Abstract
Background and Aim: With the drive towards circularity, waste-to-resource supply chains (SCs) are emerging. These waste-to-resource SCs aim to create valuable outputs from less valuable inputs. As waste is governed by dedicated regulations and legal processes, this paper aims to discuss legal implications in terms of managing these SCs and governing them.
Research Design and Methods: This chapter presents an initial conceptual framework of the steps involved in waste management before utilising legal texts and cases from the field of legal studies for an illustrative example set in the household appliance sector. Based on the findings, we derive two key challenges for the legal management of waste SCs: Transactions between SC actors and proprietary rights. We discuss these challenges in terms of their legal basis and implications for managing waste SCs.
Findings: Treating waste management as an emerging supply chain, we identify key concerns for managing waste SCs in terms of waste identification, waste separation, waste transformation and secondary resource use and connect these with key legal and regulatory frameworks. Through integrating the managerial and legal elements of these four steps, we detail how supply chain transactions and proprietary rights can further the creation of waste-to-resource supply chains and hence implementation of the circular economy.
Research Limitations: The study limitations arise from the focused industry sector within the household electronics. In addition, specific regulatory and soft law frameworks for electric and electronic waste provide the focus for the reflections in this paper.
Theoretical Contribution: This article contributes to the literature on implementing circular economy through circular supply chains by articulating the emergence of waste-to-resource supply chains and providing a conceptual framework for managing and regulating them.
Contribution to UN SDGs: 12 – Ensure sustainable consumption and production through investigating the ability to create valuable resources from waste streams in existing production systems.
Research Design and Methods: This chapter presents an initial conceptual framework of the steps involved in waste management before utilising legal texts and cases from the field of legal studies for an illustrative example set in the household appliance sector. Based on the findings, we derive two key challenges for the legal management of waste SCs: Transactions between SC actors and proprietary rights. We discuss these challenges in terms of their legal basis and implications for managing waste SCs.
Findings: Treating waste management as an emerging supply chain, we identify key concerns for managing waste SCs in terms of waste identification, waste separation, waste transformation and secondary resource use and connect these with key legal and regulatory frameworks. Through integrating the managerial and legal elements of these four steps, we detail how supply chain transactions and proprietary rights can further the creation of waste-to-resource supply chains and hence implementation of the circular economy.
Research Limitations: The study limitations arise from the focused industry sector within the household electronics. In addition, specific regulatory and soft law frameworks for electric and electronic waste provide the focus for the reflections in this paper.
Theoretical Contribution: This article contributes to the literature on implementing circular economy through circular supply chains by articulating the emergence of waste-to-resource supply chains and providing a conceptual framework for managing and regulating them.
Contribution to UN SDGs: 12 – Ensure sustainable consumption and production through investigating the ability to create valuable resources from waste streams in existing production systems.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Routledge Companion on Sustainable Supply Chain Management |
| Editors | L. Prataviera, Hendrik Reefke, Emel Aktas, Michael Bourlakis |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 2025 |