Section of Design for Sustainability, Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Building, 404 (Room 229), 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
Environmental and Social Sustainability, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Allé, 2880, Bagsvaerd, Denmark.
J Environ Manage. 2024 Feb;351:119819. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119819. Epub 2023 Dec 16.
Reverse Logistics (RL) of end-of-use/end-of-life products is a key approach for supporting the transition to a circular economy. However, lack of knowledge and experience in designing RL is one of the barriers for companies in implementing successful RL. This research proposes an RL support tool (RLST) for designing RL systems, developed through iterative cycles of theoretical development and empirical testing/feedback from potential users. The RLST builds upon the principles of configuration systems to adapt the various aspects of RL design into a knowledge base and, subsequently, into an Excel-based support tool - in addition to allowing companies to assess their motivation/driver and set the context (e.g., product characteristics, the existence and nature of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation), it supports the design of the RL network/channel and other aspects such as stakeholder collaboration, legislation, consumer behaviour and incentives, use of digital technologies, key performance indicators and factors around governance/programme management. Such a tool can be helpful for practitioners in addressing the knowledge gaps, stimulating discussions among stakeholders for scenario building and for analysing how different scenarios might work. The research advances the knowledge on RL systems design for the circular economy along with, for the first time, building knowledge and application of configuration systems in the field of RL.
产品使用报废后的逆向物流 (RL) 是支持向循环经济转型的关键方法。然而，缺乏设计 RL 的知识和经验是企业实施成功 RL 的障碍之一。本研究通过理论开发的迭代循环和潜在用户的实证测试/反馈，提出了一个用于设计 RL 系统的 RL 支持工具 (RLST)。RLST 基于配置系统的原则，将 RL 设计的各个方面适应到知识库中，然后适应到基于 Excel 的支持工具中——除了允许公司评估其动机/驱动因素并设置上下文（例如，产品特征、存在和性质 生产者责任延伸 (EPR) 立法），它支持 RL 网络/渠道的设计以及其他方面，如利益相关者合作、立法、消费者行为和激励措施、数字技术的使用、关键绩效指标以及治理/方案管理方面的因素。这样的工具可以帮助从业者解决知识差距，促进利益相关者之间的讨论以建立情景，并分析不同情景可能如何运作。该研究推进了循环经济中 RL 系统设计的知识，同时首次在 RL 领域构建了配置系统的知识和应用。
