Optimizing life cycle assessment indicators in reverse logistics for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)

• Grant number: 19/16748-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): October 21, 2019
• Effective date (End): January 10, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Production Engineering - Operational Research
• Principal Investigator: Eli Angela Vitor Toso
• Grantee: João Gabriel Hernandes
• Supervisor: Raf Jans
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências em Gestão e Tecnologia (CCGT). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Campus de Sorocaba. Sorocaba , SP, Brazil
• Research place: École des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC Montréal), Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 17/25278-2 - Multiobjective model for reverse logistic planning of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), BP.IC

Abstract

Reverse logistics (RL) operations for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) allows post-consumption value recovery of such products but might also generate polluting emissions. This work proposes the optimization of a WEEE collecting logistics network in Brazil through a multiobjective and multiperiod model, integrating decisions on material flow, collection center location and vehicle fleet sizing. In addition to reducing financial costs, logistic operations must as well be evaluated regarding environmental impact, specifically by some of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method indicators: fossil depletion, climate change and human toxicity. Tests were done with data based on the case study of a company in the sector for model implementation and validation, including sensitivity on the objective function weighs and many interest parameters, such as the level of environmental impact generated by the vehicles, the transport and facility opening costs and the demand for WEEE collection. Results show that solutions improving financial performance may harm environmental performance and vice versa, besides highlighting the significance of the choice between vehicle types. (AU)