Environmental Strategies for Electrical and Electronic Equipment Supply Chains Which to Choose.docVIP

Sustainability 2009, 1, 722-733; doi:10.3390/su1030722 OPEN ACCESS sustainability ISSN 2071-1050 /journal/sustainability Article Environmental Strategies for Electrical and Electronic Equipment Supply Chains: Which to Choose? Patroklos Georgiadis * and Maria Besiou Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Mechanical Engineering, P.O.Box 461, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; E-Mail: mmpesiou@auth.gr * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: geopat@auth.gr; Tel.: +30-2310-996046; Fax: +30-2310-996018. Received: 19 August 2009 / Accepted: 17 September 2009 / Published: 23 September 2009 Abstract: Waste electrical and electronic equipment is one of the major world-wide waste streams triggering the emergence of environmental strategies. Environmental regulations, closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) activities and design-for-environment (DfE) practices are environmental friendly strategies being implemented by governments and industry. In this paper, we apply a System Dynamics model to a CLSC of electrical and electronic equipment in Greece. Extensive numerical investigation provides insights regarding the impact of different legislative measures, CLSC activities and DfE practices on the environmental (availability of natural resources and landfills) and economic sustainability. Keywords: sustainability; closed-loop supply chains; design-for-environment; environmental legislation; electrical and electronic equipment; System Dynamics 1. Introduction Recently, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has emerged as one of the major waste streams in the World due to the market expansion and the trend for electronic products of shortening lifecycles. Moreover, the electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) industry is recognized to be responsible for 10%–20% of the overall environmental impact with regard to the depletion of non- renewable resources [1]. It is estimated that i