Take-back system

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A take-back system or simply takeback is one of the primary channels of waste collection, especially for e-waste, besides municipal sites. Take-back is the idea that manufacturers and sellers "take back" the products that are at the end of their lives. [1] Take-back is aimed to reduce a business' environmental impacts on the earth and also increase efficiency and lower costs for their business models. [2] "Take-back regulations have targeted a wide array of products including packaging, batteries, automobiles, and electronics", [3] and economic value can be found from recycling or re-manufacturing such products. [4] "The programs benefit municipalities by lowering their overall waste disposal costs and reducing the burden on landfill sites". [1] Although for certain companies, the take-back system is mandatory under legislation, many do it voluntarily. [1]

Contents

Take-back can be split up into:

It can be further split into two types:

Recycling

An example of a re-manufactured ink cartridge. Remanufactured ink cartridge.jpg
An example of a re-manufactured ink cartridge.

One major option of the take-back system includes store retailers or producers taking back the products that have been distributed to their consumers in order to recycle the materials of these products. The take-back system encourages businesses to redesign their products into ones that are easily recyclable, reducing the burden that virgin materials have on the environment for the present and the future. [3] This also gives companies an alternative supply of raw minerals. [2]

Re-manufacturing

The other major option of the take-back system includes the store retailers or producers taking back their products in order to create new ones. This process uses the older products in order to restore it into products that are of the same quality as the new ones. [5] By this process, companies save up to 85% of energy that would have been used to manufacture brand-new products. [5]

Economic effect

The take-back system has shown economic effects for many companies that have adapted it. An example is Xerox, a company that has saved over $200 million from their take-back program in a year alone. [6] The system encourages companies to create products that are easy to dissemble and re-manufacture in order to cut costs and generate revenue through taking back older products. [6] In this way, companies can use older products that would have otherwise been thrown away in order to renovate them, allowing for them to be sold again just as Sprint has, in order to save over a billion dollars. [7] In Wisconsin, the development of a take-back system created many new jobs, started a few companies, and had brought revenue from e-waste processing. [8]

Environmental impact

The take-back system provides a more environmentally friendly system for those that inherit it. The system gives the responsibility of handling waste to the producer, meaning that they are to guarantee that their products are dealt with when they are at the end of their lives. [1] By taking old products back, companies reduce their environmental footprint on the world as their products are influenced to become more easily recyclable. [3] The system influences companies to redesign their products in ways that are more cost-effective when they recycle, reuse, or re-manufacture their products. [9] Policies of the system can require companies into using a certain amount of recycled material in their products, which reduces the amount of recovered materials that end up in landfills or incineration. [3]

Circular economy

The take-back system can be a main component to the business model that is called the circular economy. The circular economy is a plan for a business or company that aims to use and reduce their waste in order to become sustainable on their own. The take-back system allows for this model to work as it allows companies to recycle old products in order to become more environmentally friendly, where materials are used from these old products in order to use as resources and encourage sustainability. [10] Not only that, but for most companies, the take-back system shows to be a more cost-effective system as it effectively minimizes waste management costs. [10]

Implementation of take-back systems

Collection

Due to a high cost in recycling but low amount of customer incentive, companies and countries refrain from adapting a take-back system. [11] To fix this, e-waste could be taken aback by the producers for donations, for re-manufacturing, or for upgrades. [11]

Waste regulation legislation and government help

Without legislation, a prominent take-back system cannot be achieved because current e-waste regulation systems are "limited to private recycling of high-value waste with only limited consumer participation". [11] Rules and regulations that would incentive and fix issues regarding the dumping of electronic waste into landfills and prevent the illegal exportation of electronic waste are important to achieve success in e-waste management. [11] The government would need to support it by giving incentives and the correct infrastructure in order to create such a system. [11]

Initiatives

"Initiatives refer to programs or schemes required to promote effective collection, recycling and disposal of e-waste". [11] Through these incentives, the government and producers of waste must promote e-waste management on their own by giving effort in collecting e-waste to recycle, renew, or reuse it. [11]

Awareness and responsibility

Consumers of the products must become aware to how managing their waste affects the environment, and the lack of programs that help teach these aspects show to be big barriers to the effective management of waste. [11] To manage the waste properly, consumers must begin to show responsibility in bringing in their e-waste, while companies such as the producers of these products must be responsible for taking it back and dealing with it. [11]

Germany's take-back system

Germany had set in put a packaging ordinance on June 12, 1991. [12] "It specifies mandatory quotas for recycling for glass, paper/paperboard/carton, tin plate, aluminum, plastic, and composites". [12] The responsibility for handling waste was put onto the manufacturer and distributor. [12] As a result of the ordinance, "in 1993, the beginning of the mandatory quotas, compared to 1992, there were 500,000 fewer tons of packaging" and "From 1993 to 1994, paper packaging recycling increased from 55% to 70.6%". [12] The system showed to be a success, as it reduced waste and redesigned packaging to be more environmentally friendly simply from integrating a version of the take-back system. [12]

Germany at the top of most municipal waste recycled. Municipal-waste-recycled.png
Germany at the top of most municipal waste recycled.

