Abstract
PurposeThe purpose of the article is to analyze the chain of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and its waste (WEEE), within the product chain of Recicladora Urbana (Reurbi), and its interaction with the circular economy.Design/methodology/approachExploratory research with a qualitative approach, based on the study case method, was conducted. The following stages were carried out: definition of the study object; bibliographic survey; documentary survey; technical visit to Reurbi; contacts with experts; creation of research instruments and research execution.FindingsThe main recipients of remanufactured EEE are third sector organizations that run social programs and schools with few financial resources. Recycling firms receive parts and components from the WEEE handled by Reurbi.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors only addressed the WEEE reverse remanufacturing chain of Reurbi; therefore, the authors cannot extend the results to an industrial sector.Practical implicationsOne practical contribution is disclosing the remanufacturing processes of EEE and the recycling processes of its waste, fostered by the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS), under a circular economy policy.Social implicationsThere is a large market potential for reverse logistics of WEEE and end-of-life EEE as a source of raw material, which is yet to be explored in Brazil, for creating new jobs and revenue.Originality/valueThe publication of articles with the main reflections from the results can provide new discussions and provide opportunities for new studies regarding the Brazilian Solid Waste Policy.
Highlights
Issues like recycling and sustainable development are growing in importance
4.1 Characterization of electronic equipment (EEE) reverse remanufacturing chain The reverse remanufacturing of EEE and WEEE is a set of consecutive steps that make up the reverse flow of this equipment, at the end of its useful life and of its waste from end consumers to the manufacturer/importer/distributor and formal recyclers
The first refers to the flow managed by a system implemented in a local or regional structure, which involves the delivery of EEE in disuse and WEEE, at commercial receiving points
Summary
Issues like recycling and sustainable development are growing in importance. They are more prominent in developing countries, where there are many informal recycling activities and few environmental laws to regulate waste management (Guarnieri, Silva, Xavier & Chaves, 2020). The potential recovery of valuable material resources and sustainable business practices over the past 20 years revealed that the concept of reverse logistics has been accepted and practiced in manufacturing industries (Islam & Huda, 2018) It is recognized as an important part of the circular economy, by providing the reevaluation of WEEE and inserting it in a new production process (Guarnieri, Silva, Xavier & Chaves, 2020). Three of them, which we applied to Reurbi, Sinctronics and Green Eletron, had a common structure: (1) general data on the organization and its representative (the research respondent); (2) reasons to work with end-of-life EEE and WEEE, in addition to information on volumes of material traded and market situation; (3) institutional aspects – norms, taxation and regulations/control and (4) WEEE’s sectorial agreement and the resulting opportunities and challenges. We did not get permission to record the interview at SMA in Jacareı
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