Design of a reverse logistics chain for a circular economy business model

Abstract

This work shows a design of a reverse logistics network for petroleum-contaminated plastics; which seeks to minimize costs and make it more financially attractive, for recycling. This cost decrement achieved stem from selecting the location of plastic processing facilities , and the reprocessing plants’number to install. It seeks to minimize transportation costs, and to maximize profits acquired from raw material sale, to benefit the different stakeholders. The model was able to select which reprocessing plants should be installed, while makes evident some shortcomings, regarding the determination of variables and possible future research. The model was worked with linear programming and solved with evolutionary algorithms, enabling the finding solutions in a Pareto’s front, which allows deducing the different combinatorial of the decision variables to apply in the logistics chain