Assessment of Reverse Logistics System for Recyclable and Reusable Waste Generated from Residential and Commercial areas in Addis Ababa
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Date
2026-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The study assessed the current reverse logistics practice in selected residential and commercial areas of Addis Ababa, focusing on recyclable and reuseable waste, and mapped the roles of actors with the challenges they face. Data was collected through questionnaires via Kobo Toolbox, field visits, and secondary sources. Analysis was conducted using SPSS and Excel. Findings revealed that despite the growth in recycling rate in both areas 83-90% of waste is still landfilled. In residential areas, micro and small enterprises (MSEs) collect waste door-to-door while private companies collect from commercial centers and transport the waste to the landfill. However, the collection of recyclables and reuseable waste was dominated by informal collectors. In residential areas, the storage areas were relatively larger, but the storage duration is larger due to scarcity of materials, distance from the main road, and limited informal collectors. In commercial areas, due to higher density of informal collectors, the storage duration was shorter, though space shortage and congestion were the main constraints. Crucially, the study found that collection actors operate without systematic route optimization, relying instead on arbitrary, unstudied route paths. Furthermore, primary collection hubs are allocated arbitrarily without any spatial or logistical engineering studies, resulting in a fragmented network that lacks a centralized hub. This structural inefficiency is further compounded by a critical lack of bailing technology, which results in poor vehicle payload utilization. Additionally, transport schedules fail to account for severe urban traffic constraints; in high density commercial areas, loading and transportation activities overlap with peak daytime hours, severely exacerbating traffic congestion. Consequently, these factors directly lead to high transportation cost. The study concluded that current practices are fragmented, reactive, and inefficient, and increasing logistics costs. To improve efficiency and to support the city transition towards a circular economy, the system should shift from a pull to a push system, prioritize route optimization, adopt differentiated practice based on land use, establish transfer stations for recyclable materials, invest in bailing technologies, collection and transport timings must be strategically shifted to off-peak periods (specifically late evenings, early mornings, or Sundays), promote coordination, integrate digital tools, formally recognize the informal actors, and strengthen source segregation is necessary in both areas.
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Revers Logistics, Municipal Solid Waste, Recyclable Materials, Vehicle Payload Utilization, Route Optimization, Addis Ababa.