Reverse Logistics of Information and Communication Technology Equipment: A Comparative Assessment of Laws and Programs

Abstract

Considering the environmental issues related to e-waste caused by excessive consumption and early disposal of ICT equipment, this paper aims to analyze policies, programs, regulations and legislation in Brazil and in selected geographies with a higher incidence of e-waste (Europe, USA, China and Japan). A comparison matrix is presented and, within this context, it is clear that the Brazilian law (12.305) relative to international laws is both limited and subjective in regards to producer responsibilities because it is limited to the requirement to structure and implement reverse logistics and defines them as issuer pays. As a contrasting example, the European EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) system is more efficient in controlling and managing e-waste, since it extends to the end-life of products. As such, it serves as a basis for regulations in many other countries. This paper is theoretical and based on the results of literature reviews.

Sustainability assessment and prioritisation of e-waste management options in Brazil

“…Other studies discussed Brazilian legal framework in comparison to other countries. These highlighted the need for national and global standardisation (Sant'Anna et al, 2014), the limitation of the PNRS in just requiring implementation of reverse logistics without an efficient management and control framework (Barboza et al, 2014), and the need for decisions from competent authorities observing diverging interpretations of legal stipulations and administrative procedures (Brandmann and Altvater, 2012). None of these identified studies focused on modelling and selection of an e-waste management model for the country or a city by sustainability assessment and prioritisation of alternatives.…”