Jonathan Lozano-Oviedo, Cristian E. Cortés, Pablo Maya-Duque, Pablo A. Rey & Juan G. Villegas
Abstract
The increasing importance of sustainability and circular economy practices in supply chains is driven by the implementation of a variety of regulations worldwide. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies are being established in the packaging sector to hold producers accountable for their packaging. These policies promote proper waste management through strategies such as reuse, remanufacturing, recycling, and energy recovery. We have developed a model to compare different national EPR policies in the packaging sector. By incorporating specific constraints that reflect the different aspects of EPR policies, the model compares the policies of several countries, including Colombia, Chile, Spain, and Belgium. In addition, we propose algorithms to estimate the minimum penalty thresholds that incentivize compliance with the recovery and collection targets for packaging waste. Our findings reveal various impacts on economic sustainability depending on the implementation of each policy and the outcomes of compliance with EPR policies in this context to achieve proper packaging waste management.
