Break the Dilemma: An Innovative Reverse Logistic Network Model on E-Waste in China

E-waste contains both toxic and valuable materials presenting environmental challenges and commercial opportunities. China has achieved s progress in e-waste recycling in the past decade. However, formal recycling rate shrinking, certified disassemblers’ low capacity utilization, and consumers’ limited access to formal channels lead to a dilemma which demands a fundamental shift of thinking paradigm on redesign the e-waste reverse logistic (RL) network. We propose an innovative RL mode that certified disassemblers collect e-waste directly from communities (Mode-C) and constructs a Bi-objective Integer Linear Programing (BILP) model to support adding lower-tier residential transshipment centers (RTCs) under Mode-C. A greedy heuristic-based algorithm is proposed to search for Robust Efficient (RE) RTC locations under uncertainties. A case in the Yangzi River Delta is investigated to validate the BILP model's effectiveness. Compared with existing mode of purchasing e-waste from intermediaries (Mode-P), the proposed Mode-C demonstrates significant improvements and sheds light on resolving the dilemma.