Integrating Circular Economy and Reverse Logistics in Pharmaceutical End-of-Life Instrument Disposal

This thesis investigates how Circular Economy (CE) principles can be systematically integrated with Reverse Logistics (RL) to advance sustainable end-of-life instrument disposal (EOLID) in the pharmaceutical industry. In this highly regulated sector, tensions between sustainability ambitions and compliance obligations have produced fragmented, compliance-driven practices, and underdeveloped circular pathways. Regulatory heterogeneity, validation constraints, and technical barriers further limit the effectiveness of existing strategies. To address these challenges, the study employs a multi-method design guided by Design Science principles. It integrates a PRISMA-compliant systematic literature review with an embedded case study at Roche to identify conceptual and operational gaps in the literature. Insights were synthesized through complementary theoretical lenses including Sustainability, Reverse Logistics, Stakeholder, Institutional, Resource-Based, and Industrial Ecology theories to construct an integrated CE–RL–EOLID framework tailored to the pharmaceutical context. This framework reconceptualizes EOL management as a strategic sustainability function that aligns regulatory legitimacy, economic feasibility, and environmental stewardship. The framework is operationalized through a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) model employing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate four EOLID strategies:- Refurbishment and Reuse, Remanufacturing, Recycling, and Disposal. The AHP results rank Refurbishment and Reuse (0.3475) as the preferred option, followed by Remanufacturing (0.2783), Recycling (0.2337), and Disposal (0.1405). All comparison matrices satisfied acceptable consistency thresholds (CR < 0.10), and sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the rankings under varying weight scenarios. The research makes three principal contributions. Theoretically, it integrates fragmented CE and RL perspectives into a coherent framework for regulated industries. Methodologically, it demonstrates the value of embedding systematic evidence synthesis within decision-analytic models. Practically, it delivers a validated AHP-based decision-support tool enabling pharmaceutical firms to align EOLID strategies with regulatory mandates, operational efficiency, and sustainability goals. Beyond corporate applications, the findings inform policy development for regulatory harmonization and extended producer responsibility in the healthcare system. Keywords: Circular Economy (CE); Reverse Logistics (RL); End-of-Life Instrument Disposal (EOLID); Pharmaceutical Industry; Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA); Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP); Sustainability; Decision-Support Framework; Regulatory Compliance; Resource Efficiency.