13 Jan 2026
Recently, a paper titled “Addressing the ‘last mile’ deficiency: a bi-objective model for e-waste reverse logistics network design,” co-authored by Zhiqin Ni, Associate Professor at the International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), and collaborators, has been accepted and published in Resources, Conservation & Recycling, a leading journal ranked in CAS Q1 (Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Tier-1 category).
Over the past decade, China’s official e-waste recycling rate has consistently exceeded the global average. However, the formal recycling and processing network—centred on licensed dismantling enterprises—is facing intense competition from unlicensed informal recycling channels. The root of this challenge lies in the inadequate community-level coverage of formal networks, which reduces residents’ convenience in disposing of e-waste, thereby diverting significant volumes of e-waste to informal channels.
To address this critical gap, the research team developed a robust mixed-integer programming model. The core innovation lies in strategically locating Community Treatment Centres (CTCs) within residential neighbourhoods to bridge the “last mile” service deficit. This bi-objective model simultaneously optimizes two goals: maximizing e-waste recycling rates and ensuring the economic sustainability of formal recycling networks. It explicitly accounts for competitive dynamics between CTCs and informal channels, and incorporates key uncertainties—including the service coverage radius of CTCs and variability in material recovery rates—to enhance the practicality and resilience of the proposed solution.
In a real-world case study involving 150 residential communities in Suzhou Industrial Park, the team employed advanced optimization algorithms to determine the optimal configuration of CTCs. Using geographic information system (GIS) tools, they identified eight neighbourhoods as ideal locations for CTC deployment. The resulting layout achieved a 61.6% recycling rate while enabling participating enterprises to reach the breakeven point. This provides licensed dismantlers with a data-driven, strategic framework for siting decisions that balance high recycling performance with operational profitability, effectively countering competitive pressures from unlicensed networks and environmental uncertainties.
Licensed Dismantlers: Strategic Layout for Enhanced Competitiveness
Establishing CTCs in communities is a pivotal move for licensed dismantling enterprises to strengthen their market position. By offering residents convenient access to legally compliant and environmentally sound recycling channels, these formal networks can attract more households to participate. However, enterprises must carefully balance multiple factors in deployment decisions: while adding more sites expands service coverage, it also incurs fixed costs—including rent and staffing—potentially straining operations if expansion is unchecked. Moreover, site selection must strike a delicate balance between collection efficiency and transportation costs: urban centres offer high population density and greater collection potential but are often farther from central dismantling facilities, whereas suburban areas, though less densely populated, provide significant transport cost advantages.
The integer programming model proposed in this study equips enterprises with a powerful decision-support tool. It enables robust, cost-effective planning under complex conditions, helping firms optimize the trade-off between higher recycling rates and controlled operational expenses—ultimately supporting long-term sustainability.
Policy Support: Multi-Pronged Measures to Strengthen the Formal Recycling System
Steering e-waste flows into licensed formal channels requires strong policy support. To alleviate the financial burden on licensed enterprises establishing CTCs in communities, government authorities could offer subsidies or guaranteed access to public land. Indeed, national policies already mandate that urban planning include designated spaces for e-waste collection and encourage property management companies to facilitate the setup of neighbourhood storage points—laying institutional groundwork for the formal network’s grassroots expansion.
Furthermore, intensified regulation and enforcement against unlicensed and illegal dismantling operations are essential to uphold market order. Complementarily, public awareness campaigns and environmental education initiatives should highlight the ecological hazards of improper e-waste handling—such as toxic heavy metal contamination and hazardous chemical leakage—to foster responsible disposal behaviours. Encouraging residents to choose formal channels even without immediate financial incentives will build the social foundation necessary for the healthy, sustained operation of China’s formal e-waste recycling system.
Zhiqin Ni is an associate professor in practice in IBSS at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China. He received a Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Business Administration from Wuhan University. He is also a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Nottingham. He is currently serving as Program Director of the MSc project management and Deputy Director of the Operations and Supply Chain Excellence Centre. He has abundant industrial experience in multinational companies such as IBM, Baxter, and Wittur, assuming different roles as demand planner, planning manager, supply chain manager, and senior logistics manager before joining IBSS. His research interests mainly focus on sustainable production optimisation, waste management, multiple objective decisions, reverse logistics, IoT-integrated logistics management, etc. He has published many articles in domestic and international journals such as Production Planning and Control (SCIE/ABS 3/JCR Q1/IF 5.4), International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications (SSCI/ABS 1/JCR Q1/IF 4.9), Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy (SCIE/JCR Q1/IF 5.5), etc. He acts as principal investigator or co-investigator in many practical application projects. The total granted fund is over 2 million RMB. He is granted two invention patents by the Chinese Intellectual Property Bureau. He is also active in social roles. He is a board member of the China Project Management Research Committee, a Suzhou Logistics and Purchasing Association consultant, and a certified project manager (IPMP-C) by the International Project Management Association (IPMA). He is also a member of the Jiusan Society.
Resources, Conservation & Recycling is a CAS Q1 journal with an impact factor of 10.9. It focuses on sustainable resource management and the transition to sustainable production and consumption systems, publishing multi-dimensional research and cases related to technology, economy, policy, etc., covering resource recycling, substitution, productivity improvement and other directions.
13 Jan 2026