IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/recore/v127y2017icp159-167.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Operating models and development trends in the extended producer responsibility system for waste electrical and electronic equipment

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, Huaidong
  • Gu, Yifan
  • Li, Liquan
  • Liu, Tingting
  • Wu, Yufeng
  • Zuo, Tieyong

Abstract

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has become a key application area for extended producer responsibility (EPR). This article systematically analyzes the physical and financial operating mechanisms of the EPR systems in Japan, Germany, Switzerland, and China, in addition to the responsibilities borne by the various stakeholders in the life cycle chain. Japan built a coupon system for household appliance recycling in which the consumers pay a fund after scrapping products. Germany built an operating model in which a fund is jointly managed by the national electronic equipment registry and the public waste management agencies. In Switzerland, a recovery fee accompanies the product invoice through various levels of resellers successively and is ultimately paid by the consumer. In China, the government occupies a leading position in putting EPR into practice. We compare the EPR operating mechanisms of the above four countries in terms of the time to pay fund, the fund payer, the object of fund subsidies, the fund operation agent. The differences and the pros and cons of them are analyzed. The result shows that although the operation mechanism of EPR system varies greatly in different countries, there are some common problems in promoting product eco-design, WEEE cascade usage and information value utilization. This article then looks ahead to the development directions of the EPR system in the field of WEEE recovery and utilization: (1) The coupling relationship between the EPR fund and other policy tools, such as promoting eco-design of products by production enterprises, should be investigated. (2) The secondhand market and remanufacturing enterprises should be brought into the EPR system to stimulate the formation of a cascaded cycle system of WEEE utilization. (3) The value of information on new product demands contained in WEEE should be exploited to build up a new business model with a positive supply chain for product manufacturing and consumption that closely corresponds to a reverse supply chain for WEEE recovery and utilization to accelerate the formation of voluntary producer responsibility.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Huaidong & Gu, Yifan & Li, Liquan & Liu, Tingting & Wu, Yufeng & Zuo, Tieyong, 2017. "Operating models and development trends in the extended producer responsibility system for waste electrical and electronic equipment," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 159-167.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:recore:v:127:y:2017:i:c:p:159-167
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.09.002
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092134491730280X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.09.002?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gu, Yifan & Wu, Yufeng & Xu, Ming & Wang, Huaidong & Zuo, Tieyong, 2016. "The stability and profitability of the informal WEEE collector in developing countries: A case study of China," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 18-26.
    2. Walter R. Stahel, 2016. "The circular economy," Nature, Nature, vol. 531(7595), pages 435-438, March.
    3. Bruce Hood, 2016. "Make recycled goods covetable," Nature, Nature, vol. 531(7595), pages 438-440, March.
    4. Rotter, Vera Susanne & Chancerel, Perrine & Schill, Wolf-Peter, 2011. "Practicalities of Individual Producer Responsibility under the WEEE Directive," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 29(9), pages 931-944.
    5. Liu, Tingting & Wu, Yufeng & Tian, Xi & Gong, Yu, 2015. "Urban household solid waste generation and collection in Beijing, China," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 104(PA), pages 31-37.
    6. Luyi Gui & Atalay Atasu & Özlem Ergun & L. Beril Toktay, 2013. "Implementing Extended Producer Responsibility Legislation," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 17(2), pages 262-276, April.
    7. Cao, Jian & Lu, Bo & Chen, Yangyang & Zhang, Xuemei & Zhai, Guangshu & Zhou, Gengui & Jiang, Boxin & Schnoor, Jerald L., 2016. "Extended producer responsibility system in China improves e-waste recycling: Government policies, enterprise, and public awareness," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 882-894.
    8. Andreas Manhart, 2011. "International Cooperation for Metal Recycling From Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment: An Assessment of the “Best‐of‐Two‐Worlds” Approach," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 15(1), pages 13-30, February.
    9. Duygan, Mert & Meylan, Grégoire, 2015. "Strategic management of WEEE in Switzerland—combining material flow analysis with structural analysis," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 98-109.
    10. Xin Tong & Lin Yan, 2013. "From Legal Transplants to Sustainable Transition," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 17(2), pages 199-212, April.
    11. Ronald J. Driedger, 2001. "From Cradle to Grave: Extended Producer Responsibility for Household Hazardous Wastes in British Columbia," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 5(2), pages 89-102, April.
    12. Jaco Huisman, 2013. "Too Big to Fail, Too Academic to Function," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 17(2), pages 172-174, April.
    13. Manomaivibool, Panate, 2009. "Extended producer responsibility in a non-OECD context: The management of waste electrical and electronic equipment in India," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 136-144.
    14. Kieren Mayers & Reid Lifset & Karl Bodenhoefer & Luk N. Van Wassenhove, 2013. "Implementing Individual Producer Responsibility for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment through Improved Financing," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 17(2), pages 186-198, April.
    15. C. Kieren Mayers & Chris M. France & Sarah J. Cowell, 2005. "Extended Producer Responsibility for Waste Electronics: An Example of Printer Recycling in the United Kingdom," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 9(3), pages 169-189, July.
    16. Panate Manomaivibool & Sujitra Vassanadumrongdee, 2011. "Extended Producer Responsibility in Thailand," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 15(2), pages 185-205, April.
    17. Thomas Lindhqvist & Reid Lifset, 2003. "Can We Take the Concept of Individual Producer Responsibility from Theory to Practice?," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 7(2), pages 3-6, April.
