challenges CE raises for such companies in terms of competitive business advantage and resultant requirements for supply chain redesign and indicator development, over and above pre-existing closed-loop production.
Bio-based plastics are increasingly appearing in a range of consumption products, and after use they often end up in technical recycling chains. Bio-based plastics are different from fossil-based ones and could disturb the current recycling of plastics and hence inhibit the closure of plastic cycles, which is undesirable given the current focus on a transition towards a circular economy. In this paper, this risk has been assessed via three elaborated case studies using data and information retrieved through an extended literature search. No overall risks were revealed for bio-based plastics as a group; rather, every bio-based plastic is to be considered as a potential separate source of contamination in current recycling practices. For PLA (polylactic acid), a severe incompatibility with PET (polyethylene terephthalate) recycling is known; hence, future risks are assessed by measuring amounts of PLA ending up in PET waste streams. For PHA (polyhydroxy alkanoate) there is no risk currently, but it will be crucial to monitor future application development. For PEF (polyethylene furanoate), a particular approach for contamination-related issues has been included in the upcoming market introduction. With respect to developing policy, it is important that any introduction of novel plastics is well guided from a system perspective and with a particular eye on incompatibilities with current and upcoming practices in the recycling of plastics.
The paper provides an overview of the literature on Circular Economy (CE) theoretical approaches, strategies and implementation cases. After analyzing different CE approaches and the underlying principles the paper then proceeds with the main goal of developing tools for CE implementation. Two tools are presented. The first is a CE Strategies Database, which includes 45 CE strategies that are applicable to different parts of the value chain. The second is a CE Implementation Database, which includes over 100 case studies categorized by Scope, Parts of the Value Chain that are involved, as well as by the used Strategy and Implementation Level. An analysis of the state of the art in CE implementation is also included in the paper. One of the observations from the analysis is that while such Parts of the Value Chain as Recovery/Recycling and Consumption/Use are prominently featured, others, including Manufacturing and Distribution, are rarely involved in CE. On the other hand, the Implementation Levels of the used Strategies indicate that many market-ready solutions exist already. The Scope of current CE implementation considers selected products, materials and sectors, while system changes to economy are rarely suggested. Finally, the CE monitoring methods and suggestions for future development are also discussed in this paper. The analysis of the theoretical approaches can serve as an introduction to CE concept, while the developed tools can be instrumental for designing new CE cases.
Over the last decade, the concept of the circular economy has regained attention, especially related to efforts to achieve a more sustainable society. The ‘revival’ of the circular economy has been accompanied by controversies and confusions across different actors in science and practice. With this article we attempt at contributing to advanced clarity in the field and providing a heuristic that is useful in practice. Initially, we take a focus on the historical development of the concept of circular economy and value retention options (ROs) for products and materials aiming for increased circularity. We propose to distinguish three phases in the evolution of the circular economy and argue that the concept – in its dominant framing – is not as new as frequently claimed. Having established this background knowledge, we give insights into ‘how far we are’ globally, with respect to the implementation of circularity, arguing that high levels of circularity have already been reached in different parts of the globe with regard to longer loop value retention options, such as energy recovery and recycling. Subsequently, we show that the confusion surrounding the circular economy is more far-reaching the divergent scholarly perspectives on retention options and unite the most common views a 10Rtypology. e conclude that policymakers and businesses should focus their efforts on realization of the more desirable, shorter loop retention options, like remanufacturing, refurbishing and repurposing – yet with a view on feasibility and overall system effects. Scholars, on the other hand, should assist the parties contributing to an increased circular economy in practice by taking up a more active role in attaining consensus in conceptualizing the circular economy.
Sustainable development requires disruptive changes and radical innovations, and the capability to deliver this in relation to adapt to a sustainable development is needed in mature large industrial companies. Integration between sustainability and business development is needed, which the Circular Economy model offers. Circular Economy is little implemented in practice, and in the present paper barriers to a transition to Circular Economy is identified. Barriers are financial, structural, operational, attitudinal and technological. They are also, as analyzed in relation to innovation management, characterized by a need to increase integration between a number of different perspectives and domains in industry.
