Analyzing Barriers Towards Implementing Circular Economy in Healthcare Supply Chains

The health sector contributes to a significant amount of non-hazardous and hazardous waste generation. The revitalization of healthcare supply chains is vital to providing healthcare-related supplies to satisfy the current demands without compromising on the ability to fulfil the needs of future generations. The circular economy (CE) initiative enables eliminating waste in supply chains by using eco-friendly materials, optimizing resource yields, and circulating products at their highest value. The adaptation of CE goals with a suitable supply chain strategy in the healthcare sector is challenging. This study reviews the barriers within healthcare supply chains towards fulfilling CE goals. These barriers were identified by means of a literature review and a qualitative approach involving semi-structured interviews. The categories of the barriers were then analyzed using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method. The AHP approach enables the identification of the barriers in a descending order of importance as financial, technological, management, policy, social, and cultural barriers. The findings of this study can provide valuable guidance for decision-makers in healthcare supply chains to focus on the barriers in each category and accordingly formulate strategies for CE adoption.