Search results
1 – 10 of 154Nanjangud Vishwanath Vighnesh, Balachandra Patil and Deepak Chandrashekar
There is widespread consensus that unchecked growth of e-waste is a major challenge to global sustainability transition. Current research has failed to connect e-waste with…
Abstract
Purpose
There is widespread consensus that unchecked growth of e-waste is a major challenge to global sustainability transition. Current research has failed to connect e-waste with principles of circularity and sustainability from the consumption perspective. This paper aims to answer the following questions: What kind of environmental behaviors (EBs) exist among consumers in relation to e-waste?; In what ways are these consumers different from and similar to each other based on their EBs in relation to e-waste?; How do consumers and their EBs contribute to sustainable waste management?
Design/methodology/approach
Based on primary data from an Indian sample of information and communication technology consumers, EBs relevant to e-waste management are identified. In the next stage, a behavior-based segmentation and profiling of consumers is performed.
Findings
The first phase of analysis produced eight distinct EBs which were then used in the next phase to obtain a consumer typology of three segments. The three consumer segments differed significantly with each other on general environmental behavior and awareness about e-waste.
Research limitations/implications
The paper develops a comprehensive conceptual framework for studying the demand-side circularity transition for sustainable e-waste management.
Practical implications
For business stakeholders, findings of the study and the proposed framework can inform behavior change interventions to customize offerings for different right consumer segments.
Originality/value
The paper adds new knowledge to the intersectional area of e-waste, consumer behavior and sustainability through the development of consumer typology and a conceptual framework.
Details
Keywords
Monika Sheoran and Devashish Das Gupta
India generates around two million tonnes of e-waste every year, and it is increasing at a very high rate of 30%. However, due to inefficient handling of infrastructure and…
Abstract
Purpose
India generates around two million tonnes of e-waste every year, and it is increasing at a very high rate of 30%. However, due to inefficient handling of infrastructure and limited number of collection centres along with the absence of proper incentive structure for producer and recyclers, 95% of e-waste reaches to unorganized sector for disposal. Consumers are not aware of the need of proper e-waste disposal and in absence of proper motivation and they are not inclined towards recycling process. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the best practices of e-waste take adopted all over the world to implement effective policy interventions for e-waste management in India and other emerging economies.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper has recommended preventive as well as curative policy interventions on the basis of best e-waste management practices of Germany, Italy and Japan; life cycle assessment of e-waste; and SWOT analysis of Indian electronic product industry.
Findings
Preventive measures include a deposit refund scheme wherein a consumer will be responsible for depositing a refundable fees during the purchase of the product. The amount should be arrived at keeping in mind cost involved in handling e-waste and ensure some motivation for the consumers to give back used product. To ensure proper tracking of the product, Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags can be used which will be activated at the time of sale of product and remain so until product reaches some designated recycling space or recycler and consumer is returned back his deposit fee. Subsidy to the producers and recyclers can also be provided by the government to further incentivize the whole process. An example of mobile phones has been used to understand the proposed deposit fees and associated cost structure. Curative measures to reduce the generation of e-waste in long run for managing the discussed issue have also been proposed.
Originality/value
This study is an initiative for proposing and implementing best e-waste take back techniques in a developing economy like India by acquiring learnings from best/advanced economies in terms of e-waste take back.
Details
Keywords
Tejendra Singh Gaur, Vinod Yadav, Sameer Mittal and Milind Kumar Sharma
Waste generated from electrical and electronic equipment, collectively known as E-waste, remains a persistent environmental, economic and social problem. Sustainable E-waste…
Abstract
Purpose
Waste generated from electrical and electronic equipment, collectively known as E-waste, remains a persistent environmental, economic and social problem. Sustainable E-waste management (EWM) has numerous benefits, such as preventing electronic waste from entering landfills, reducing the need for virgin materials by recovering valuable materials from recycling and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Circular economy (CE) practices are considered the initial steps toward sustainable EWM, but some hurdles have been reported in the adoption of these practices. Therefore, the current study aims to identify the common CE practices, sustainability of the EWM process and the challenges in EWM, and to develop a conceptual framework for effective EWM.
