Minimizing Macro-Level Uncertainties for Quality Assurance in Reverse Logistics Supply Chains of Demolition Waste

Madduma Kaluge Chamitha Sanjani Wijewickrama,Jose Jorge Ochoa,Raufdeen Rameezdeen,Nicholas Chileshe

doi:10.3390/su132313069

Madduma Kaluge Chamitha Sanjani Wijewickrama, Jose Jorge Ochoa + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313069

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Abstract

In light of the increasing detrimental effects on sustainability, the reverse logistics supply chain (RLSC) has emerged as one of the remedies in the construction industry, whereby the bulk of demolition waste (DW) is returned into the production cycle. Quality assurance (QA) plays an important role in RLSCs, which needs an information-rich environment enriched with external stakeholders’ influence strategies. However, due to ineffective external stakeholders’ influence, useful information is not available, making macro-level uncertainties for QA. Given this, the current study aimed to identify the macro-level uncertainties for QA in the RLSC of DW. The study used a qualitative approach involving 21 semi-structured interviews representing five external stakeholder categories. The study found the regulatory uncertainties are the root causes that propagate through incentivizing and contractual uncertainties to influence QA in the RLSC. The external stakeholders could employ measures such as ‘reforming regulatory instruments’, ‘employing effective incentivizing schemes’ and ‘active involvement of forward supply chain actors’ to minimize uncertainties at their source. The external and internal stakeholders can use these findings as a roadmap to determine suitable measures to overcome macro-level uncertainties in the RLSC. Furthermore, the study paved an avenue to integrate stakeholder theory and organizational information processing theory (OIPT) in future research.

Highlights

The current study found that the external stakeholders in reverse logistics supply chain (RLSC) could incentivize internal stakeholders through subsidizing, informing and educating
The current study found that incorporating Non-government organizations (NGOs) with expertise in waste management to conduct informing and educating sessions would become more successful in the RLSC; this would exist if only there is an impetus from government agencies
With an increasing attempt to promote reverse logistics (RL) in the construction industry, a better understanding of uncertainties that originate from the external environment is becoming increasingly crucial for Quality assurance (QA) in the RLSC of demolition waste (DW)

Summary

Introduction

Construction and demolition waste (CDW) contributes to the largest waste flows, constituting 30–40% of the total solid waste [1]. 50% of the total CDW, with a high heterogeneous blend of inert and non-inert waste with hazardous and non-treated materials [3]. DW management is a significant challenge for the construction industry [4]. The reverse logistics supply chains (RLSCs) are becoming popular among practitioners in the construction industry as a viable approach to managing fast-growing volumes of DW. The reverse logistics (RL) performance is decided based upon the rate of landfill diversion and waste recovery [6]. Products with quality equal to or higher than virgin materials are a significant performance criterion for RL implementation in the construction industry [7]

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