Sustainable operational strategy for marine plastic waste recycling and remanufacturing systems utilizing blockchain technology: A differential game approach

Recycling marine plastic waste and transforming it into new products is a viable solution to the pervasive challenge of marine plastic waste pollution. The integration of blockchain technology provides a reliable framework for tracing the origin of these products. However, the complex interplay of above factors poses significant obstacles to ensuring the sustainable operation of marine environmental governance systems, particularly in relation to the reverse recycling and remanufacturing processes. Therefore, this study investigates a coupled system that combines marine plastic waste treatment with remanufacturing methodologies. A differential game model was employed to analyze four distinct scenarios, each representing a unique strategic combination of blockchain implementation and enterprise involvement in marine plastic waste remanufacturing. This study examined the scale of marine plastic waste, stakeholder behavior, and optimal profit across these scenarios. These findings indicate that the application of blockchain technology encourages governments to enhance their recycling initiatives. Moreover, the transparency afforded by blockchain contributes to the environmental goodwill associated with remanufactured products, thereby positively influencing market demand, particularly in contexts characterized by low consumer trust. Additionally, active enterprise participation in marine plastic waste management can incentivize governments and fishermen to engage in waste collection efforts, yielding significant improvements to marine ecosystems and economic advantages. Through case studies, this research further identifies optimal strategic combinations for integrating blockchain implementation with the remanufacturing of marine plastic waste.