Reverse logistics for packaging of pesticides: a perspective of small and medium agricultural producers

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze whether small and medium farmers in the state of São Paulo, in the region of Alta Paulista, where there is a predominance of agriculture with considerable use of pesticides, carry out the reverse logistics of empty pesticide containers. Based on legal requirements and researchers' discussions, data collection was done through a questionnaire applied to 48 farmers in the region and a quantitative analysis performed by multidimensional scaling using the SPSS 22.0 software tool. The general conclusions drawn are that reverse logistics in the first link of the chain, the farmers, does not work satisfactorily, since about 83% of them do not return the packaging and/or do not fulfill their obligations under the law, for lack of supervision, motivation, and governmental awareness-raising initiatives. The study encourages further research at other locations, as a challenge to promote more public policy actions for the control and effectiveness of reverse logistics.