Journal Home > Volume 2 , Issue 2
Circular Economy 2023, 2(2): 100038 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cec.2023.100038
Original Research | Open Access | Issue | Published: 11 April 2023

Improving the WEEE recycling fund system in China: Multi-objective decision-making model based on EPR system

Show Author's Information Gangyi Zhanga,  Hui Tianb( ),  Hongyi Liuc,  Ajoy Raychaudhurid,  Yi Caib
School of Computer, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, China
China Household Electric Appliance Research Institute, Beijing 100037, China
School of Mathematics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
Battery Foundation International, New Delhi 110017, India
Keywords:
Extended producer responsibility (EPR), WEEE, Producer recycling target, Multi-objective decision-making model
Cite this article:
Zhang G, Tian H, Liu H, et al. Improving the WEEE recycling fund system in China: Multi-objective decision-making model based on EPR system. Circular Economy, 2023, 2(2): 100038. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cec.2023.100038
Download citation
EndNote(RIS)
BibTeX

564

Views

62

Downloads

Citations

0

Crossref

N/A

WoS

1

Scopus

N/A

CSCD

Abstract Full text About this article

China has established a government recycling fund system based on the principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR). The principle of EPR is the key to the sustainable development of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) recycling. The implementation of the recycling fund system has been facing major problems. This article proposes a plan on refining the producer's recycling target to improve the current fund system in China. With the aim to maximize the amount of WEEE recycling, minimize the overall producer's recycling cost, and providing the best supports to the recycling industry, a multi-objective decision-making model is constructed to identify the optimum producer's recycling target for WEEE. Data from the recycling fund system and EPR pilot project of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology are used to test the model. The results show that, under the condition that the amount of recycling is equal to the current level, the levy of recycling fund can be reduced by 20%, which can effectively drive the producers to take more responsibility in the collection and recycling of their end-of-life products. The multi-objective decision-making model for producer's recycling target provides a basis for the adjustment of China's WEEE recycling fund system policy, which will alleviate the challenge at present, and involve more producers to devote in collection systems. It also shows the alternative solution for EPR in non-fund business models in the recycling industry.


menu
Abstract
Full text
Outline
About this article

Improving the WEEE recycling fund system in China: Multi-objective decision-making model based on EPR system

Show Author's information Gangyi Zhanga, Hui Tianb( ), Hongyi Liuc, Ajoy Raychaudhurid, Yi Caib
School of Computer, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, China
China Household Electric Appliance Research Institute, Beijing 100037, China
School of Mathematics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
Battery Foundation International, New Delhi 110017, India

Abstract

China has established a government recycling fund system based on the principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR). The principle of EPR is the key to the sustainable development of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) recycling. The implementation of the recycling fund system has been facing major problems. This article proposes a plan on refining the producer's recycling target to improve the current fund system in China. With the aim to maximize the amount of WEEE recycling, minimize the overall producer's recycling cost, and providing the best supports to the recycling industry, a multi-objective decision-making model is constructed to identify the optimum producer's recycling target for WEEE. Data from the recycling fund system and EPR pilot project of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology are used to test the model. The results show that, under the condition that the amount of recycling is equal to the current level, the levy of recycling fund can be reduced by 20%, which can effectively drive the producers to take more responsibility in the collection and recycling of their end-of-life products. The multi-objective decision-making model for producer's recycling target provides a basis for the adjustment of China's WEEE recycling fund system policy, which will alleviate the challenge at present, and involve more producers to devote in collection systems. It also shows the alternative solution for EPR in non-fund business models in the recycling industry.