    18. C. Kieren Mayers, 2007. "Strategic, Financial, and Design Implications of Extended Producer Responsibility in Europe: A Producer Case Study," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 11(3), pages 113-131, July.
    19. Reid Lifset & Atalay Atasu & Naoko Tojo, 2013. "Extended Producer Responsibility," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 17(2), pages 162-166, April.
    20. Kieren Mayers & Richard Peagam & Chris France & Lauren Basson & Roland Clift, 2011. "Redesigning the Camel," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 15(1), pages 4-8, February.
    21. Jieqiong Yu & Peter Hills & Richard Welford, 2008. "Extended producer responsibility and eco‐design changes: perspectives from China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(2), pages 111-124, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Žaneta Rylková & Karel Stelmach & Petr VlÄ ek, 2017. "Overall Equipment Effectiveness within Counterfactual Impact Evaluation Concept," Scientific Annals of Economics and Business (continues Analele Stiintifice), Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 64(4), pages 29-40, December.
    2. Wang, Zhen & Duan, Yongrui & Huo, Jiazhen, 2022. "The impact of government intervention measures on recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment in China considering consumer decision," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    3. Sun, Qingqing & Chen, Hong & Long, Ruyin & Yang, Jiahui, 2023. "Who will pay for the “bicycle cemetery”? Evolutionary game analysis of recycling abandoned shared bicycles under dynamic reward and punishment," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 305(2), pages 917-929.
    4. Lien-Chieh Lee & Lili Zhang & Xi Chen & Shusheng Gui & Shaobo Zhou, 2023. "An overview study on management and implementation of WEEE in China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(9), pages 10285-10300, September.
    5. Veepan Kumar & Prem Vrat & Ravi Shankar, 2022. "Factors Influencing the Implementation of Industry 4.0 for Sustainability in Manufacturing," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 23(4), pages 453-478, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Massarutto, Antonio, 2014. "The long and winding road to resource efficiency – An interdisciplinary perspective on extended producer responsibility," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 11-21.
    2. Michael W. Toffel & Antoinette Stein & Katharine L. Lee, 2008. "Extending Producer Responsibility: An Evaluation Framework for Product Take-Back Policies," Harvard Business School Working Papers 09-026, Harvard Business School.
    3. Erik G. Hansen & Ferdinand Revellio, 2020. "Circular value creation architectures: Make, ally, buy, or laissez‐faire," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(6), pages 1250-1273, December.
    4. Garth Hickle, 2017. "Extending the Boundaries: An Assessment of the Integration of Extended Producer Responsibility Within Corporate Social Responsibility," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(1), pages 112-124, January.
    5. Borthakur, Anwesha & Govind, Madhav, 2017. "Emerging trends in consumers’ E-waste disposal behaviour and awareness: A worldwide overview with special focus on India," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 117(PB), pages 102-113.
    6. Işıl Alev & Ximin (Natalie) Huang & Atalay Atasu & L. Beril Toktay, 2019. "A Case Discussion on Market‐Based Extended Producer Responsibility: The Minnesota Electronics Recycling Act," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 23(1), pages 208-221, February.
    7. Hickle, Garth T., 2014. "An examination of governance within extended producer responsibility policy regimes in North America," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 55-65.
    8. Marinella Favot, 2014. "Extended producer responsibility and e-waste management: do institutions matter ?," ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2014(1), pages 123-144.
    9. Morvarid Rahmani & Luyi Gui & Atalay Atasu, 2021. "The Implications of Recycling Technology Choice on Extended Producer Responsibility," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(2), pages 522-542, February.
    10. Yan Shen & Zizhao Song & Tian Gao & Ji Ma, 2022. "Research on Closed-Loop Supply Chain Decision Making of Power Battery Considering Subsidy Transfer under EPR System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-24, September.
    11. David F. Drake & Stefan Spinler, 2013. "OM Forum —Sustainable Operations Management: An Enduring Stream or a Passing Fancy?," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 15(4), pages 689-700, October.
    12. Brouillat, Eric & Oltra, Vanessa, 2012. "Extended producer responsibility instruments and innovation in eco-design: An exploration through a simulation model," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 236-245.
    13. Işıl & Vishal V. Agrawal & Atalay Atasu, 2020. "Extended Producer Responsibility for Durable Products," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 22(2), pages 364-382, March.
    14. Tian, Fang & Sošić, Greys & Debo, Laurens, 2020. "Stable recycling networks under the Extended Producer Responsibility," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 287(3), pages 989-1002.
    15. Jayashree Mahajan & Asoo J Vakharia, 2016. "Waste Management: A Reverse Supply Chain Perspective," Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, , vol. 41(3), pages 197-208, September.
    16. Zhou, Wenhui & Zheng, Yanfang & Huang, Weixiang, 2017. "Competitive advantage of qualified WEEE recyclers through EPR legislation," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 257(2), pages 641-655.
    17. Göran Finnveden & Tomas Ekvall & Yevgeniya Arushanyan & Mattias Bisaillon & Greger Henriksson & Ulrika Gunnarsson Östling & Maria Ljunggren Söderman & Jenny Sahlin & Åsa Stenmarck & Johan Sundberg & J, 2013. "Policy Instruments towards a Sustainable Waste Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-41, February.
    18. Suvrat Dhanorkar, 2019. "Environmental Benefits of Internet-Enabled C2C Closed-Loop Supply Chains: A Quasi-Experimental Study of Craigslist," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(2), pages 660-680, February.
    19. Luyi Gui, 2020. "Recycling Infrastructure Development under Extended Producer Responsibility in Developing Economies," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 29(8), pages 1858-1877, August.
    20. Francesco Rizzi & Irene Bartolozzi & Alessandra Borghini & Marco Frey, 2013. "Environmental Management of End‐of‐Life Products: Nine Factors of Sustainability in Collaborative Networks," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(8), pages 561-572, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:recore:v:127:y:2017:i:c:p:159-167. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Kai Meng (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/resources-conservation-and-recycling .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.