A new management scheme to support reverse logistics processes in the agrifood distribution sector (original) (raw)

A routing and location model for food waste recovery in the retail and distribution phase

International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications, 2018

This paper presents a routing and location (R&L) model able to help design an efficient reverse logistics channel for food waste, with particular attention to the waste generated at the retail stage of a food supply chain (FSC). The model, developed in Microsoft Excel TM , is detailed along with its application in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, which is currently the location of a research project aimed at finding alternative ways to recover food waste rather than disposing of it in landfill sites. Several analyses are carried out exploiting the model, to derive some findings about the economic profitability of setting up a reverse logistics channel to recover food waste in the targeted region, and divert it to alternative use. As there are currently no studies that examine the problem of recovering food waste in Italy, this paper is expected to represent an interesting addition to the literature on this issue.

Economic and environmental assessment of different reverse logistics scenarios for food waste recovery

Sustainable Production and Consumption, 2019

This paper proposes an economic/environmental evaluation of several reverse logistics scenarios for collecting packaged food waste from the retail chain of Emilia-Romagna region (Italy), shipping it to a set of distribution centres for storage and to a treatment facility for reprocessing, with the aim to divert it from disposal of in landfill sites to alternative channels. The economic analysis employs a theoretical model developed in a previous study, which determines the optimal number of facilities in the network and the routing of vehicles that will visit the retail stores to collect the wasted food, returning the total logistics cost as output. Compared to the previous study, in this paper the real location of the stores is taken into account in the assessment. An environmental analysis is also carried out using the life cycle assessment methodology. The results show that collecting the whole amount of wasted food, although expensive in terms of transport cost, is the preferable option in environmental terms.

Reverse logistics: methodological framework for industrial waste management

IJCSIS Vol 17 No. 8 August Issue, 2019

En fonction de la consommation élevée dans le monde, la quantité de déchets augmente, alors que les sources naturelles diminuent. Et pour surmonter cette problématique, la récupération des déchets s'est avérée très importante tant sur le plan environnemental que sur le plan économique, elle est devenue obligatoire dans la plupart des pays. Par ailleurs, la logistique inverse qui concerne principalement les retours des produits usagés des consommateurs aux producteurs est une étape importante dans la construction d'un système de récupération. Cependant, la structure du réseau de la logistique inverse joue un rôle important dans le choix du traitement et par la suite du coût total du système de récupération. Notre objectif principal est de développer une structure comprenant les flux entre les points connexes et les emplacements des installations. Dans cet article, nous proposant une architecture du système dédié à la gestion des déchets. Cette dernière améliore, d'une part, la rapidité d'échange d'informations et fera ressortir de gros bénéfices pour l'optimisation et l'amélioration continue des processus fondamentaux de la logistique inverse. D'autre part, elle va permettre aux futurs chercheurs de mieux cerner la thématique et de se donner plus de chances de faire de réelles avancées d'une part. Cette vision ayant pour motif la réduction des coûts et des délais, la limitation des dysfonctionnements internes et avant tout la préservation de l'environnement et l'accroissement de la satisfaction des clients. Abstract-Nowadays, natural resources are decreasing due to the high consumption of the world population of several items. Those items are characterized by a short commercial lifespan and generates a huge amount of waste. To overcome this problem, waste recovery has proved to be very important both environmentally and economically and has become mandatory in most countries. On the other hand, the reverse logistics, which mainly concerns the return of used products from consumers to producers, is an important step in the construction of a recovery system. However, the structure of the reverse logistics network plays an important role in the choice of treatment and subsequently the total cost of the recovery system. Our main objective is to develop a structure that includes flows between related points and facility locations. In this article, we propose a system architecture dedicated to waste management. This architecture improves, on the one hand, the speed of exchange of information and will show great benefits for the optimization and continuous improvement of the fundamental processes of the reverse logistics. On the other hand, it will allow future researchers to better understand the topic and give themselves more chances of making real progress. Moreover, this vision is based on the reduction of costs and deadlines, the limitation of internal dysfunctions and above all the preservation of the environment and the increase of satisfaction.

An Insight into Reverse Logistics with a Focus on Collection Systems

Sustainability

Sustainable development is now the focus of researchers and organizations worldwide. Several concepts, such as reverse logistics (RLs) and closed-loop supply chains, have been introduced to encourage sustainability in supply chains. RLs refers to the set of activities needed by consumers to collect the product used for reuse, repair, remanufacturing, recycling, or disposal of the used product. There are various processes involved in RL, and one of them is collection systems. Collection refers to a company obtaining custody of specific items. We review the literature on RLs collection systems. A bibliometric analysis was conducted to provide better insight into the field and establish any trends. Firstly, we present the classification methods used in the field, based on available review papers. Secondly, we evaluate literature from several fields that are related to either the problem setting or the technical features. Different perspectives are presented and classified. This method ...

