A STRATEGIC APPROACH TO IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY-MAKING FOR END-OF-CYCLE PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (04) ◽  
pp. 651-672
Author(s):  
SHARON A. JONES ◽  
KEVIN ROSE ◽  
KRISTEN TULL

As they make decisions about collective goods, policy makers strive to apply objective standards to complex environmental issues. This challenge requires the use of analytic methods that can include the multiple dimensions of such complex problems. Life-cycle analysis is a physical model that is widely recognised for its utility in investigating and improving the environmental impacts across the supply chain. However, models such as environmental life-cycle analysis are insufficient by themselves for policy-making because they do not formally include the interdependent, dynamic, often socioeconomic choices that influence supply-chain firms, and thus affect environmental outcomes. We show that game theory can be applied to improve environmental policy-making for the end-of-cycle stages of supply chains by strategically considering environmental and economic incentives. These incentives are often dependant on previous life-cycle stages while affecting future life-cycle stages. We demonstrate these techniques with a case study of open-loop (out-of-network) pallet systems for shipping consumer goods while also discussing the remaining challenges.

2016 ◽  
Vol 834 ◽  
pp. 34-39
Author(s):  
Cătălin Gheorghiță ◽  
Vlad Gheorghiță

Eco-audit is a tool to find the environmental impact of the product across all life cycle stages and for identify the problems in all aspects of a supply chain, from extraction of raw materials to manufacturing, distribution, use and disposal. The purpose of an analysis of a product is to establish the embodied energy, water usage, annual CO2 to atmosphere, carbon foot print, recycle fraction in current supply, toxicity, approximate processing energy and sustainability criteria. Knowledges to guide design decisions are needed to minimize or eliminate adverse eco-impacts. In eco-audit analysis, will be created material charts, processes selection and life cycle analysis allowing alternative design choices to meet the engineering requirements and reduce the environmental impact. The application presented in this paper uses only environmentally friendly properties of Ashby's database.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Giraldi-Díaz ◽  
Lorena De Medina-Salas ◽  
Eduardo Castillo-González ◽  
Max De la Cruz-Benavides

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 126-126
Author(s):  
R Olea ◽  
J H Guy ◽  
H Edge ◽  
S A Edwards

Formulating the inventory of relevant commodities to assess the life cycle of goods or services (LCI) is highly demanding on time and resources (Suh et al., 2004). Collected information is not always satisfactory to take account of all possible sources of environmental burdens (E-burdens) produced in the commodity supply chain. Several pre-assessment methods have been proposed to serve this function, although these have identified limitations; lack of previous experience and use of subjective cut off criteria are the most frequent weaknesses found (Suh, 2006). An objective pre-assessment method was developed as part of a life cycle analysis (LCA) for different pigmeat supply chain (PSC) scenarios.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12747
Author(s):  
Fabiana Tornese ◽  
Maria Grazia Gnoni ◽  
Brian K. Thorn ◽  
Andres L. Carrano ◽  
Jennifer A. Pazour

Pallets are among the most used returnable transport items (RTIs), and they are critical assets for a supply chain as they have significant environmental and economic impacts during their whole life cycle. Differently from other packaging products, pallets are specifically designed to be repeatably repaired and reinjected for use. While this environmentally is beneficial as it reduces waste, it can create complex interactions between the stakeholder-involved manufacturers, pallet providers, users and recyclers. Further, the number of different actors is usually high, and the flow of materials among them needs to be coordinated. In addition, different business models can be implemented (such as internal management versus outsourcing) as well as logistics alternatives (closed- versus open-loop). Thus, the aims of this study are first to propose a systematization of design and management decisions regarding the pallet supply chain; next, to review the state of the art models and tools adopted to support each decision process relying on an analysis of the archival literature published between 1978 and 2021 on pallet management, to summarize the main decision problems addressed by the different stakeholders involved in the pallet life cycle and the adopted methods, and, finally, to highlight potential existing research gaps. This effort helps to outline potential contributions towards more sustainable pallet supply chains and can support pallet operators and companies in evaluating solutions to increase the economic and environmental sustainability of their pallet management. Results show that the perspectives of the pallet provider and of the supply chain are the most widely addressed in the existing literature, while those of pallet manufacturers and repairers should be further analyzed.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina D Kang-Yi ◽  
Amy Page

BACKGROUND Partnerships between academic institutions and public care agencies (public–academic partnerships [PAPs]) can promote effective policy making and care delivery. Public care agencies are often engaged in PAPs for evidence-informed policy making in health care. Previous research has reported essential partnership contextual factors and mechanisms that promote evidence-based policy making and practice in health care. However, the studies have not yet informed whether public care agency leaders’ and academic researchers’ perceptions of partnership purpose formulation and coalition building evolve through the PAP life cycle and whether public care agency leaders’ use of research evidence differs through life cycle stages. OBJECTIVE This exploratory study aims to focus on PAPs designed to improve youth mental health and well-being outcomes. This study also aims to identify public care agency leaders’ and academic researchers’ perceptions of PAP purpose formulation (structure, goals, primary function, and agenda-setting process) and coalition building (mutual benefits, trust, convener’s role, member role clarity, and conflict management) by PAP life cycle stage and examine whether public care agency leaders’ use of research evidence differs according to the perception of PAP purpose formulation and coalition building through the PAP life cycle. METHODS A web-based survey of PAP experience was conducted by recruiting academic researchers (n=40) and public care agency leaders (n=26) who were engaged in PAPs for the past 10 years. Public care agency leaders additionally participated in the survey of the Structured Interview for Evidence Use scale (n=48). RESULTS Most public care agency leaders and academic researchers in PAPs formed, matured, and sustained perceived their PAP as having purpose formulation context well aligned with their organizational purpose formulation context, pursuing mutual benefits, having leadership representation and role clarity, having a higher level of trust, and knowing how to handle conflicts. Most PAPs across all life cycle stages crystallized another issue to focus, but not all PAPs with issue crystallization had purpose reformulation. Public care agency leaders who trusted academic researchers in their PAP had greater use of research evidence. Public care agency leaders in PAPs that had gone through new issue crystallization also showed greater use of research evidence compared with those that had not. CONCLUSIONS To promote public care agency leaders’ use of research evidence, focusing on developing trusting partnerships and continuously crystallizing PAP issues are important. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/14382


Author(s):  
João Gilberto Mendes dos Reis ◽  
Sivanilza Teixeira Machado ◽  
Pedro Luiz de Oliveira Costa Neto ◽  
Irenilza de Alencar Nääs

2005 ◽  
Vol 895 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendra Tupper ◽  
Jan F Kreider

AbstractAspects of the hydrogen economy are addressed by quantifying impacts and costs associated with a hydrogen-based energy infrastructure. It is recommended that hydrogen (H2) is produced from Solar Thermochemical (STC) Cycles and Wind Electrolysis, with the possible use of Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) to aid in the creation of a hydrogen infrastructure. Despite high impact assessment results from SimaPro, the external costs associated with Biomass gasification are shown to be comparable with those for Wind Electrolysis. Thus, biomass-produced hydrogen could also be a viable alternative, especially in areas ideally suited to the growth of energy crops. Finally, the most influential life cycle stages are the Construction of the FCV and Hydrogen Production (except for the environmentally benign wind electrolysis). For the Wind/Electrolysis case, the majority of impacts come from plant construction.


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