Abstract
This study presents a method that is based on the three-stage network Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to evaluate the sustainability of packaging systems for a product. This method facilitates the selection of better product packaging alternatives from an environmentally friendly point of view and it comprises the following four steps: (i) the definition of packaging sustainability indicator (PSI) based on environmental efficiency and impact indicator of three-stage in packaging life cycle, (ii) modeling a three-stage Network DEA model for a packaging system, (iii) computing PSI based on the DEA model, and (iv) result analysis. An empirical test has been progressed to prove the feasibility of the proposed method by selecting the three types of milk packaging systems. The results indicated that the PSI value of PrePack is the maximum and the Tetra Pak minimum. According to these results, the study provides an environmentally friendly evaluation method for product packaging systems, which is more intuitive than Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
Highlights
The packages, one of the significant elements in the development of economic and social, provide great convenience to consumers
The result analysis of the three-stage Network Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model is as follows: If packaging sustainability indicator (PSI) = 1, the evaluated unit “k” (DMUk) is sustainability efficiency decision-making units (DMUs); If PSI < 1, the evaluated unit “k” (DMUk) is sustainability inefficiency DMU, and PSI = w1∙E1+ w2∙E2 + w3∙E3, only if Ep is effective (Ep = 1, stage p = 1, 2, 3) in each stage lead to the PSI being effective in the whole packaging system (Impact weights: w1 + w2 + w3 = 1)
In order to test the feasibility of the proposed model, the three-stage Network DEA model is employed to evaluate the relative-to-best environmental efficiency of five alternatives milk packaging system
Summary
The packages, one of the significant elements in the development of economic and social, provide great convenience to consumers. Conventional DEA deals with one-stage production processes, where the internal structure of the DMUs is not taken into account and each DMU as a “black box” by considering only the inputs consumed and outputs produced [13]. Ding man et al [17] studied the efficiency of China’s listed commercial banks based on a three-stage process where the number of workers, operating expenses, and fixed assets are used to generate deposits and deposit taking of interbank in the first stage, and the investment securities, loans, and due from banks are produced in the second stage by using the intermediate premiums as a resource. The first stage is called the operating activities process, which uses inputs of the number of workers and total assets to produce outputs of the balance of loans relating to agricultural supporting. We use the PSI to make an empirical study on the environmental performance of three types of milk packaging system and obtain satisfactory results
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