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  • 2003
  • Article
  • Corporate Environmental Strategy

Closing the Loop: Product Take-back Requirements and their Strategic Implications

By: Michael W. Toffel
  • Format:Print
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Abstract

In Asia, Europe, and North America, regulators are seeking to reduce waste disposal and develop recycling markets by requiring manufacturers to manage the end-of-life disposition of products they produce. Such policies attempt to "close the loop" for products ranging from electronics to vehicles by creating incentives for manufacturers to increase the usage intensity of materials embodied in their products to reduce the demand for virgin raw materials and energy. This article describes take-back regulations and highlights some of their key features. In addition, several product take-back strategies are presented along with a few key questions managers should consider in selecting an appropriate strategy for their company.

Keywords

Wastes and Waste Processing; Energy Conservation; Product Development; Strategy; Policy; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Manufacturing Industry; Asia; Europe; North and Central America

Citation

Toffel, Michael W. "Closing the Loop: Product Take-back Requirements and their Strategic Implications." Corporate Environmental Strategy 10, no. 9 (2003).
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About The Author

Michael W. Toffel

Technology and Operations Management
→More Publications

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  • Arla Foods: Data-Driven Decarbonization By: Michael Parzen, Michael W. Toffel and Susan Pinckney
  • How Firms Respond to Worker Activism: Evidence from Global Supply Chains By: Yanhua Bird, Jodi L. Short and Michael W. Toffel
  • Calyx Global: Rating Carbon Credits By: Michael W. Toffel and Adam Chen
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