Issues

While the take-back system aims to create more eco-friendly businesses, there are reasons why it does not profoundly exist today. The main reason for this is the lack of incentives. Being that there are products such as cars and computers that are unappealing to transport, the consumer finds it troubling and unappealing to bring these products back. [6] Also, since many consumers see refurbished products as inferior and do not trust them, it is unappealing for companies to re-manufacture their own products for reselling purposes and thus cannot profit from it. [6] Without the appropriate subsidies, in some cases it becomes more beneficial for a company to use virgin materials as opposed to recycling methods as it is cheaper, swaying some away from the take-back system. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recycling</span> Converting waste materials into new products

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This concept often includes the recovery of energy from waste materials. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the properties it had in its original state. It is an alternative to "conventional" waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. It can also prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reducing energy use, air pollution and water pollution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waste management</span> Activities and actions required to manage waste from its source to its final disposal

Waste management or waste disposal includes the processes and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal. This includes the collection, transport, treatment, and disposal of waste, together with monitoring and regulation of the waste management process and waste-related laws, technologies, and economic mechanisms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Post-consumer waste</span> Trash or garbage discarded by the end-consumers of products

Post-consumer waste is a waste type produced by the end consumer of a material stream; that is, where the waste-producing use did not involve the production of another product.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extended producer responsibility</span> Strategy designed to promote the integration of environmental costs associated with goods

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is a strategy to add all of the estimated environmental costs associated with a product throughout the product life cycle to the market price of that product, contemporarily mainly applied in the field of waste management. Such societal costs are typically externalities to market mechanisms, with a common example being the impact of cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zero waste</span> Philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused

Zero waste, or waste minimization, is a set of principles focused on waste prevention that encourages redesigning resource life cycles so that all products are repurposed and/or reused. The goal of the movement is to avoid sending trash to landfills, incinerators, oceans, or any other part of the environment. Currently 9% of global plastic is recycled. In a zero waste system, all materials are reused until the optimum level of consumption is reached.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electronic waste recycling</span> Form of recycling

Electronic waste recycling, electronics recycling, or e-waste recycling is the disassembly and separation of components and raw materials of waste electronics; when referring to specific types of e-waste, the terms like computer recycling or mobile phone recycling may be used. Like other waste streams, reuse, donation, and repair are common sustainable ways to dispose of IT waste.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reuse</span> Using again

Reuse is the action or practice of using an item, whether for its original purpose or to fulfill a different function. It should be distinguished from recycling, which is the breaking down of used items to make raw materials for the manufacture of new products. Reuse—by taking, but not reprocessing, previously used items—helps save time, money, energy and resources. In broader economic terms, it can make quality products available to people and organizations with limited means, while generating jobs and business activity that contribute to the economy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waste minimisation</span> Process that involves reducing the amount of waste produced in society

Waste minimisation is a set of processes and practices intended to reduce the amount of waste produced. By reducing or eliminating the generation of harmful and persistent wastes, waste minimisation supports efforts to promote a more sustainable society. Waste minimisation involves redesigning products and processes and/or changing societal patterns of consumption and production.

Precycling is the practice of reducing waste by attempting to avoid buying items which will generate waste into home or business. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also cites that precycling is the preferred method of integrated solid waste management because it cuts waste at its source and therefore trash is eliminated before it is created. According to the EPA, precycling is also characterized as a decision-making process on the behalf of the consumer because it involves making informed judgments regarding a product's waste implications. The implications that are taken into consideration by the consumer include: whether a product is reusable, durable, or repairable; made from renewable or non-renewable resources; over-packaged; and whether or not the container is reusable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recycling in Japan</span>

Recycling in Japan, an aspect of waste management in Japan, is based on the Japanese Container and Packaging Recycling Law. Plastic, paper, PET bottles, aluminium and glass are collected and recycled. Japan's country profile in Waste Atlas shows that in 2012 Recycling Rate was 20.8%.

Waste management in Japan today emphasizes not just the efficient and sanitary collection of waste, but also reduction in waste produced and recycling of waste when possible. This has been influenced by its history, particularly periods of significant economic expansion, as well as its geography as a mountainous country with limited space for landfills. Important forms of waste disposal include incineration, recycling and, to a smaller extent, landfills and land reclamation. Although Japan has made progress since the 1990s in reducing waste produced and encouraging recycling, there is still further progress to be made in reducing reliance on incinerators and the garbage sent to landfills. Challenges also exist in the processing of electronic waste and debris left after natural disasters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile phone recycling</span>

Mobile phone recycling describes the waste management of mobile phones, to retrieve materials used in their manufacture. Rapid technology change, low initial cost, and planned obsolescence have resulted in a fast-growing surplus, which contributes to the increasing amount of electronic waste around the globe.

