Blockchain‐based recycling and its impact on recycling performance: A network theory perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the application of blockchain technology (BCT) in recycling. This research applies a multiple case study approach with six pioneer organisations, based on secondary data. We found that BCT is an effective approach to promote recycling performance: it can provide tokenisation, waste flow tracking and recycling chain integration. The benefits include 'Eco-friendly', 'Stimulate participation', 'Social inclusion', 'Transparent recycling chains' and 'Extended producer responsibility accountability'. However, the majority of existing BCT-based initiatives are in the pilot stage and face cognitive, technology, internal and external barriers. Our research is one of the first studies on blockchain-based recycling. We applied the network theory of 'Reachability', 'Richness' and 'Receptivity' and 'network formation' barriers to propose a conceptual framework of BCT-based recycling, which serves as a practical reference for the recycling industry.

Blockchain technology in supply chain management: an organizational theoretic overview and research agenda

“…It also explores phenomena such as resilience, sustainability, green, circular SC as the future application areas. The potential SC application areas for BT discussed in the literature are Food SC (Behnke & Janssen, 2020 ; Bumblauskas et al, 2020 ; Kittipanya-ngam & Tan, 2020 ; Liu et al, 2020 ; Vivaldini, 2021a ), Agricultural SC (Hu et al, 2021 ; Liu et al, 2020 ; Mishra & Maheshwari, 2021 ; Mukherjee et al, 2021 ), SC Risk Management (Choi et al, 2019 ; Manupati et al, 2022 ; Rauniyar et al, 2022 ; Shashi et al, 2020 ), Sustainable SC (Gong et al, 2022b ; Khan et al, 2022b ; Liu et al, 2021c ; Wang et al, 2022 ; Xia et al, 2021 ), etc. 65 studies fall under this heading as listen in Table 17 .…”

Blockchain for the environmentally sustainable enterprise

“…BCT has the potential to support innovative waste management—integral to expanding circular economy efforts worldwide—and is expected to be a necessary and competitive ecological‐economic competitive issue. Study 2 —titled “Blockchain‐based recycling and its impact on recycling performance: A network theory perspective,” by Gong et al (2022)—is the first BCT study within the worldwide recycling industry. This study makes use of a secondary data‐based multiple case study approach within six pioneer organizations.…”

“…Gong et al (2022) do so by adding network formation and highlighting network effects by focusing on reachability , richness , and receptivity within a network formation barriers context. While most BCT‐based initiatives are still pilot stages—facing cognitive, technological, internal, and external barriers—they help promote recycling performance through tokenization, extended producer responsibility, accountability waste flow tracking, and chain integration.…”

A Smart-Contract-Aided Plastic Credit Scheme

“…Therefore, it can be a desirable structure for the collaboration among different entities such as individuals and corporations and technological solutions to manage credits that are shared among large groups of entities [13]. For example, global corporations, such as IBM and Dell, and governments propose numerous blockchain-based plastic recycling credit projects to encourage people to collect more plastic waste [14]. However, these projects cannot incentivize plastic producers and plastic product manufacturers to participate in or enable supervision by governments, plastics industry associations, and other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) [15].…”