The introduction of green economy principles into the global market has changed a range of processes within most industries. The development and the subsequent implementation of reverse logistics is one of the changes of most significance and magnitude in regard to the subject matter (Bernon et al., 2018). Although the existing studies indicate the presence of a range of gaps in the current framework for implementing reverse logistics in the corporate context, the overall potential that reverse logistics implies for the green economy suggests that it must be integrated into supply chains globally.
The significance of circular economy as the solution to some of the most controversial environmental issues of present-day global businesses cannot possibly be underestimated. Kalmykova et al.’s (2017) analysis of the subject matter allows differentiating between the current wasteful and environmentally unsafe approach and the opportunities for significant improvements that the circular economy holds. Defining circular energy as the source of eco-efficiency and the means of reducing the extent of harm produced by companies worldwide, Kalmykova et al. (2017) relate the concept to the realm of ecological and environmental responsibility. Therefore, the strategies for implementation of circular energy that Kalmykova et al. (2017) distinguish involve mainly stock optimization and the development of solutions for e-waste management. The issue of e-waste is outlined as a particularly threatening concern.
However, several problems linked to the transition from the linear economy to the circular one need to be noted. Ryen et al. (2018) question the effectiveness of the current approaches for shifting from the linear economy to the circular one by outlining the challenges concerning the changes in policies for managing e-waste and regulating production processes across the global industry. Namely, Ryen et al.’s argument (2018) can be interpreted as the call for revisiting the existing regulations and policies concerning the management of hazardous materials, particularly, the ones that lead to the production of e-waste. By specifying that the management of e-waste has not yet been fully regulated and, therefore, requires the introduction of new policies, Ryen et al. (2018) allow approximating the extent of costs to be taken in the course of transitioning to the new mode of operations for most companies in the global market.
Reverting to the issue of e-waste, the paper by Vanegas et al. (2018) contributes to the discussion by offering an innovative solution for increasing the ease of disassembly for products to be recycled. Specifically, the authors suggest experimenting with the “eDiM” (Ease of Disassembly Metric) as a tool for making the process easy and manageable. By testing the success of the proposed framework with the help of a case study, Vanegas et al. (2018) provide a robust basis for the future implementation of innovative e-waste management approaches into the tool for supporting the circular energy concept. Therefore, the study by Vanegas et al. (2018) represents a vital contribution to the discussion.
Despite the fact that the analyzed studies have demonstrated the presence of numerous knowledge gaps in the development and implementation of reverse logistics principles and strategies, the concept has been proven to offer a unique premise that will guide global companies toward the green economy (Zhang & Wang, 2020). Therefore, the enhancement of compliance with environmentally safe approaches and standards will be observed once the reverse logistics principle is applied ubiquitously. For this reason, further research will be needed to examine the issue to solve the issues associated with implementing the revere logistics approach.
References
Bernon, M., Tjahjono, B., & Ripanti, E. F. (2018). Aligning retail reverse logistics practice with circular economy values: an exploratory framework.Production Planning & Control, 29(6), 483-497. Web.
Kalmykova, Y., Sadagopan, M., & Rosado, L. (2018). Circular economy – From review of theories and practices to development of implementation tools. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 135, 190-201. Web.
Ryen, E. G., Gaustad, G., Babbitt, C. W., & Babbitt, G. (2018). Ecological foraging models as inspiration for optimized recycling systems in the circular economy.Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 135, 48-57. Web.
Vanegas, P., Peeters, J. R., Cattrysse, D., Tecchio, P., Ardente, F., Mathieux, F., Dewulf, W., & Duflou, J. R. (2018). Ease of disassembly of products to support circular economy strategies.Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 135, 323-334. Web.
Zhang, X., Li, Z., & Wang, Y. (2020). A review of the criteria and methods of reverse logistics supplier selection.Processes, 8(6), 705-720. Web.