Design/methodology/approach
Very few studies have proposed frameworks that acknowledge the challenges and CE practices of EWM. To fill this gap, a systematic literature review (SLR) was performed, and 169 research articles were explored.
Findings
A total of seven challenges in the adoption of effective EWM were identified: rules and policy, infrastructure, consumer behaviour, informal sectors, community culture, technology and economy. Eight common CE practices were also found for effective EWM: reuse, recycle, remanufacturing, refurbishment, repair, reduce, recover and repurpose.
Originality/value
A conceptual framework guiding sustainable EWM was proposed, which includes solutions for the identified challenges, and CE practices with sustainable benefits.
Details
Keywords
Pedro Senna, Lino Guimarães Marujo, Ana Carla de Souza Gomes dos Santos, Amanda Chousa Ferreira and Luís Alfredo Aragão da Silva
In the last few years, environmental issues have become a matter of survival. In this sense, e-waste management is among the major problems since it may be a way of mitigating…
Abstract
Purpose
In the last few years, environmental issues have become a matter of survival. In this sense, e-waste management is among the major problems since it may be a way of mitigating mineral depletion. In this context, the literature lacks e-waste supply chain studies that systematically map supply chain challenges and risks concerning material recovery.
Design/methodology/approach
Given this context, the authors' paper conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) to build a framework to identify the constructs of e-waste supply chain risk management.
Findings
The paper revealed the theoretical relationship between important variables to achieve e-waste supply chain risk management via a circular economy (CE) framework. These variables include reverse logistics (RL), closed-loop supply chains (CLSC), supply chain risk management, supply chain resilience and smart cities.
Originality/value
The literature contributions of this paper are as follows: (1) a complete list of the risks of the e-waste supply chains, (2) the techniques being used to identify, assess and mitigate e-waste supply chain risks and (3) the constructs that form the theoretical framework of e-waste supply chain risk management. In addition, the authors' results address important literature gaps identified by researchers and serve as a guide to implementation.
Details
Keywords
Pratistha Chandra, Chung-Hsing Yeh and Pankaj Dutta
This study identifies barriers faced by online e-waste collection platforms in India and proposes a novel approach to manage strategies that contribute towards making such online…
Abstract
Purpose
This study identifies barriers faced by online e-waste collection platforms in India and proposes a novel approach to manage strategies that contribute towards making such online platforms economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable by mitigating their interacting barriers.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach consists of a barrier assessment process and a strategy evaluation and planning process. The barrier assessment process uses multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) based method to evaluate the interactive effects of the barriers to derive their direct and indirect impacts on sustainability. The strategy evaluation and planning process evaluates the overall contribution value of strategies for mitigating interacting barriers and then categorizes them into planning zones based on their contribution and feasibility.
Findings
The interaction among the barriers is a significant component of the overall impact of the barriers on sustainability. The most impactful barriers are the lack of dissemination of information, lack of government support, insufficient infrastructure, and awareness and attitude of consumers. Lack of government support is the most influential causal barrier. Lack of information dissemination is a significant causal barrier with the highest overall impact on sustainability. Priority strategies that must be implemented to ensure sustainability include government support, offering higher prices or discounts for giving up e-waste, and increasing information dissemination.
Originality/value
Different from existing approaches for evaluating sustainability strategies, the strategies in this study are identified and evaluated based on their overall contribution towards mitigating interacting barriers to sustainability. The approach is applied in the Indian context to reveal the most influential barriers to the sustainability of online e-waste collection platforms and the most effective strategies for mitigating these barriers. The outcomes of this study contribute to strategy planning for sustainable online e-waste collection platforms in India.
Details
Keywords
Ayman Issa and Mohammad In’airat
This study aims to investigate the relationship between female leaders at board and executive levels and e-waste reduction in firms listed on the FTSE All-Share Index.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the relationship between female leaders at board and executive levels and e-waste reduction in firms listed on the FTSE All-Share Index.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a sample of nonfinancial firms listed in the FTSE All-Share Index between 2004 and 2021, comprising 2,523 firm observations. The primary technique used is ordinary least squares, with subsample analysis and the two-stage least squares method used to address endogeneity concerns.
