Logistics service triad for household waste: consumers as co-producers of sustainability
International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management
ISSN: 0960-0035
Article publication date: 4 June 2019
Issue publication date: 7 June 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the sustainability of waste supply chains regarding the energy efficiency of first-mile waste collection systems and quality of waste. Roles of actors in the waste service triad are considered, particularly focusing on households.
Design/methodology/approach
Primary data are collected from respondents including municipality officers, waste service providers (WSPs) and households through brainstorming sessions, semi-structured interviews, site visits and a focus group. Secondary data are collected from official reports for validation.
Findings
Findings reveal tension between the energy efficiency of waste collection logistics and the quality of waste collected. Households are co-producers of logistic services providing important inputs in the form of sorting and moving waste and raw materials into new cycles of goods circulating in logistics systems. Other actors in the logistics service triad are the municipality as regulator and the WSP acting as a reverse-logistics service provider.
Practical implications
This study provides principles for policymakers and practitioners to evaluate the energy efficiency of waste management options, considering the quality of waste. Also, “logistics services” and “quality of waste” as concepts might provoke new thoughts on how to involve the consumer in resource recovery.
Originality/value
Few studies have focused on the end-consumer’s role in waste supply chains. By considering waste as a resource and the consumer as the supplier of this input, this study provides a new way to think about logistics services for waste collection.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Publishers Note: The publisher would like to inform readers that the following special issue paper was mistakenly published as part of a regular issue. This error was introduced as part of the editorial process, and the publisher sincerely apologises for this error. The paper will remain in its current issue. The affected paper is as follows.
Halldórsson, Á., Altuntas Vural, C. and Wehner, J. (2019), “Logistics service triad for household waste: consumers as co-producers of sustainability”, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 49 No. 4, pp. 398-415, doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-02-2019-0065.
The affected paper was originally intended to publish as part of ‘NOFOMA 2018’ guest edited by Jan Stentoft, Per Vagn Freytag, Kannan Govindan and Anne-Mette Hjalager. The publisher would like to take this opportunity to thank the Guest Editors for their time and effort.
This research is funded by the Swedish Energy Agency, Transport Area of Advance at Chalmers University of Technology, and Logistik & Transportstiftelsen. The support is gratefully acknowledged.
Citation
Halldórsson, Á., Altuntas Vural, C. and Wehner, J. (2019), "Logistics service triad for household waste: consumers as co-producers of sustainability", International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 49 No. 4, pp. 398-415. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPDLM-02-2019-0065
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited