Reverse Logistics in the Manufacturing of Plastics in Teresina-PI: A Feasibility Study

The increased consumption of plastics brings the generation of post-consumer waste, which requires special attention from this industrial sector. According to the principle of polluter pays, manufacturers have responsibility for managing the materials they produce. This study examines the feasibility of introducing reverse logistics in the plastics industry in the city of Teresina, capital of Piaui, Brazil. Nine industries that produce plastics were visited. Directors of such industries were interviewed to talk about the production process, raw materials used and their origin, and were questioned about the possibility of recycling post-consumer waste to be reused in the production chain and/or business. We found that the application of reverse logistics is a distant reality for the sector. The lack of a consolidated program of selective collection and lack of effective legislation allow industries not to choose to implement reverse logistics processes. The future establishment of reverse logistics in the sector of plastics and rubber in Teresina-PI depends on the increase in research activities and technological innovation, in addition to the creation of a market for recycled products.