EOUNETWORKS

Product End-of-Use Management Networks

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Increasing rates of consumption and disposal result in products that arrive to their end-of-use stage while retaining economic value and suitable for reuse and recycling. Although theoretically promising, relatively few circular supply loops are self-sustaining in practice. This evidence raises the question of why voluntary economically viable product end-of-use management network of agents that are involved in such activities (i.e., recycler, remanufacturer, consumer, collector, etc.) are not operating on a large scale yet. In response, I argue that such networks are complex systems and not well understood as yet. Therefore, in this research I propose to advance the knowledge and understanding of how such networks of product end-of-use (EoU) agents emerge and evolve in response to market conditions, regulation, and changes in each other’s corporate strategy. I propose to combine industrial ecology and operations management concepts using agent-based models with data from the U.S. and Israel as a tool to examine environmental and economic performance patterns of each agent and the overall network (i.e., the market). The socio-economic rationale for this research is the need for better understanding how to design product EoU collection and processing networks in order to increase dramatically the economic and environmental efficiency of such systems. This research is valuable to policy makers formulating and revising product EoU regulations and to the different EoU agents looking to gain competitive advantage while complying with regulations. It combines methods from the industrial ecology and management disciplines and such interdisciplinary approach to a very timely manner problem aligns well with the work program goals. The researcher had partnered with multiple researchers and industrial contacts to collaborate on this research; these relationships will enable her to disseminate the findings and turn them into applied solutions.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

An EU team modelled factors affecting the life cycle of mobile phones. Utilising Israeli householder data, the study examined the linked economic and environmental effects of four types of industry-player companies.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Increasingly often, electronic products are discarded while still having some functional or materials value. Sustainable recycling supply loops are feasible and promising, yet they remain uncommon.

The EU-funded EOUNETWORKS (Product end-of-use management networks) project investigated the reasons. The study aimed to determine how networks of product end-of-use agents form and respond to market conditions, focusing on electronic waste and mobile phones.

Using agent-based modelling tools, the team examined environmental and economic performance patterns of each agent. Research also addressed the general dynamics of the network/market. The undertaking ran for four years to September 2009.

The study examined the flow of mobile phones through the system, and the roles of four agents: manufacturers, consumers, recyclers and refurbishers. Work began with careful study of each agent in terms of operations and typical decision making. Such definitions were built into a model ontology, used to simulate economic and environmental performance of each agent and the system overall.

Researchers examined the effect of extended producer responsibility, and a business strategy not recommended for reuse industries. The model was extended to include Israeli data about consumers and other agents. Project members surveyed the amount of electronic waste in Israel and the proportion stored in homes. Residents were also questioned about how much they would be willing to pay for the waste's disposal. Such data were incorporated into the project's extended model.

EOUNETWORKS advanced research into electronic waste recycling. The information was valuable for revision of end-of-use regulations, and for companies seeking to work within them.