The City of Oakland, California, adopted a Zero Waste Strategic Plan in 2006, detailing a road map for the city to follow toward the implementation of a Zero Waste System by 2020. As stated in a City Resolution, introduced by then Mayor Jerry Brown, Zero Waste principles:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circular economy</span> Production model to minimise wastage and emissions

A circular economy is a model of resource production and consumption in any economy that involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible. The concept aims to tackle global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution by emphasizing the design-based implementation of the three base principles of the model. The three principles required for the transformation to a circular economy are: designing out waste and pollution; keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. CE is defined in contradistinction to the traditional linear economy. The idea and concepts of a circular economy have been studied extensively in academia, business, and government over the past ten years. It has been gaining popularity because it can help to minimize carbon emissions and the consumption of raw materials, open up new market prospects, and, principally, increase the sustainability of consumption.

Sustainable distribution refers to any means of transportation / hauling of goods between vendor and purchaser with lowest possible impact on the ecological and social environment, and includes the whole distribution process from storage, order processing and picking, packaging, improved vehicle loadings, delivery to the customer or purchaser and taking back packaging.

Resource recovery is using wastes as an input material to create valuable products as new outputs. The aim is to reduce the amount of waste generated, thereby reducing the need for landfill space, and optimising the values created from waste. Resource recovery delays the need to use raw materials in the manufacturing process. Materials found in municipal solid waste, construction and demolition waste, commercial waste and industrial wastes can be used to recover resources for the manufacturing of new materials and products. Plastic, paper, aluminium, glass and metal are examples of where value can be found in waste.

Sustainable Materials Management is a systemic approach to using and reusing materials more productively over their entire lifecycles. It represents a change in how a society thinks about the use of natural resources and environmental protection. By looking at a product's entire lifecycle new opportunities can be found to reduce environmental impacts, conserve resources, and reduce costs.

A circular economy is an alternative way countries manage their resources, where instead of using products in the traditional linear make, use, dispose method, resources are used for their maximum utility throughout their life cycle and regenerated in a cyclical pattern minimizing waste. They strive to create economic development through environmental and resource protection. The ideas of a circular economy were officially adopted by China in 2002, when the 16th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party legislated it as a national endeavour, though various sustainability initiatives were implemented in the previous decades starting in 1973. China adopted the circular economy due to the environmental damage and resource depletion that was occurring from going through its industrialization process. China is currently a world leader in the production of resources, where it produces 46% of the world's aluminum, 50% of steel and 60% of cement, while it has consumed more raw materials than all the countries a part of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) combined. In 2014, China created 3.2 billion tonnes of industrial solid waste, where 2 billion tonnes were recovered using recycling, incineration, reusing and composting. By 2025, China is anticipated to produce up to one quarter of the world's municipal solid waste.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Closed-loop recycling</span>

Closed-loop recycling is the process by which a product or material can be used and then turned into a new product indefinitely without losing its properties during the recycling process.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Closed-loop box reuse</span> Business practice

Closed Loop Box Reuse, is the process by which boxes or other containers are reused many times. It is a form of reusable packaging.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Linton, Ian. "What Is a Take-Back Agreement?". Chron. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Take-back program". Circular Economy Guide. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Toffel, Michael W.; Stein, Antoinette; Lee, Katharine L. (September 1, 2008). "Extending Producer Responsibility: An Evaluation Framework for Product TakeBack Policies" (PDF). Harvard Business School. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  4. ↑ Hasan, Rejaul (March 13, 2018). "E-Waste: Product Take-Back Legislation and Its Impact". Business Sustainability Collaborative News. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  5. 1 2 Jung, Ki Seung; Hwang, Hark (June 2011). "Competition and cooperation in a remanufacturing system with take-back requirement". Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing; London. 22 (3): 427–433. doi:10.1007/s10845-009-0300-z. S2CID   37784511.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Doppelt, Bob; Nelson, Hal (March 2001). "EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY AND PRODUCT TAKE-BACK: Applications for the Pacific Northwest" (PDF). Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  7. ↑ Gunther, Marc (August 28, 2014). "How the zero-waste economy benefits everyone". Greenbiz. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Recycling and Product Take-Back Programs: An Economic and Financial Benefits Overview" (PDF). Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  9. ↑ McPherson, Alexandra; Thorpe, Beverley; Rossi, Mark (March 2, 2007). "How Producer Responsibility for Product Take-Back Can Promote Eco-Design" (PDF). Clean Production Action. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  10. 1 2 Ranta, Valtteri; Aarikka-Stenroos, Leena; Mäkinen, Saku J (Nov 10, 2018). "Creating value in the circular economy: A structured multiple-case analysis of business models". Journal of Cleaner Production. 201: 988–1000. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.08.072.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Srivastava, Rajeev (Jan–Jun 2015). "E-Waste Management: Developing a Model for Effective Take Back System in India". Srusti Management Review; Bhubaneswar. 8: 47–55 – via Proquest.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Nakajima, Nina; Vanderburg, Willem H. (December 2006). "A Description and Analysis of the German Packaging Take-Back System". Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society. 26 (6): 510–517. doi:10.1177/0270467606295193. S2CID   110124497 – via Academic Search Premier.

Images

  1. ↑ Lost Parcels, "Remanufactured Inkjet Cartridge NH88C Replaces Hewlett Packard HP88 Cyan 17ml". Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/lostparcels/33444514691/.
  2. ↑ "Municipal Waste Recycled". Our World in Data, https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/municipal-waste-recycled?tab=chart&time=1993..2015.
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