Reverse Logistics in Transportation

Summary This paper describes the state of the art of Reverse Logistics (RL), highlighting the importance for the development of communities where there is no other possibility; highlights the importance of quantitative methods applied to assess the current situation on the implementation of the RL, and finally point transport applications. The concept of recovered product management, which aims to "recover both economic and ecological value as possible, thereby reducing the final amounts of waste", In order to develop a policy for administration of recovered products (spare parts, tires, complete vehicles) resulting from their activities, allowing its use in areas where economic conditions do not exist to solve it through direct logistics. Are classified and analyzed, the options apply effectively the cycle of RL. To efficiently develop recovery activities of life products, it requires the implementation of logistics systems able to put in the hands of companies and governments to organize from the collection of disused products, so implement the best option either reuse, recycling or remanufacturing total or partial freight service. We define a classification of systems RL in response to this function who develops and presents the most relevant characteristics of each, carriers can support organizations in this classification to determine the most appropriate to their needs, depending the characteristics of local society, the type of product transported, the production process in the area, the market is addressed or of the possibilities of economic recovery, taking into account than only in the United States, RL represents about 4% of the total costs of a company and 0.5% of gross national product.

Reverse Logistics Network Design For Waste Management Under Environmental Regulation (Case Study: Poultry Slaughterhouse in Mazandaran Province

18th Iranian International Industrial Engineering Conference, 2021

Due to population growth and human activities, irreversible impact is observed on the planet. Therefore, waste management of these activities has become one of the critical issues. Companies have recognized that reverse logistics is critical for their success. This paper focuses on the design of a reverse logistics network for waste processing. To handle the foregoing problem, a mixed-integer linear programming model with considering economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability is developed to maximize profits from sales of product against reducing processing, location and allocation, transportation, and penalty cost for excess CO2 production. Then, a case study of poultry slaughterhouse waste processing in Mazandaran province was conducted to validate the efficiency of the proposed model and derive managerial insight. Numerical results and sensitivity analysis on some parameters are presented.

An approach to packaging waste reverse logistics: case of Slovenia

Transport

Deriving from insights gained in a concrete empirical quantitative modelling research, the aim of the paper is to present the methodology and results of a Packaging Waste (PW) logistics exploratory study that was conducted in cooperation with a leading southeastern European retail chain company. PW Reverse Logistics (RL) is specific, but an integral part of retail operations and can also represent significant logistics and transportation costs concerns. In our research, we have, with a simulation model, been able to reduce the number of tonne-kilometres for 55% which represents significant cost reduction. The study scope focuses on the RL of industrial PW as the handling object of interest in retail, decoupled from the possible returns flow of non-food items and waste generated on premise by shoppers and employees, classified as non-industrial. It introduces an analytical framework, which has been tested and applied to a real case problem.

Reducing Food Waste in the Retail Supply Chains by Improving Efficiency of Logistics Operations

Sustainability

One of the basic problems of sustainability in modern society is the reduction of waste, particularly when it comes to food. Food waste has negative impacts on different dimensions of sustainability: social (hunger), economic (resource costs), and environmental (resource consumption and waste generation). This paper focuses on waste reduction through improving the inventory management system in the dairy distribution chain by the application of modern information and communication technologies (ICT). The approach is tested and verified in a case study by application of simulation modelling. Two inventory management models are created, and their impact on waste in the distribution part of the supply chain is examined. Model 1 represents the current dairy inventory management system in the supply of retail stores. Model 2 is based on a higher level of information connectivity between participants (RFID product labelling and the appropriate level of information technology), enabling au...

Implementing a reverse logistics system: a case study

International Journal of Procurement Management, 2009

This paper is based on the results of a research project developed in an important Spanish industrial group to analyse if a reverse logistics system can be implemented in some of its companies. The business activity of this group is focused on the steel industry and the aim of the project was to design and evaluate a recovery system for packaging materials used for galvanised steel coils. Up to now, this type of packaging is disposed of because the current structure of the packaging system is not appropriate from a reverse logistics point of view. For this reason, we propose a new packaging system that can be recovered through a reverse logistics system generating economic and environmental advantages.