A modified neutrosophic fuzzy approach for managing electronic waste considering sustainability and resilience dimensions

Abstract

The rising problem of electronic waste (e-waste) demands management strategies that minimize environmental impact and prioritize resilience and sustainability, especially amid global disruptions and pressure on manufacturers to adopt extended producer responsibility policies. Existing literature on e-waste management primarily addresses either operational efficiency or sustainability, leaving a research gap in understanding the relationship between sustainability and resilience. To bridge this gap, this study proposes a framework for building resilient and sustainable e-waste management systems in dynamic environments. This framework utilizes a multi-objective optimization model that balances cost, environmental impact, and social factors (sustainability dimensions) while incorporating non-resilience vulnerabilities for optimal decision-making. The model addresses parameter uncertainties through a fuzzy programming approach based on the Me-measure, further enhanced by proposing variants of novel neutrosophic fuzzy programming techniques. The proposed framework is validated by implementing it in a real-world case problem. Key findings show that enhancing ewaste management network resilience relies on strategically reinforcing critical facilities with redundancy. Allocating 100 % priority to resilience achieves a resilience goal of 100 % and a sustainability goal of 52 %, while prioritizing sustainability at 100 % results in a sustainability goal of 73.7 % and resilience of 71.4 %, suggesting that sustainable practices often inherently enhance resilience. Research offers valuable insights for policymakers, regulators, and stakeholders through managerial recommendations, visualizations, and sensitivity analyses.