المستخلص: |
In the context of current devastating impacts caused by e-waste informal handling activities in less developed and developing countries, the study aims to establish a closed-loop system on e-waste that can offset its adverse effect on people, resources, and environment, facilitates the recovery of functional components, valuable metals & materials, and promote a more circular economy instead of the current dominant take-make-waste economy. The study conducts a questionnaire survey from 285 shop owners and repairing specialists working in "the used electronics field" in Great Cairo. Based on the collected data, the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is employed to conduct PLS path modeling and multi-group analysis. The study results support the proposed conceptual framework and confirm its robustness in investigating the impact of closed-loop system on e-waste proper management. The findings suggest that Extending Producer Responsibility, Formal and Informal e-waste recycling sectors integration, Government Intervention, and Consumer's Awareness and Behavior have positive impact on cutting down the e-waste growing figure and achieving sustainable development. The detrimental effects of e-waste has raised the need for its management especially in less developed and developing countries where most world-generated quantities are dumped for reuse or most likely to be informally recycled. In order to divert e-waste stakeholders from the current open-loop system to a better system, an incentivised, integrated, and interrelated closed-loop system is proposed. The study provides theoretical contribution and practical implications relevant to e-waste regulation and management in less developed and developing countries through adopting a closed-loop system that offer a win-win situation for various stakeholders.
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