Circular modes of production, known as the circular economy, are welcomed in political and business circles to overcome the shortcomings of traditional linear operating models. Academic literature on the circular economy is nascent however and little attention is given to supply chain management implications, regardless of the relevance of supply chain innovation towards a more resource efficient and circular economy. Based on a review of the literature, this article presents preliminary propositions concerning implications for the development of what we term 'circular supply chains', defined here as the embodiment of circular economy principles within supply chain management. Our propositions are based on the following arguments: a) a shift from product ownership to leasing and access in supply chain relationships; b) the relevance of structural flexibility and start-ups in regional/local loops; c) open and closed material loops in technical and biological cycles; d) closer collaboration within and beyond immediate industry boundaries; and e) public and private procurement in the service industry as a lever for the scaling up of circular business models. We discuss what these circular economy principles mean in terms of supply chain challenges and conclude with limitations and future research agenda.
With the enaction of the Brazilian Policy of Solid Waste, the waste pickers of recyclable materials were recognized as important agents in the area of reverse logistics. The CATAFORTE Program was launched with the objective of strengthening waste picker cooperatives across the country. The purpose of this paper is to describe the relationships between waste pickers that are part of the CATAFORTE I training project and partner companies in the reverse logistics process in Distrito Federal, Brazil. It was conducted an applied, descriptive and qualitative research, whose the main technical procedure was the case study. To collect data we use documentary analysis, focus group, direct observation and semi-structured interviews. It was found that the relationship between waste pickers and institutions is a partnership. Furthermore, it was noticeable that the main motivation for the relationship on the part of companies is political and socioeconomic. In addition, it was also found that currently, the esate picker of the cooperatives from Distrito Federal do not yet have a physical structure and adequate income to perform their work.
There have long been calls from industry for guidance in implementing strategies for sustainable development. The Circular Economy represents the most recent attempt to conceptualize the integration of economic activity and environmental wellbeing in a sustainable way. This set of ideas has been adopted by China as the basis of their economic development (included in both the 11th and the 12th ‘Five Year Plan’), escalating the concept in minds of western policymakers and NGOs. This paper traces the conceptualisations and origins of the Circular Economy, tracing its meanings, and exploring its antecedents in economics and ecology, and discusses how the Circular Economy has been operationalized in business and policy. The paper finds that while the Circular Economy places emphasis on the redesign of processes and cycling of materials, which may contribute to more sustainable business models, it also encapsulates tensions and limitations. These include an absence of the social dimension inherent in sustainable development that limits its ethical dimensions, and some unintended consequences. This leads us to propose a revised definition of the Circular Economy as “an economic model wherein planning, resourcing, procurement, production and reprocessing are designed and managed, as both process and output, to maximize ecosystem functioning and human well-being”.
Numbers apparently talk. With few numbers, qualitative researchers appear to rely on examples or instances to support their analysis. Hence research reports routinely display data extracts which serve as telling instances of some claimed phenomenon. However, the use of such an evidential base rightly provokes the charge of (possible) anecdotalism, i.e. choosing just those extracts which support your argument. I suggest that this methodological problem is best addressed by returning to those features of our theoretical roots which tend to distinguish what we do from the work of quantitative social scientists. Although SAUSSURE is most cited in linguistics and structural anthropology, he provides a simple rule that applies to us all. In a rebuke to our reliance on instances, SAUSSURE tells us "no meaning exists in a single item". Everything depends upon how single items (elements) are articulated. One everyday activity in which the social world is articulated is through the construction of sequences. Just as participants attend to the sequential placing of interactional "events", so should social scientists. Using examples drawn from focus groups, fieldnotes and audiotapes, I argue that the identification of such sequences rather than the citing of instances should constitute a prime test for the adequacy of any claim about qualitative data.
URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0503301
Abstract: This article discusses the implications for waste pickers of Distrito Federal, Brazil arising from the obligation of reverse logistics by the National Policy of Solid Waste – NPSW. In order to reach this objective, a qualitative study was conducted, in which the leaders of 23 waste pickers’ cooperatives, located in Distrito Federal were interviewed. The human capital in reverse logistics should be considered taking into account that most recycling activities in developing countries as Brazil, are manual, labour intensive and low-skilled. Therefore, the proper application of legislation favours the generation of jobs, and income for thousands of Brazilians, who act as waste pickers, also enabling better working conditions. Furthermore, the Brazilian experience can serve as an incentive to the creation of policies by the governments of other countries in Latin America.
To provide evidence-based strategies for ensuring rigor of case studies, the authors examine what rigor types authors report and how they report them by content analyzing all case studies published 1995—2000 in 10 management journals. Comparing practices in articles addressing rigor extensively and less extensively, the authors reveal three strategies for insuring rigor. First, very few case study authors explicitly label the rigor criteria in terms of the concepts commonly used in the positivist tradition (construct, internal, and external validity, as well as reliability). Despite this, papers addressing rigor extensively do report concrete research actions taken to ensure methodological rigor. Second, papers addressing rigor extensively prioritized rigor types: more, and more detailed, strategies were reported for ensuring internal and construct validity than for external validity. Third, emergent strategies used in the field were reported, such as setbacks and serendipities, that necessitated changes to the originally planned research procedures. Authors focus squarely on the concrete research actions taken, carefully relaying them to the reader so that the reader may appreciate the logic and purpose of trade-off decisions in the context of the specific case study.
In content analysis and similar methods, data are typically generated by trained human observers who record or transcribe textual, pictorial, or audible matter in terms suitable for analysis. Conclusions from such data can be trusted only after demonstrating their reliability. Unfortunately, the content analysis literature is full of proposals for so-called reliability coefficients, leaving investigators easily confused, not knowing which to choose. After describing the criteria for a good measure of reliability, we propose Krippendorff's alpha as the standard reliability measure. It is general in that it can be used regardless of the number of observers, levels of measurement, sample sizes, and presence or absence of missing data. To facilitate the adoption of this recommendation, we describe a freely available macro written for SPSS and SAS to calculate Krippendorff's alpha and illustrate its use with a simple example.
This paper provides an introduction to some of the fundamental principles and approaches in environmental economics which are of significance to achieving an integrated sustainability science. The concept of a circular economy, introduced by the late David Pearce in 1990, addresses the interlinkages of the four economic functions of the environment. The environment not only provides amenity values, in addition to being a resource base and a sink for economic activities, it is also a fundamental life-support system. Environmental economists have suggested that, taking these four functions as an analytical starting point,
unpriced or underpriced services should be internalised in the economy. In Europe significant advances have been achieved in the pricing of externalities by means of truly interdisciplinary analysis which accounts in detail for the environmental consequences. The monetary estimates reached as a result of such interdisciplinary research are gradually being applied to the economic analysis of environmental policy priorities. Although such figures provide only a partial and incomplete picture of the environmental costs at stake, they support and inform the analysis of the virtues of a circular economy for individual resources as well as for sustainability as a future trajectory.
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This article investigates the methodological sophistication of case studies as a tool for generating and testing theory by analyzing case studies published during the period 1995–2000 in 10 influential management journals. We find that case studies emphasized external validity at the expense of the two more fundamental quality measures, internal and construct validity. Comparing case studies published in the three highest-ranking journals with the other seven, we reveal strategies that may be useful for authors wishing to conduct methodologically rigorous case study research. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
With the increasing focus on marine plastic pollution, quantification of the environmental losses of plastics in the world, with differentiation into geographic regions, polymers and loss occurrences along the plastics value chains, is required. In this study, we make a global estimation of the losses of plastics to the environment across the entire plastic value chain, using existing literature and databases coupled with improved and additional methodological modelling of the losses. The resulting loss estimates are unprecedented in their detailed differentiations between polymers (23), plastic applications (13), geographical regions (11), and plastic value chain stages. Comprehensive sensitivity and uncertainty analyses were also conducted to identify key drivers in terms of plastic losses. We overall found that approximately 6.2 Mt (95% confidence interval, CI: 2.0–20.4 Mt) of macroplastics and 3.0 Mt (CI: 1.5–5.2 Mt) of microplastics were lost to the environment in 2015. The major macroplastic loss source was identified as the mismanaged municipal solid waste (MSW) management in low-income and lower-middle income countries (4.1 Mt). For microplastics, the major sources were abrasion of tyre rubbers, abrasion of road markings and plastics contributing to city dust generation. To curb marine plastic pollution, such quantified mapping as ours are needed to evaluate the magnitude of the plastics losses to environment from different sources and locations, and enable a further assessment of their environmental damage. Through our uncertainty and sensitivity analyses, we highlight plastics sources that should be prioritized in further research works to obtain a more comprehensive and accurate representation of global plastics losses.
