Class of 2013 Abstract / Specific Aims: The purpose of the study is to describe the reasons for medication disposals at Take-Back-Rx events and make inferences regarding medication adherence. Methods: Participants at Take-Back-Rx were invited to complete a survey that collected information on the participants current medical conditions, associated medications, unwanted medications, and demographic information. Main Results: The majority of participants were non-Hispanic White (89.2%) on Medicare (87.8%) with at least some college education (72.1%). The mean number of reasons listed for disposal was 2.25 and the majority of medications were expired (70%) or the dose/agent changed (47%). Conclusion: This study effectively described the reasons for medication disposals at Take-Back Rx events, but applicability to further patient populations may be limited due to shortcomings of the instrument.

A circular economy is a “closed-loop” system designed so that products flow back into the production cycle after use. With many companies implementing take-back programs as part of their sustainability strategy, a fundamental shift in consumption has occurred, with consumers considering disposal during and even before purchase decision-making. Twelve experiments reveal that consumers indicate a greater willingness to pay for circular program products. An increase in psychological ownership underlies the difference in product valuation. Specifically, the additional disposal control uniquely afforded by circular products increases the capacity of circular take-back program products to evoke psychological ownership. The process explanation is directly tested through mediation. Experimentally manipulating antecedents of psychological ownership (i.e., disposal control and expected ownership) provides further support for the conceptual framework.

Background As of today the textile and fashion industry mainly relies on a linear production model, also referred to as the take-make-waste system. This economy depends solely on the single use of raw materials leaving space for an open-ended production and no intention of salvaging or recovering resources. Such a system cannot be supported by the environment in the future; therefore, several stakeholders are starting to embrace circular production systems and a closed-loop economy. One example of these efforts is take-back schemes (TBS) which strive to make the fashion industry more regenerative and restorative by narrowing, slowing, and closing the resource loops. Nonetheless, practitioners and academia have found adversities during the implementation stage which instead require competent knowledge, skills, and unique capabilities to achieve a successful performance. Purpose To achieve a successful implementation of a TBS, companies require unique capabilities that allow them to adapt and adopt a sustainable innovation. Therefore, this study investigates the dynamic capabilities (DCs) needed to implement a TBS in order to provide practitioners and academia with a guide that eases the application, overcomes the known adversities as well as explores the relationship between these and the relevant DCs. Methodology The research was based on a multiple case study method embracing abductive reasoning by extending the theory of DCs for circular business model implementation to TBS within the fashion industry. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three companies applying different types of take-back schemes; the primary data was strengthened by document research and a validation round of interviews. The data was analyzed through qualitative thematic content analysis. Further, the characteristics of the study lend themselves well to be represented through a qualitative causal loop diagram appropriate for developing novel solution strategies such as the DCs. Findings The results show, through the use of two maps, that several DCs have to be developed when implementing a TBS in order to reach a substantial competitive advantage in the form of a cost leadership, differentiation or focus strategy. Further, the causal loop maps also shed light on the different relationships between DCs and how these can be exploited to overcome the difficulties or utilizing the possibilities in implementing a TBS. Practical implications and research limitations - The thesis creates new insights on TBS implementation through the use of DCs by presenting two causal loop maps. Thus, aiding practitioners and allowing them to quickly recognize their current situation against the maps as well as what changes need to be made following the suggested capabilities. The study is limited by the choice of interviewed companies, which represent only retailers with TBS in Sweden.

Background - In the attempt to affect environmental impacts and increase circularity in the fashion industry, several new business models are emerging. Take-back scheme is one strategy that is implemented as a part of the second-hand business model by fashion retailers, where reuse is the central goal. This advantageous approach is the most preferable method in the disposal hierarchy. Children's clothing provides a suitable product group for reuse and resale as it is often rapidly outgrown rather than worn out. Nevertheless, supply availability and quality challenges remain for a take-back scheme to operate successfully. Purpose - Take-back schemes rely on consumers to return used garments to supply the new sales of second-hand clothing. This study explores the acquisition and supply availability of used children's clothing for fashion retailer take-back schemes for second-hand. Acknowledging that the consumer becomes a supplier in reuse supply chains, this study aims to explore factors that affect the supply acquisition of used children's clothing. Methodology - This research employed a single case study design with an inductive mixed- method approach. A pre-study collected data from three sources and these findings were used as a base for developing a self-administered online questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to consumers who can potentially adopt the role of used children’s clothing suppliers in a take-back scheme. A total of 964 responses served as empirical data, analysed through descriptive statistics and coding. Findings - Six factors affecting the acquisition and supply availability of used children's clothing in take-back schemes were identified. These are customer relationships, convenience, compensation, assessment description, product condition and size range differences. The factors were recognized to affect the interest and ability of potential suppliers to engage in take- back schemes and the available supply that can be acquired for reuse in a take-back scheme. Research implications - This study delivers new insights into the scant and unexplored acquisition area in take-back schemes of used children's clothing. A conceptual model comprising the six identified factors is presented, which can guide and aid practitioners in implementing or evaluating take-back schemes of used children's clothing. The study is limited to the Swedish fashion industry and take-back schemes explicitly focused on the collection of used clothing to resell.

A Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos, de 2010, representou um novo paradigma para a gestão de resíduos de equipamentos elétricos e eletrônicos, responsabilizando fabricantes, importadores, distribuidores e comerciantes pela coleta e destinação adequada desses resíduos por meio de sistemas de logística reversa. Dentro do cenário nacional, o Estado de São Paulo encontra-se em uma posição pioneira frente à implementação da logística reversa. Em âmbito internacional, destacam-se os casos japonês e europeu como referência na gestão de tais resíduos. Nesse contexto, esta dissertação tem o objetivo principal de desenvolver um conjunto de indicadores para avaliação de sistemas de logística reversa de resíduos de equipamentos elétricos e eletrônicos, com a finalidade de contribuir para o acompanhamento e avaliação de tais sistemas pelos órgãos ambientais. Foram realizadas revisão bibliográfica e pesquisa documental sobre os modelos de gestão de resíduos de equipamentos elétricos e eletrônicos e os sistemas de logística reversa na Europa, no Japão e no Brasil, e sobre indicadores e critérios para avaliação de sistemas de logística reversa desses resíduos. Em seguida, foram aplicados questionários para identificar quais indicadores são utilizados para os sistemas europeus e japoneses, quais são sugeridos por especialistas e pelas entidades gestoras nacionais. Como resultado, foi proposto um conjunto de indicadores para avaliação de sistemas de logística reversa de resíduos de equipamentos elétricos e eletrônicos, o qual foi submetido à validação de especialistas por meio da técnica Delphi. O conjunto proposto após a etapa de validação é composto por cinco parâmetros que exprimem uma caracterização básica do sistema e por 31 indicadores, classificados em seis dimensões: i) abrangência, ii) representatividade, iii) parcerias, iv) coleta, v) destinação e disposição final, e vi) custos e investimentos. Por fim, foi proposto um modelo de relatório para tais sistemas, integrado ao conjunto, para fornecer os dados necessários aos indicadores. / The National Solid Waste Policy of 2010 represented a new paradigm for the management of waste electrical and electronic equipment, making manufacturers, importers, distributors and merchants accountable for the collection and proper disposal of these wastes through take-back systems. Within the national scenario, the State of São Paulo is in a pioneering position regarding the implementation of reverse logistics. At the international level, the Japanese and European cases stand out as a reference in the management of such waste. In this context, the research proposed herein has the main objective of developing a set of indicators for the evaluation of waste electrical and electronic equipment take-back systems, with the purpose of contributing to the monitoring and evaluation of such systems by environmental agencies. A bibliographic review and documentary research were carried out on models of waste electrical and electronic equipment management and take-back systems in Europe, Japan and Brazil, and on indicators and criteria for the evaluation of take-back systems of such waste. Questionnaires were then applied to identify which indicators are used for the European and Japanese systems and which are suggested by experts and national producer responsibility organizations. As a result, a set of indicators was proposed for the evaluation of waste electrical and electronic equipment take-back systems, which was submitted to the validation of specialists through the Delphi method. The set proposed after the validation step is composed of five parameters that express a basic characterization of the system and 31 indicators, classified into six dimensions: i) comprehensiveness, ii) representativeness, iii) partnerships, iv) collection, v) recycling and disposal, and vi) costs and investments. Finally, a reporting model for such systems, integrated with the set of indicators, was proposed to provide the necessary data for the indicators.

A Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos, de 2010, representou um novo paradigma para a gestão de resíduos de equipamentos elétricos e eletrônicos, responsabilizando fabricantes, importadores, distribuidores e comerciantes pela coleta e destinação adequada desses resíduos por meio de sistemas de logística reversa. Dentro do cenário nacional, o Estado de São Paulo encontra-se em uma posição pioneira frente à implementação da logística reversa. Em âmbito internacional, destacam-se os casos japonês e europeu como referência na gestão de tais resíduos. Nesse contexto, esta dissertação tem o objetivo principal de desenvolver um conjunto de indicadores para avaliação de sistemas de logística reversa de resíduos de equipamentos elétricos e eletrônicos, com a finalidade de contribuir para o acompanhamento e avaliação de tais sistemas pelos órgãos ambientais. Foram realizadas revisão bibliográfica e pesquisa documental sobre os modelos de gestão de resíduos de equipamentos elétricos e eletrônicos e os sistemas de logística reversa na Europa, no Japão e no Brasil, e sobre indicadores e critérios para avaliação de sistemas de logística reversa desses resíduos. Em seguida, foram aplicados questionários para identificar quais indicadores são utilizados para os sistemas europeus e japoneses, quais são sugeridos por especialistas e pelas entidades gestoras nacionais. Como resultado, foi proposto um conjunto de indicadores para avaliação de sistemas de logística reversa de resíduos de equipamentos elétricos e eletrônicos, o qual foi submetido à validação de especialistas por meio da técnica Delphi. O conjunto proposto após a etapa de validação é composto por cinco parâmetros que exprimem uma caracterização básica do sistema e por 31 indicadores, classificados em seis dimensões: i) abrangência, ii) representatividade, iii) parcerias, iv) coleta, v) destinação e disposição final, e vi) custos e investimentos. Por fim, foi proposto um modelo de relatório para tais sistemas, integrado ao conjunto, para fornecer os dados necessários aos indicadores. / The National Solid Waste Policy of 2010 represented a new paradigm for the management of waste electrical and electronic equipment, making manufacturers, importers, distributors and merchants accountable for the collection and proper disposal of these wastes through take-back systems. Within the national scenario, the State of São Paulo is in a pioneering position regarding the implementation of reverse logistics. At the international level, the Japanese and European cases stand out as a reference in the management of such waste. In this context, the research proposed herein has the main objective of developing a set of indicators for the evaluation of waste electrical and electronic equipment take-back systems, with the purpose of contributing to the monitoring and evaluation of such systems by environmental agencies. A bibliographic review and documentary research were carried out on models of waste electrical and electronic equipment management and take-back systems in Europe, Japan and Brazil, and on indicators and criteria for the evaluation of take-back systems of such waste. Questionnaires were then applied to identify which indicators are used for the European and Japanese systems and which are suggested by experts and national producer responsibility organizations. As a result, a set of indicators was proposed for the evaluation of waste electrical and electronic equipment take-back systems, which was submitted to the validation of specialists through the Delphi method. The set proposed after the validation step is composed of five parameters that express a basic characterization of the system and 31 indicators, classified into six dimensions: i) comprehensiveness, ii) representativeness, iii) partnerships, iv) collection, v) recycling and disposal, and vi) costs and investments. Finally, a reporting model for such systems, integrated with the set of indicators, was proposed to provide the necessary data for the indicators.

The research aims at reviewing how mobile phone producers in the EU are approaching individual obsolete phone collection from private households in terms of the information provided on their websites, in addition to the collective schemes that they may be part of for complying with the WEEE Directive. In this study, competitive benchmarking was used to differentiate the accessibility level of take-back offers among the selected producers. The availability of the take-back offer and the penetration rate in the EU states are examined into a five-level metrics. The results reveal that producers have extreme offers on the availability aspect and diverging information coverage in different countries. It is inferred that a producer’s attitude toward the product take-back affects the accessibility of their take-back offers, which can be explained by several economic concerns; however, different methods in future research is needed to further investigate the reasons behind different producers’ choices.