Keywords: Extended producer responsibility (EPR), WEEE, Producer recycling target, Multi-objective decision-making model

References(20)

Cao, J., Lu, B., Chen, Y., Zhang, X., Zhai, G., Zhou, G., Jiang, B., & Schnoor, J. L. (2016). Extended producer responsibility system in China improves e-waste recycling: Government policies, enterprise, and public awareness. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 62, 882-894.
DOI Google Scholar

Chen, M., Ogunseitan, O. A., Duan, H., Zeng, X., & Li, J. (2018). China E-waste management: Struggling for future success. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 139, 48-49.
DOI Google Scholar
China Household Electric Appliance Research Institute. (2022). 2021 white paper on WEEE recycling industry in China. Available at www.weee-epr.com.
EU. (2017). Establishing a common methodology for the calculation of the weight of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) placed on the market of each Member State and a common methodology for the calculation of the quantity of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) generated by weight in each Member State. Official Journal of the European Union.

Huang, H., Tong, X., Cai, Y., & Tian, H. (2020). Gap between discarding and recycling: Estimate lifespan of electronic products by survey in formal recycling plants in China. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 156, 104700.
DOI Google Scholar
Lindhqvist, T. (2000). Extended producer responsibility in cleaner production: Policy principle to promote environmental improvements of product systems. Ph.D Thesis. Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

Liu, G., Xu, Y., Tian, T., Wang, T., & Liu, Y. (2020). The impacts of China's fund policy on waste electrical and electronic equipment utilization. Journal of Cleaner Production, 251, 119582.
DOI Google Scholar
Ministry of Finance. (2021). Notice on adjusting the subsidy standards for the recycling fund of waste electrical and electronic products. No. 10.
Ministy of Finance. (2012). Notice on Administrative Measures for the levy and subsidy for the Recycling Fund of Waste Electrical and Electronic Products. No. 34.
Ministy of Finance. (2015). Announcement on Adjusting the Subsidy level for the Recycling Fund of Waste Electrical and Electronic Products. No. 91.
National Development and Reform Commission. (2022). Notice on the action of WEEE recycling by household appliance producers. Available at https://www.ndrc.gov.cn.
OECD. (2001). Extended producer responsibility: A guidance manual for governments. Available at https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264189867-en
DOI
OECD. (2016). Extended producer responsibility: Updated guidance for efficient waste managenment. Available at https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264256385-en
DOI

Sun, B., Schnoor, J. L., & Zeng, E. (2022). Decadal journey of E-waste recycling: What has it achieved? Environmental Science & Technology, 56, 12785-12792.
DOI Google Scholar

Tong, X., Li, J., Tao, D., & Cai, Y. (2015). Re-making spaces of conversion: deconstructing discourses of e-waste recycling in China. Area, 47, 31-39.
DOI Google Scholar

Tong, X., & Yan, L. (2013). From legal transplants to sustainable transition. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 17, 199-212.
DOI Google Scholar
Vermeulen, W., Backes, C., de Munck, M., Campbell-Johnston, K., de Waal, I. M., Rosales Carreon, J., & Boeve, M. (2021). Pathways for extended producer responsibility on the road to a circular economy: White paper based on a literature review and the results of a Delphi study, on the experiences with EPR in The Netherlands. Utrecht, the Netherlands: Utrecht University, Circular Economy and Society Hub.

Wang, J., Li, W., Mishima, N., & Adachi, T. (2022). Exploring the optimal reverse supply chain for e-waste treatment under Chinese government subsidy. Waste Management, 137, 128-138.
DOI Google Scholar
Zeng, X., & Li, J. (2019). WEEE management in China. In Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Handbook. Woodhead Publishing, 521-540.
DOI

Zhang, D., Cao, Y., Wang, Y., & Ding, G. (2022). Operational effectiveness of funding for waste electrical and electronic equipment disposal in China: An analysis based on game theory. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 152, 104514.
DOI Google Scholar
Publication history
Copyright
Acknowledgements
Rights and permissions

Publication history

Received: 01 December 2022
Revised: 20 March 2023
Accepted: 21 March 2023
Published: 11 April 2023
Issue date: June 2023

Copyright

© 2023 The Author(s).

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China under Grant 2022YFB3305801. We thank all the producers and recycling plants for participating in the survey for this paper and sharing their insights on the development of the EPR system.

Rights and permissions

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Return