Abstract

Climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions is the most important issue in the world, threatening our lives.
Studies reveal that most emissions are caused by transportation (29%), manufacturing (23%), and irregular
population distribution across the world. This study suggests the localization of recycling and manufacturing
plastic parts and components by additive manufacturing. Localization will decrease transportation, resulting in
reduced energy consumption and CO2 emissions. However, the method may not be sufficient because local
additive manufacturing means less reliance on supply chains and higher dependence on the workforce in rural
areas. Factors such as the workforce in rural areas, multientity authorities, and policy are important to the
realization of sustainable manufacturing. In this study, a novel strategic control model is proposed to focus on
human-centric approaches. The strategic control model proposes methods to connect strategic planning with
demography and the workforce and to apply control metrics to relocate overcrowded populations to rural areas.
The strategic control model realizes localization through workforce allocation and home-based manufacturing. It
streamlines the integration between recycling, manufacturing, and distribution. As a result, decreased reliance on
the supply chain reduces transportation, energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and cost. It also creates job op�portunities and mitigates societal issues.