Challenges to implement and operationalize the WEEE reverse logistics system at the micro level.

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) possesses unique characteristics such as its growing production and the potential for resource extraction due to its composition. The implementation and operationalization of a reverse logistics system (RLS) for WEEE is a challenge, particularly concerning the micro level. The implementation of such systems often prioritizes urban centers and their higher population densities, generally overlooking the micro level. The latter refers to ward- or village-level divisions, which can be regarded as the smallest administrative divisions of both urban and rural areas. Furthermore, it encompasses any area facing logistical challenges regarding RLS operationalization due to factors such as geographical isolation, budgetary constraints, imbalances, social isolation, environmental aspects, and even geopolitical conflicts. This study is aimed at addressing this literature gap by discussing the challenges to implement and operationalize a WEEE RLS at the micro level. A systematic literature review was employed as our methodology. We found 13 challenges for developed and developing countries without distinction between macro and micro levels. An additional approach highlighted the significance of monitoring and controlling WEEE RLS. The challenge The population and LRS entities' lack or insufficient training and awareness received the most citations in the conducted search. These challenges were organized by operational phase and discussed from the perspective of the micro level to comprehend multifactorial local challenges involving all stakeholders in the reverse logistics of WEEE in emerging nations. This can assist local administrators and constitutes the primary contribution of this study.

Waste pickers organizations and municipal selective waste collection: Sustainability indicators.

Brazilian municipalities face several difficulties while carrying out the municipal selective waste collection (MSWC); at the same time, waste pickers organizations (WPOs) need to overcome many challenges to compete in the waste management market. In order to reach the requirements of the Brazilian National Solid Waste Policy (NSWP), it is necessary to know which factors interfere in the performance of MSWC programs and WPOs to understand the relationships between these factors. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the sustainability of MSWC programs and WPOs in the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil, and propose a new methodological strategy. For data collection, questionnaires were given to municipal civil workers from 24 municipalities and managers of 23 WPOs to calculate sustainability indicators and their correlations. Means and frequencies were calculated to analyze indicators in relation to sustainability; peer-to-peer correlation analyses were performed to the construct graphs that obtained correlation coefficients, which were applied to study the normality distribution. For each indicator, we provided necessary investments to practical solutions. As a result, a methodological proposal was presented to improve their actions, which was hierarchized by degrees of temporal urgency for their implementation. The design of the actions has great potential to improve and develop sustainability practices in WPOs and MSWC programs. Due to the low quality of primary data collected, we recommend the creation of the data control systems to continuously monitor.

Governance tools: Improving the circular economy through the promotion of the economic sustainability of waste picker organizations.

Waste Picker Organizations are the fundamental link in the integrated management of urban solid waste, and they play a key social, economic, and environmental role. The main activity performed by Waste Picker Organizations is to insert materials in the productive cycle, thereby promoting a circular economy. However, due to the financial dependence on the public sector as the main economic source, and difficulties in self-management, Brazilian organizations do not achieve a competitive position in the recycling market. In this study we aimed to strengthen the Brazilian Waste Picker Organizations as solidarity economy companies throughout the application of corporate governance tools as to provide conditions to make them efficient in the recycling market and in the management of solid urban waste. The methodology was developed in three stages: identification of the Operating Activities of Waste Picker Organizations (Stage 1); hierarchization of the Operating Activities according to criteria that influence market efficiency (Stage 2); and creation of applicable reference models (Stage 3). According to the main results, the development of reference models, the hierarchical order of the Operating Activities, and the modeled processes indicated that the main activities that influence the market efficiency are selective collection, reception of the dry solid recyclable waste, sorting, pressing, baling, and the commercialization of selected waste.

Influence of the expansion of the selective collection in the sorting infrastructure of waste pickers' organizations: A case study of 16 Brazilian cities.

Although recycling is a viable alternative to minimizing the impacts of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), identification of the local recycling market is a requirement for its empowerment. This paper aims to assess the recyclable solid waste market in 16 cities of Brazil. Through the application of interviews, field research and secondary data collection this research observed that while relying on poor infrastructure and on Government subsidies, the 12 pickers organizations surveyed can deliver 18.53% of recyclable waste to recycling with an average sorting productivity of 109 kg/picker/day and average earnings of US$ 293.40/picker/month. Based on the validated methods, 17% of these organizations were classified as having average efficiency, whereas 82% of them operated with very low efficiency. The investment required for the adequacy and expansion of the sorting capacity of waste pickers' organizations has been estimated at US$ 2.5 M, which could be counterbalanced by the savings with the current US$ 2 M/year spent with the disposal of recyclable waste into landfills. We also estimate new 189 job openings in the pickers' organizations to meet the requirements of the proposed scenario, contrasting with the current 93 cooperative members currently formalized. Regarding the consumer market, only few recycling companies were identified in the region, which may justify the low price paid for waste. The market for recyclables is mostly composed of micro and small companies that generally carry out the collection, transportation, sorting, and commercialization.

System dynamics applied to closed loop supply chains of desktops and laptops in Brazil: A perspective for social inclusion of waste pickers.

The structure of reverse logistics for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is essential to minimize the impacts of their improper disposal. In this context, the Brazilian Solid Waste Policy (BSWP) was a regulatory milestone in Brazil, submitting WEEE to the mandatory implementation of reverse logistics systems, involving the integration of waste pickers on the shared responsibility for the life cycle of products. This article aims to measure the impact of such legal incentives and the bargaining power obtained by the volume of collected waste on the effective formalization of waste pickers. The proposed model evaluates the sustainability of supply chains in terms of the use of raw materials due to disposal fees, collection, recycling and return of some materials from desktops and laptops using system dynamics methodology. The results show that even in the absence of bargaining power, the formalization of waste pickers occurs due to legal incentives. It is important to ensure the waste pickers cooperatives access to a minimum amount, which requires a level of protection against unfair competition with companies. Regarding the optimal level of environmental policies, even though the formalization time is long, it is still not enough to guarantee the formalization of waste picker cooperatives, which is dependent on their bargaining power. Steel is the material with the largest decrease in acquisition rate of raw material.