The dynamic development of logistics as a scientific discipline, both globally and in Poland, has led to a significant increase in the number of publications in this research area in recent years. The reader may get the impression of a dissonance between the issues raised in logistics literature and the language used by the authors. It must be clearly stated that contemporary development trends in logistics (such as eurologistics, logistics-oriented strategic enterprise management, or urban logistics) require the refinement of the terminology used.
The introduction of new concepts should be supported by scientific discussion in order to avoid subsequent inaccuracies in the terminological layer. One such concept, around which a discussion regarding the adoption of a single, universally accepted name seems necessary, is reverse logistics. In domestic logistics literature, many terms currently coexist for this concept, such as waste logistics, reverse logistics, return logistics, or returns logistics. According to P. Blaik, by adopting the functional criterion for dividing logistics systems, one can distinguish a logistics subsystem in the sphere of returns of goods, packaging, and waste. At the same time, the author emphasizes the reverse direction, i.e., from customers to suppliers of physical flows within the occurring logistics processes. Cz. Skowronek and Z. Sarjusz-Wolski, when discussing the issue of packaging as a component of logistics processes, use the term waste logistics, which is related to the utilization function of packaging –
recycling and disposal.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka”, No. 4/2006.