This paper provides a circular supply chain perspective of packaging recovery ecosystems being implemented by Tetra Pak, a prime global player in the food packaging industry, in two major emerging economies: China and Brazil. The circular supply chain archetype considered in the research allowed a consistent comparative analysis of Tetra Pak's circular supply chains in both countries. Through a case study approach, the research provides theoretical propositions and learning points that are valuable for academics and practitioners interested in the Chinese and Brazilian markets as well as in the supply chains supporting recovery ecosystems in the packaging industry. In particular, the distinct environments in the Chinese and Brazilian markets render Tetra Pak opportunities to design circular supply chains in different ways showing adaptation and learning to local market characteristics. The industrial perspectives from these emerging economies add to the contributions offered in the paper. Overall, the conceptual considerations and practical recommendations presented in the paper provide useful insights for the development of further studies and implementation of industrial practices advocated by the circular economy.
Last years have seen a surge of Industrial Symbiosis (IS) development in association with ad-hoc widespread policies to encourage more circular and sustainable practices in the manufacturing sector. Developments in Europe, despite having attracted less attention in the literature, have been significant, driven both by public and private initiative. This paper provides an updated overview of IS activity in Europe, with a mapping of key networks, and a study of prevailing typologies of networks, size, geographical distribution and main streams/ resources traded. The analysis is based on a combination of desk research, gathering of primary data from case studies, a survey to IS network facilitators (n = 22) and in-depth interviews and focus groups (3) with IS practitioners, policy officers and industry representatives (n = 25). The analysis identified pockets of IS activity across all Europe, although varying in nature, resources exchanged and scale and scope of the initiatives. The average size of the mapped networks is approx. 473 members, but the median is approx. 100 members, which indicates high variability of sizes. The geographical scope of the synergies also seems to be dependent upon the following factors: 1) the type of waste stream/by-product; 2) transport costs and 3) market value of secondary materials. Types of waste streams exchanged common to most networks, are chemicals (e.g. chemical base products), biomass and agriculture by-products, wood and wood pellets, plastics, reusable construction materials , equipment, inert waste and water (different qualities including industrial water), residual heat and steam. The paper also discusses key obstacles facing IS development in Europe highlighting: 1) weakness of economic incentives given the low margin of IS projects associated to undeveloped secondary markets; 2) geographical variation of incentives and drivers, given differences in policy frameworks and support mechanisms (e.g. landfill tax levels) and 3) legislative issues that make transport over geographic boundaries extremely complex and administratively burdensome. Finally, the paper concludes with a general discussion of the potential of IS to contribute to the transition to the circular economy (CE) in Europe and identifies some key areas of future research.
This paper addresses questions of how extant research discourses concerning the sustainability of supply chains contribute to understanding about circularity in supply chain configurations that support restorative and regenerative processes, as espoused by the Circular Economy ideal. In response to these questions, we develop a content-based literature analysis to progress theoretical body of knowledge and conceptualise the notion of a circular supply chain. We derive an archetypal form from four antecedent sustainable supply chain narratives – ‘reverse logistics’, ‘green supply chains’, ‘sustainable supply chain management’ and ‘closed-loop supply chains’. This paper offers five propositions about what the circular supply chain archetype represents in terms of its scope, focus and impact. Novel insights lead to a definition of circular supply chain and a more coherent foundation for future inquiry and practice.
