An integrated SWARA-QFD under Fermatean fuzzy set approach to assess proactive risk mitigation strategies in recycling supply chain: Case study of plastic recycling industry

The role of the recycling supply chain in managing plastic waste problems has been emphasized by both academics and practitioners. Plastic recycling producers face various risks associated with supply chain processes that require proper management and proactive strategies to mitigate negative impacts on business performance. However, quantitative research on risk factors and corresponding proactive risk mitigation strategies in recycling supply chain has been limited. This study proposes a novel integrated approach using Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) and Quality Function Deployment (QFD) under the Fermatean fuzzy set framework to fill this research gap. The study identifies eleven risk factors of recycling supply chain and eight corresponding proactive risk mitigation strategies through literature review and expert validation. The SWARA technique is employed to compute the relative importance weights of risk factors, and QFD is used to analyze the relationship between risk factors and corresponding proactive risk mitigation strategies. The proposed framework is applied to a recycling plastic packaging waste manufacturer in Thailand as a case study. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework can assist logistics and supply chain managers in the recycling plastic industry in making rational decisions to implement proactive risk mitigation strategies. Moreover, the framework can be applied to other waste recycling industries in a similar way.