Food loss and waste (FLW) occurring early in the food supply chain (FSC) leads to increased resource wastage, including land, water, fertilisers, pesticides, fuel, packaging, energy, and labour. Targeting FLW prevention benefits various aspects such as food security, productivity, economic growth, climate change mitigation, resource conservation, and food waste management. Understanding the causes of FLW and their environmental impact is crucial for the design of effective solutions and their prioritisation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors and underlying causes of FLW in leafy vegetables (LV), mainly lettuce, throughout the Brazilian FSC, spanning from harvest to retail. Additionally, the study evaluated the environmental impact of waste management strategies applicable in the context of the case study. To achieve this, the research methodology encompassed a case study conducted among small-scale producers and retailers in the city of Tupã, Brazil. A comprehensive approach was adopted by integrating a systematic literature review of global FLW causes and those specific to the Latin American context. This approach was complemented by exploratory research, involving interviews with various stakeholders along the FSC, coupled with rigorous root-cause analysis. Moreover, the study employed a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to offer an immersive perspective, determining the environmental implications associated with different approaches to treating lettuce waste in the case study. Findings revealed that the root causes of FLW in the case study encompassed normalised unfair trading practices, notably take-back agreement (TBA) conditions, and the absence of supportive policies and incentives for FLW reduction. These root causes manifested in the absence of formal agreements between retailers and local producers, leading to the return of unsold or substandard items without compensation. Furthermore, supermarkets exert power over product quality but evade responsibility for proper storage or encouraging the utilisation of unsold products. Another category of significant causes, designated by the author as "major causes," encompassed causes such as unpreparedness for adverse weather conditions, lack of skilled labour, and stringent visual quality standards. These factors were pivotal risk contributors that potentially motivate various other causes of FLW. To tackle root and major causes of FLW of LV, this study proposed specific measures encompassing fair trade agreements, policy enhancements, protective measures for producers, skill development, and flexible standards. Moreover, by implementing an attributional LCA methodology, the study underscored the importance of source reduction in preventing the environmental impact of food waste for the specific context of the case study. According to the results obtained, for each kg of lettuce that is not produced, 0.065 kg CO2eq are avoided. These findings also highlighted the environmental efficacy of animal feed production, which is a cost-efficient strategy, widely prevalent in the city studied, presents a carbon footprint of -0.013 kg CO2eq/kg of waste. Other common solutions implemented at the case study, such as anaerobic digestion and composting exhibit less favourable carbon footprints, measuring 0.019 and 0.006 kg CO2eq/kg of lettuce, respectively. Landfilling emerges, as expected, as the least desirable option with a considerably higher carbon footprint of 0.423 kg CO2eq/kg. To summarise, this study highlights the environmental advantages of prioritising prevention and higher waste hierarchy levels. It underscores the need for context-specific evaluations when dealing with the intricacies of waste management systems. Moreover, the research emphasises the potential for innovative strategies, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and a holistic approach to address the complex issue of FLW, considering both the environmental impact and practical challenges in a real-world implementation.

This thesis aims to analyse and assess the effectiveness of functioning of the take-back system of the electrical and electronic equipment within the Czech Republic. This thesis deals in the first place with a general view on the waste management. It is subsequently followed by a detailed interpretation of the Act No. 185/2001 Coll., on Waste with focus on the issues discussed in this thesis. On the basis of the 2005 amendment of the Act on Waste the producers and importers of electrical and electronic equipment are obliged to guarantee the take-back, separate collection, processing, reuse and disposal of the end-of-life products launched to the Czech market. Most producers and importers have created collective systems with the purpose of joint fulfilment of their legal obligations. Next part of this thesis focuses on the examination of the six Czech collective systems. With greater attention the thesis deals with the activity of the collective system ELEKTROWIN a.s. The results of its activities are assessed using the method of comparison with the electrical and electronic equipment producers association for recycling ENVIDOM. ENVIDOM acts as a collective system in Slovakia. The thesis is concluded by assesing the successfulness of the Czech Republic to meet the goal of collection of the end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment set by the European Union. A comparison of results achieved with the results of other European countries was conducted.

Objectives: 1) To describe the interprofessional implementation process and programmatic outcomes of an inaugural drug take-back event on a university campus; 2) To quantify donated medications and summarize donor demographics. Method: East Tennessee State University (ETSU) affiliated colleges, campus organizations, research teams, law enforcement and other community partners collaborated to host the inaugural live drug take-back event on ETSU’s main undergraduate campus. Programmatic outcomes included the number of community stakeholders, ETSU participating colleges, student donors, and donated medication metrics, including controlled substance medications. All donated medications were quantified by drug name and controlled substance schedule. Donor demographic information and perceptions of drug abuse on campus were collected using a brief survey. Results: Fifty pounds of medications were collected for disposal by 42 donors (9 students; 33 non-students). Controlled substances accounted for 8% of donated medications. Nearly 80% of student donors were enrolled in Academic Health Science Center colleges. Aggregate survey results indicated concerns about prescription drug abuse and misuse on campus. Three faculty members, two research fellows, two doctoral students, three graduate assistants and eight professional students from ETSU’s Colleges of Pharmacy and Public Health, as well as additional staff members, represented the contributing community entities and colleges during the live event. Implications: Conduction of drug take-back events on a university campus can promote interprofessional public health interventions and simultaneously reduce opportunities for nonmedical use of prescription drugs in college students. Further research is warranted to establish best practices and maximum impact for college-based take-back events.