This paper provides a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of Serbia’s packaging waste management system, which is based on the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme (EPR). Additionally, it identifies and discusses the major challenges faced by the system. This paper strives to shed some light on the challenges posed by the implementation of an advanced and highly institutionalized approach to packaging waste management in the context of a European Union candidate country. The analysis indicates that Serbia is a country with an evolving administrative and institutional approach to packaging waste management, which can reach national recovery targets through its EPR system. The main challenges that must be addressed for the system to continue progressing in order to meet European Union’s recovery targets are: (i) increase the low supply of recovered recyclables from the municipal solid waste stream, (ii) close loopholes affecting recycling industry and work of National Recovery Organisations, and (iii) formalization of informal recycling sector’s role within the formal packaging recovery framework.
Reverse logistics implementation of electrical and electronic equipment waste (WEEE) and its components has been a major concern for the Brazilian government and the private sector in the last decades. This paper proposes a description of the Brazilian WEEE proper disposal or reverse logistics credits (RLC) market and also an analogy with the carbon credit market. In order to reach this purpose a descriptive research was carried out, focusing on the study of the RLC market of WEEE in Brazil. Some specialists involved in this context were consulted regarding their perspectives for this market and the main motivations for environmental appropriate disposal of WEEE. It was discovered that the majority of the stakeholders agree that the reverse logistics credit market is a possibility, but currently there are multiple obstacles to its implementation. Regarding the comparison of RLC with the carbon credit market, there are still many aspects to be developed before the RLC market becomes a reality. The Brazilian RLC market still does not have any legal support to work on, no organization to control and audit the market, and no support from the government.
The National Policy of Solid Waste, recently approved in Brazil, establishes the implementation of reverse logistics networks for several residues, such as electronic waste. One of the primary points of the legislation is the principle of ‘shared responsibility’, which establishes that all actors in a supply chain are responsible for the reverse logistics, such as manufacturers, distributors, importers, retailers, the government and the final consumer. This situation characterizes a group decision context and, emphasises the need of aggregate different and often conflicting viewpoints. Thus, this paper proposes the use of a specific Problem Structuring Method, the Strategic Options Development Analysis, which is based on the construction of cognitive mapping techniques, for developing strategic analysis based on the decision-makers' viewpoints. In order to apply the methodology, we conducted online workshops with 8 representatives of the stakeholders involved in this decision context. At the end of the process, four categories of actions to be implemented were found and developed: strategic, environmental, economic and social. These categories are based not only to technically assessment, but also on stakeholder's perspectives. The contribution of this paper is mainly related to the analysis and structuration of the problem of reverse logistics of electronic waste under a problem structuing methodology, which is few explored in the literature. This paper also contributes to researchers estudying reverse logistics of electronic waste, mainly in developing countries.
This editorial piece introduces the aim and content of the special issue on Supply Chain Operations for a Circular Economy. We initially provide an overview of the special issue themes and related inter-disciplinary topics. A summary of the accepted papers is presented in terms of the specific topics they address and their main contributions to the domain of supply chain operations. The discussions illustrate a breadth of theoretical perspectives and practical approaches considered by the academic community in addressing real world phenomena related to this special issue. The editorial piece concludes by identifying future research directions that seek to develop knowledge and understanding about circular economy operations, principles, praxis and theoretical advances.
Mass consumption and shortening product lifecycles have increased worldwide production. Consequently, more raw materials such as minerals are used, and available landfills are filling up. Companies are urged to effectively incorporate sustainability issues such as End-of-life (EOL) management and Reverse Logistics (RL) practices to close the loop and diminish the amount of raw materials used in their production systems. However, implementing RL implies dealing with its barriers. The purpose of this article is to focus on the recovery of EOL products that use mostly raw materials from the mining and minerals industry by identifying and analyzing the interactions among the barriers that hinder RL development in Brazil. First, international peer-reviewed publications were considered to select the barriers and classify them into categories. In a second moment, an empirical research was conducted using the Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) tool named Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) to evaluate the relationship between the barrier categories. Logistics experts from machinery manufacturing industry sector in Brazil were consulted. The greater influence on all barrier categories is Policy related issues barrier category, which means that the lack of specific laws and lack of motivational legislation are still significant impediments to RL implementation in Brazil.
