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Circular Economy: Waste Management and Producer Responsibility

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Resources and Sustainable Utilization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2023) | Viewed by 14913

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Chia-Hsing Huang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

SolBridge International School of Business, Daejeon 34613, Republic of Korea
Interests: ecological economics; corporate social responsibility; corporate governance; green technology; charitable contributions; international business; foreign direct investment; monetary policies; financial markets; international finance; international trade; managerial behavior; energy policy; sustainability; renewable energy
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

More than twenty thousand research papers have studied extended producer responsibility since OECD published the Extended Producer Responsibility: guidance manual for governments in March 2001. Two important circular economy research areas have appeared in the past twenty years. One is waste management in preventing, recycling, and minimizing resource use and waste generation; and the other is producer responsibility in holding producers/consumers accountable for the waste management cost and in minimizing the direct and indirect costs on the environment by product and process designs.

In recent years, we have seen the growth of a range of new technologies for waste management, manufacturing, and service, an increased awareness of environmental issues among producers and consumers, and changes in attitude, perception, and behavior of corporate managers and consumers. In addition, innovative business processes and sustainable business models can be used to facilitate changes in technologies, awareness, attitude, perception, and behavior. Business models for producers, government institutions, recycling industry, and consumers working together on resource, design, production, use, and disposal of products and services can help to achieve practical scenarios for the circular economy and to create value for producers, government institutions, the recycling industry, consumers, and society.

This Special Issue is to collect theoretical and empirical contributions in the areas of waste management, producer responsibility, and business models for the circular economy to create value for society and stakeholders including producers, government institutions, the recycling industry, and consumers.

Prof. Dr. Chia-Hsing Huang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

circular economy
waste management
producer responsibility
business model
value creation
impacts of circular economy on economy, society, and environment
awareness, attitude, perception, and behavior
resource management
life cycle cost
sustainable production and consumption
product service system
corporate strategy
corporate governance
customer relations
supply chain
green technology
Industry 4.0 technology
renewable energy

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 1056 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Out of the Box: Exploring Cardboard Returnability in Nanostore Supply Chains

by David Hidalgo-Carvajal, Edgar Gutierrez-Franco, Christopher Mejia-Argueta and Helen Suntura-Escobar

Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 7804; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107804 - 10 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2291

Abstract

Packaging plays an important role in the movement and distribution of products along the supply chain by safely ensuring proper product delivery, achieving economies of scale through standardization, and serving as a selling tool. Packaging presents associated high economic and environmental costs for transportation, picking, handling, storing, and returning products. Considering the high demand for paper and cardboard worldwide and the projected increase during the next decade, there is a latent need to prevent and reduce the possible waste from packaging. The return of cardboard boxes used for packaging to the product suppliers could be a feasible solution to tackle this issue; however, it seems to be a disposable cost that companies assume when delivering products to highly fragmented markets. This research intends to understand the role that nanostores play in affecting whether or not cardboard packages are returned after receiving the products from suppliers and how likely shopkeepers are to support closing the loops in the current supply chain system. A survey with 27 questions related to recycling, reusing, reselling, returning, and waste was designed and applied to three hundred thirty-seven shopkeepers in two stages. The data was analyzed through plot analysis and descriptive statistical methods. The results show that some dynamic drivers and intervention schemes may increase the current returnability rate of packaging (11%) to the level of reuse rates (75% in these small, family-owned retailers). We found that thicker cardboard packages foster reuse and recycling rates. Based on the results, we propose that startups close the gap to trigger returnability and recycling while the government develops regulations to support these initiatives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy: Waste Management and Producer Responsibility)

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19 pages, 1761 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Repair Strategies Based on Product–Service System and Remanufacturing for Value Preservation

by Karina Cecilia Arredondo-Soto, Alejandro Jiménez-Zaragoza, Marco Augusto Miranda-Ackerman, Julio Blanco-Fernández, Alejandra García-Lechuga, Guadalupe Hernández-Escobedo and Jorge Luis García-Alcaraz

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8560; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148560 - 13 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1568

