Research on innovative information-flow management of e-waste recycling network based on cloud computing

E-waste recycling is one of the main issues facing the challenges of resource shortages, environmental pollution and sustainable development. This paper analyzes the e-waste take-back and recycling systems, which is considered to be a service system. With the key stakeholders and their responsibilities clarified, the analysis focuses on the information flow management of the recycling system. With multiple authorities sharing the management of system´s operation, the complexity of the information flow is very high. This paper proposes an information platform, to increase the efficiency of the information flow management and the efficiency of the recycling system. Three perspectives of the platform are explained: 1) information platform; 2) SaaS based ERP system for recyclers; 3) extension of the platform to include collection platform and transaction platform of recovered material. Furthermore, the data of the platform can be applied in further data analysis and data mining, to find better way to increase the eco-efficiency of the system.