Advanced economies have at their disposal sophisticated recycling infrastructures, regarding as well as the collection, distribution, separation, buyer network. Despite the environmental awareness, there are advanced technologies deployed. Not so in the rest of the world, where other issues appear to be more urgent. Nevertheless, waste is there recognised as a commodity, too.

While industrial production found it’s way to the customers, via a highly diversified and flexible distribution network, waste is still majorly perceived as a inconvenience that is supposed to be removed. Granted that waste is rather a commodity, desired by a variety of clients, marketing an distribution could be following the same economical principles, just inverting the direction. We called it reverse retailing.

For complementing the large waste collection ventures, we designed an operation model, facilitating an individualised waste purchasing. The model refers to the number of informal local scrap collectors. It offers to them, via a special payment system, a better and more profitable access to the recycling market, while making a larger share of resources reachable to the recycling industry.

Developing this operation model is challenge in itself. Despite the generation of the payment system and the creation of the marketing network, the participants need to be convinced and trained and a collaboration with the local authorities must be established.