The cost of reverse logistics of agricultural pesticide packaging: a multihull study with the links responsible for the return of empty containers

This work aimed to analyze the costs of reverse logistics of packaging of pesticides to generate a cost driver and provide important information for the links in the logistics chain that work with this type of solid waste. For the development of the research, a multisite study was carried out with the links that are related to the reverse logistics of the packaging of pesticides and that has a legal obligation on the correct destination of this residue, especially the resale representatives, the rural producer and the agrochemicals industry. The results provide important information for these links in their decision making, to enable the creation and better management of their reverse logistics process, and the mapping of the identified flows allows us to understand how the correct destination of the containers of pesticides, including reusing the returned material. In addition, we presented the various cost drivers that are part of this reverse logistics process, notably transport, administrative, packaging and storage costs, which have a direct influence on the final cost composition. It is important to note that, unlike other studies that indicate transport and storage costs as the most representative in the total logistic cost composition, this study showed that administrative costs have the highest value, representing 47% of the total. Another relevant result was the cost of reverse logistics of agricultural pesticide packaging, R$ 1,868.13 per ton.