Abstract
Purpose: This paper condenses the paper’s argument that e-waste reverse logistics requires a formal, scalable and economically viable network design. Design/methodology: A structured literature-based
synthesis is used to develop two linked contributions: the Present–Unique–Repeatable Environmentally-friendly (PURE) framework and the Centre for Refurbishment and Recycling of Electrical and Electronic Waste (CReW) concept. Findings: The review indicates that existing approaches emphasise recycling, policy, legal compliance and optimisation methods, but give limited attention to the operational role of makerspaces in collection, inspection, repair, disassembly and value recovery. The proposed CReW concept positions makerspaces as distributed hubs connected to central refurbishment, recycling and material recovery centres. Material passports, Industry 4.0/5.0 tools and operations research methods can improve traceability, customer participation, routing, facility location and decision-making. Practical implications: The proposed structure offers businesses, policymakers and circular economy actors a route to organise e-waste flows while balancing profitability, environmental performance and lean operations. Conclusion: A combined PURE–CReW approach provides a strategic and operational basis for formalising e-waste reverse logistics and for future quantitative modelling of facility location, routing, collection and recovery decisions.