Waste Management in a Package sorting hub: A Case Study on Opportunities, Challenges, and Roadmap for Adopting Circular Economy Strategies
2025 (English) Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years)), 80 credits / 120 HE credits
Student thesis
Sustainable development Sustainable Development
Abstract [en]
This case study investigates plastic waste management practices at a package sorting hub, focusing on opportunities and challenges for implementing R-strategies which is a major circular economy approach. Through observations, interviews, and document analysis at Bring Sverige's facility in Jönköping, Sweden, the study identifies current waste handling processes and evaluates potential applications of R-strategies (reduce, reuse, repair, recycle). Findings reveal that while the facility employs effective waste segregation and recycling, there remains significant opportunity for implementing higher-order strategies, particularly reducing plastic wrap through loose loading systems and establishing structured reuse programs for plastic sacks. The study identifies barriers including infrastructure constraints, financial considerations, and supply chain complexities, alongside enablers such as corporate sustainability commitment and employee engagement. A systematic seven-step roadmap is proposed to guide logistics operations in transitioning toward more circular waste management practices. This research contributes practical insights for enhancing resource circularity in package consolidation and reconsolidation operations while highlighting the importance of stakeholder collaboration and organizational change management.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages 2025. , p. 88
Keywords [en]
Circular economy (CE), Plastic waste management, R-strategies, Package sorting hub, Waste reduction, Package consolidation, Reconsolidation, Loose loading, Stakeholder collaboration
National Category
Other Engineering and Technologies
Identifiers URN: urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-69882 OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hj-69882 DiVA, id: diva2:2003710
Subject / course JTH, Production Systems
Supervisors
Examiners
2025-10-062025-10-032025-10-13 Bibliographically approved