A characterization of the Brazilian market of reverse logistic credits (RLC) and an analogy with the existing carbon credit market

•The Brazilian NPSW considers the innovative principle of shared responsibility (Product Stewardship).•The implementation of the reverse logistics of WEEE in Brazil has been a major concern for the government and the private sector.•Some of WEEE in Brazil is handled by waste pickers and scrap dealers inadequately.•The market value of WEEE is quite attractive to key managers.•Several companies have seen the recycling of materials as being the solution, which has motivated an ‘urban mining’. Reverse logistics implementation of electrical and electronic equipment waste (WEEE) and its components has been a major concern for the Brazilian government and the private sector in the last decades. This paper proposes a description of the Brazilian WEEE proper disposal or reverse logistics credits (RLC) market and also an analogy with the carbon credit market. In order to reach this purpose a descriptive research was carried out, focusing on the study of the RLC market of WEEE in Brazil. Some specialists involved in this context were consulted regarding their perspectives for this market and the main motivations for environmental appropriate disposal of WEEE. It was discovered that the majority of the stakeholders agree that the reverse logistics credit market is a possibility, but currently there are multiple obstacles to its implementation. Regarding the comparison of RLC with the carbon credit market, there are still many aspects to be developed before the RLC market becomes a reality. The Brazilian RLC market still does not have any legal support to work on, no organization to control and audit the market, and no support from the government.