Findings
This study suggests that the presence of female directors and executives can bring a more comprehensive and diverse approach to e-waste management, which can contribute to improved e-waste reduction initiatives. However, the study also highlights that the impact of female leadership on e-waste reduction may vary based on factors such as the size of the firm and the industry’s carbon footprint.
Practical implications
The practical implications of this research have noteworthy implications for companies and policymakers alike. By placing importance on gender diversity, companies can reap the benefits of diverse perspectives and approaches when addressing environmental challenges. Policymakers, on the other hand, can contribute to positive environmental outcomes by advocating for gender diversity in corporate leadership.
Originality/value
The novelty of this research stems from its discovery that having female directors and executives in a firm leads to a broader and more varied approach to managing e-waste, ultimately enhancing efforts to reduce it. This underscores the significance of gender diversity in advancing sustainable practices within organizations. The study highlights the distinct viewpoints and experiences that women offer when tackling environmental issues in the corporate sphere.
Details
Keywords
Yong-Sheng Chang, Zhang Yue, Madeeha Qureshi, Muhammad Imran Rasheed, Song Wu and Michael Yao-Ping Peng
The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationships of environmental concern and risk perception with residents' waste mobile recycling behavior in the scenario of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationships of environmental concern and risk perception with residents' waste mobile recycling behavior in the scenario of continuously increasing electronic waste (aka e-waste) around the world.
Design/methodology/approach
For empirically testing proposed research model, this study utilized convenience sampling strategy and collected 346 responses from residents in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) through an online survey. The hypotheses were tested utilizing the structural equation modeling (SEM) framework through Mplus 7.0 program (Muthen and Muthen, 1998–2012). Robust maximum likelihood (MLR) was used as the method of estimation.
Findings
The results revealed that environmental concern is positively associated with individuals' intentions to recycle waste mobile phones and that the relationship between concern for the environment and individuals' intention to recycle is mediated by the factors such as individuals' mobile phone recycling attitude and subjective norms. The results further indicated that individuals' information security risk perception moderates the relationship between individuals' intention for recycling and subsequent recycling behavior.
Originality/value
This study provides substantial theoretical and practical implications for residents' e-waste recycling behavior while considering their environmental concern and information security risk perceptions.
Details
Keywords
Danladi Chiroma Husaini, Vinlee Bernardez, Naim Zetina and David Ditaba Mphuthi
A direct correlation exists between waste disposal, disease spread and public health. This article systematically reviewed healthcare waste and its implication for public health…
Abstract
Purpose
A direct correlation exists between waste disposal, disease spread and public health. This article systematically reviewed healthcare waste and its implication for public health. This review identified and described the associations and impact of waste disposal on public health.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper systematically reviewed the literature on waste disposal and its implications for public health by searching Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA), PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and ScienceDirect databases. Of a total of 1,583 studies, 59 articles were selected and reviewed.
Findings
The review revealed the spread of infectious diseases and environmental degradation as the most typical implications of improper waste disposal to public health. The impact of waste includes infectious diseases such as cholera, Hepatitis B, respiratory problems, food and metal poisoning, skin infections, and bacteremia, and environmental degradation such as land, water, and air pollution, flooding, drainage obstruction, climate change, and harm to marine and wildlife.
Research limitations/implications
Infectious diseases such as cholera, hepatitis B, respiratory problems, food and metal poisoning, skin infections, bacteremia and environmental degradation such as land, water, and air pollution, flooding, drainage obstruction, climate change, and harm to marine and wildlife are some of the public impacts of improper waste disposal.
Originality/value
Healthcare industry waste is a significant waste that can harm the environment and public health if not properly collected, stored, treated, managed and disposed of. There is a need for knowledge and skills applicable to proper healthcare waste disposal and management. Policies must be developed to implement appropriate waste management to prevent public health threats.
Details
Keywords
Hippu Salk Kristle Nathan, Binilkumar Amarayil Sreeraman, Lakshmikanth Hari and Shrabani B. Bhattacharjee
Huiying (Cynthia) Hou, Joseph H.K. Lai, Hao Wu and Sara Jane Wilkinson