The Determinants of Consumers’ E-Waste Recycling Behavior through the Lens of Extended Theory of Planned Behavior

Autor: Nur Shafeera Mohamad, Ai Chin Thoo, Hon Tat Huam
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Sustainability; Volume 14; Issue 15; Pages: 9031
ISSN: 2071-1050
DOI: 10.3390/su14159031
Popis: Cutting-edge technological advancements have turned many electronic devices into waste within a short time of usage. Electronic waste (e-waste) has become a global problem. Due to the adverse impact of e-waste on the environment and human health, a regulatory system for effective collection and treatment of e-waste disposed of by the community and business sectors is in dire need. In an attempt to address the setbacks and cope with e-waste issues, this study determined factors that influence e-waste recycling intentions (ERIs) and e-waste recycling behavior (ERB) among consumers in Malaysia through the lens of an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) model. Via an online survey, 159 questionnaires were collected from targeted respondents in Malaysia aged 18 years and above identified using the purposive sampling method. The structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was deployed for data analysis. As a result, moral obligation (MO) emerged as the most significant factor toward ERI, followed by perceived convenience (PC). Next, ERI displayed a significant effect on ERB. The multi-group analysis (MGA) outcomes revealed significant group differences in education variables, signifying that the lower/middle education group was more easily influenced to perform ERB than the higher education group. Essentially, this study contributes to many aspects especially in enhancing the awareness of e-waste issues and emphasizing the broad knowledge about e-waste recycling. This study provides practical implications for the government, the policymakers and all stakeholders, including consumers, non-government agencies, collectors, retailers, and recycling facilities. The study outcomes may be considered when formulating laws and regulations to enhance e-waste recycling efforts that guarantee a sustainable ecosystem in the future.
Databáze: OpenAIRE