Abstract

Remanufacturing is a production practice that requires the work of producers, consumers, and the government. There are benefits associated with this production model, such as improving the environment, opportunities for cost savings, and others. However, it is essential to identify the factors that affect the possibility of acceptance of this production model. This research proposes a model based on different analysis methodologies and techniques of SEM (Structural Equations Modeling) and the method of PLS (Partial Least Squares). A total of 403 responses to the survey were collected from 1 November 2021 to 15 January 2022. For the data treatment, SPSS, Excel, and WarpPLS software were used to identify the variables, factors, and their direct and indirect effects among the latent variables, referring to a scheme focused on consumer perception based on the acquisition remanufactured products. This created model served as a reference to create and develop a design and repair strategy for White goods or similar products in handling, logistics, and repair. This design strategy was transformed into a business model based on a circular economy, particularly on a Product–Service System with social, economic, and environmental benefits for producers and consumers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy: Waste Management and Producer Responsibility)

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17 pages, 962 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Increasing the Circularity of Packaging along Pharmaceuticals Value Chain

by Hanna Salmenperä, Sari Kauppi, Helena Dahlbo and Päivi Fjäder

Sustainability 2022, 14(8), 4715; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084715 - 14 Apr 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4229

Abstract

Pharmaceutical packaging is a complex group of products, the main purpose of which is to protect the medicine and forward information. Pharmaceutical packaging waste is generated and accumulated along the various phases and practices of the value chain. In general, the amount of packaging has been growing during the increasing political pressure to reduce waste and to increase the circulation of materials. The goals and solutions are expected to be found in the circular economy; however, the literature on circular pharmaceutical packaging is lacking. This study explores the key factors when promoting the circularity of pharmaceutical packaging along its value chain. This was conducted by reviewing the legislation, elaborating the value chain and analysing the data from focus group discussions with stakeholders. The results show that various barriers, such as legislation, a lack of information or interaction between stakeholders, but also rigid practices, block product design for circularity. In the developing circularity of packaging, the causal links along the value chain must be understood. Chemical recycling technologies are expected to resolve the challenges of maintaining clean cycles. Further studies are needed to demonstrate the environmental benefits of increasing circularity along the value chain of pharmaceutical packaging. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy: Waste Management and Producer Responsibility)

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14 pages, 309 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Intersection Where Business Models, a Circular Economy and Sustainability Meet in the Waste Economy: A Scoping Review

by Marlin Hoffman, Catherina J. Schenck and Frederick Herbst

Sustainability 2022, 14(6), 3687; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063687 - 21 Mar 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3929

Abstract

The authors endeavor to investigate the intersection and relationship between sustainability, business models and a circular economy. These three concepts are believed to be at the heart of finding a solution to creating and implementing a circular economy. The three pillars of sustainability (society, environment and economics) have been identified as the golden thread when applied to developing circular economies and the business models used in these circular economies. These three pillars highlighted the areas of intersection and engagement between the circular economy and business models. The three pillars, or stakeholders, need to be considered equally and, where there is sacrifice and benefits, they need to be balanced. A scoping review was chosen, as the starting point, to ascertain the literature in the field. The results of the scoping review showed a lack of research conducted at the point of intersection between these three fields. Finding a solution by creating and implementing a circular economy will have positive effects on the economy, environment and society, as there is, proverbially, “not much time left” and everyone in the process will sacrifice and benefit. The research has highlighted the need to explore the intersection and relationship between sustainability, business models and the circular economy as a concept, and future research should develop frameworks to guide the development and implementation of this intersection to include all relevant stakeholders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy: Waste Management and Producer Responsibility)

Review

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23 pages, 1011 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review on Adopting Blockchain and IoT Technologies for Fostering the Circular Economy in the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Value Chain

by Leonardo Fernandes, António Miguel Rosado da Cruz, Estrela Ferreira Cruz and Sérgio Ivan Lopes

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4574; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054574 - 3 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2159

Abstract

With the continuous growth in the use of home appliances and electronics, waste produced with obsolete material (e-waste) has an increasing environmental impact. Furthermore, the production of such devices leads to increased consumption of natural resources and produces a multitude of toxic and hazardous substances, which are normally not treated properly. One of the approaches that may be adopted to reduce such problems relies on the circularization of the current linear model, commonly adopted in the Electric and Electronic Equipment (EEE) value chain. This includes recovering End-of-Life products and reintroducing their parts, components, or raw materials into the value chain (e.g., semiconductors, circuit boards, raw metals, etc.), contributing to a more sustainable value chain. In this article, we present a state-of-the-art review that focuses on approaches and solutions for EEE value chain traceability and analyze the technologies that may be beneficial for promoting and implementing the Circular Economy model in this value chain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy: Waste Management and Producer Responsibility)

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