Investigation of electronic waste management in terms of reverse logistics and an application on computer waste

With the emergence of the phenomenon of living together, needs began to emerge under the concept of trade. In the world conditions where resources are sufficient and settled life has begun, advanced logistics activities are on the agenda. In today's conditions, human needs are unlimited and resources are scarce, so theories, ideas and projects have been created for a sustainable future. The concept of reverse logistics was first defined and classified in the literature by Lambert and Stock in 1981. As a sector, it appears in many areas such as automotive, textile, food, packaging, metal industry and electronic goods. Electrical and electronic waste contains various components and metal, plastic, glass, paper, wood, etc. obtained from other sectors within the scope of the zero waste project. It covers all types of waste. The wide range of coverage has been the driving force for analysis. Computer waste, which is included in electronic waste, is similar to the materials contained in electronic goods, but its reuse rate is higher than intermediate products such as RAM, CPU, circuit boards, processors and hard disks as semi-finished products. At the same time, it has the ability to integrate into another product through modernization and contains a higher percentage of precious metals such as gold, silver, aluminum, copper and palladium. Using the SWOT analysis method, the study evaluated the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the sector in the light of the findings obtained from companies operating in the field of computer and electronic waste. It was emphasized that it is necessary to make it possible to eliminate weaknesses through analysis and to turn them into strengths. By evaluating the opportunities and threats, determinations were made about the necessity of turning negative factors such as the use of precious metals obtained from threatening computer waste in raw material exports, the lack of trained labor force, and the inadequacy of processing facilities in Turkey into opportunities. This study aims to create an environmentally friendly, sustainable technological future by ensuring maximum recycling of computer and electronic waste in the reverse logistics process. At the same time, it is aimed to take our place as a country in the international market and to contribute to the development of the industrial sector.