This study proposes a reverse logistics network involved in the management of municipal solid waste (MSW) to solve the challenge of economically managing these wastes considering the recent legal requirements of the Brazilian Waste Management Policy. The feasibility of the allocation of MSW material recovery facilities (MRF) as intermediate points between the generators of these wastes and the options for reuse and disposal was evaluated, as well as the participation of associations and cooperatives of waste pickers. This network was mathematically modelled and validated through a scenario analysis of the municipality of São Mateus, which makes the location model more complete and applicable in practice. The mathematical model allows the determination of the number of facilities required for the reverse logistics network, their location, capacities, and product flows between these facilities. The fixed costs of installation and operation of the proposed MRF were balanced with the reduction of transport costs, allowing the inclusion of waste pickers to the reverse logistics network. The main contribution of this study lies in the proposition of a reverse logistics network for MSW simultaneously involving legal, environmental, economic and social criteria, which is a very complex goal. This study can guide practices in other countries that have realities similar to those in Brazil of accelerated urbanisation without adequate planning for solid waste management, added to the strong presence of waste pickers that, through the characteristic of social vulnerability, must be included in the system. In addition to the theoretical contribution to the reverse logistics network problem, this study aids in decision-making for public managers who have limited technical and administrative capacities for the management of solid wastes.
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Brazil, one of the world’s largest developing countries, has recently introduced a new solid waste management regulatory policy. This new regulatory policy will have implications for a wide variety of stakeholders and sets the stage for opportunities and lessons to be learned. These issues are discussed in this article.
E-waste recycling has become a hotly debated global issue. This study, using China as a case study, analyzes the environmental, economic, and social implications of e-waste recycling in the developing world. More practical approaches, taking into account local economic and social conditions and the principles of Extended Producer Responsibility, are recommended to alleviate the increasing environmental disruption from improper e-waste disposal.
The triple bottom line has been, and remains, a useful tool for integrating sustainability into the business agenda. Balancing traditional economic goals with social and environmental concerns, it has created a new measure of corporate performance. A business strategy focused solely on the bottom line, however, can obscure opportunities to pursue innovation and create value in the design process. New tools for sustainable design can refocus product development from a process aimed at limiting end of pipe liabilities to one geared to creating safe, quality products right from the start.This new design perspective creates triple top line growth: products that enhance the well being of nature and culture while generating economic value. Design for the triple top line follows the laws of nature to give industry the tools to develop systems that safely generate prosperity. In these new human systems, materials become food for the soil or flow back to industry forever. Value and quality are embodied in products, processes and facilities so ecologically intelligently designed, they leave footprints to delight in rather than lament. When the principles of ecologically intelligent design are widely applied both nature and commerce can thrive and grow.
Eco-effectiveness and cradle-to-cradle design present an alternative design and production concept to the strategies of zero emission and eco-efficiency. Where eco-efficiency and zero emission seek to reduce the unintended negative consequences of processes of production and consumption, eco-effectiveness is a positive agenda for the conception and production of goods and services that incorporate social, economic, and environmental benefit, enabling triple top line growth.Eco-effectiveness moves beyond zero emission approaches by focusing on the development of products and industrial systems that maintain or enhance the quality and productivity of materials through subsequent life cycles. The concept of eco-effectiveness also addresses the major shortcomings of eco-efficiency approaches: their inability to address the necessity for fundamental redesign of material flows, their inherent antagonism towards long-term economic growth and innovation, and their insufficiency in addressing toxicity issues.A central component of the eco-effectiveness concept, cradle-to-cradle design provides a practical design framework for creating products and industrial systems in a positive relationship with ecological health and abundance, and long-term economic growth. Against this background, the transition to eco-effective industrial systems is a five-step process beginning with an elimination of undesirable substances and ultimately calling for a reinvention of products by reconsidering how they may optimally fulfill the need or needs for which they are actually intended while simultaneously being supportive of ecological and social systems.This process necessitates the creation of an eco-effective system of “nutrient” management to coordinate the material flows amongst actors in the product system. The concept of intelligent materials pooling illustrates how such a system might take shape, in reality.
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