IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i18p11753-d918793.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Household E-Waste Management: A Case Study of Wroclaw, Poland

Author

Listed:
  • Kamil Banaszkiewicz

    (Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 27 Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego St., 50-370 Wrocław, Poland)

  • Iwona Pasiecznik

    (Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 27 Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego St., 50-370 Wrocław, Poland)

  • Wojciech Cieżak

    (Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 27 Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego St., 50-370 Wrocław, Poland)

  • Emilia den Boer

    (Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 27 Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego St., 50-370 Wrocław, Poland)

Abstract

Improper collection and processing of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) pose a serious threat to the environment and prevent the recovery of valuable materials. Due to the decreasing availability of resources and production materials, the relevance of WEEE recycling has increased. WEEE should be seen as an important source of raw materials for European economies. Moreover, e-waste recycling has a positive impact on the environment by limiting energy use and CO 2 emissions during ore processing. The objective of this study was the analysis of the product use times, the reasons for purchasing new devices, and the consumers’ behavior, knowledge, and awareness concerning WEEE collection and treatment. This study discusses these issues based on a survey on electronic waste management in Wroclaw (Poland). The results from 495 questionnaire respondents indicated a shortening use time of many types of electronic and electric equipment (EEE). The “failure of the device” was the primary reason respondents replaced their products. It was indicated by 90% of the respondents. In many cases, the repair of devices was unprofitable. The most important factor determining the purchase of new devices was their price. The environmental factors, mainly those giving economic benefits, were also considered. Despite the implementation of the extended producer responsibility, the functioning model of WEEE collection has proven to be ineffective. A significant amount of small WEEE ended up in waste bins. For this reason, the willingness of residents to pay an additional fee for WEEE collection was also estimated. The results indicated that campaigns to increase residents’ awareness of WEEE management should continue.

Suggested Citation

  • Kamil Banaszkiewicz & Iwona Pasiecznik & Wojciech Cieżak & Emilia den Boer, 2022. "Household E-Waste Management: A Case Study of Wroclaw, Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-17, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:18:p:11753-:d:918793
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/18/11753/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/18/11753/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gu, Yifan & Wu, Yufeng & Xu, Ming & Wang, Huaidong & Zuo, Tieyong, 2016. "The stability and profitability of the informal WEEE collector in developing countries: A case study of China," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 18-26.
    2. A. Szczepańska & M. Zagroba & K. Pietrzyk, 2022. "Participatory Budgeting as a Method for Improving Public Spaces in Major Polish Cities," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 162(1), pages 231-252, July.
    3. Kangyang Josiah Miner & Isaac Tebogo Rampedi & Ayodeji Peter Ifegbesan & Fannie Machete, 2020. "Survey on Household Awareness and Willingness to Participate in E-Waste Management in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-16, February.
    4. Cecilia Chaine & Andrew S. Hursthouse & Bruce McLean & Iain McLellan & Brian McMahon & Jim McNulty & Jan Miller & Evi Viza, 2022. "Recycling Plastics from WEEE: A Review of the Environmental and Human Health Challenges Associated with Brominated Flame Retardants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-27, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wang, Yutao & Sun, Mingxing & Song, Baimin, 2017. "Public perceptions of and willingness to pay for sponge city initiatives in China," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 11-20.
    2. Giuseppe Bonifazi & Ludovica Fiore & Riccardo Gasbarrone & Roberta Palmieri & Silvia Serranti, 2023. "Hyperspectral Imaging Applied to WEEE Plastic Recycling: A Methodological Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-16, July.
    3. Ryota Nakatani & Qianqian Zhang & Isaura Garcia Valdes, 2024. "Health Expenditure Decentralization and Health Outcomes: The Importance of Governance," Publius: The Journal of Federalism, CSF Associates Inc., vol. 54(1), pages 59-87.
    4. Daniel Baratieri Valente & Ricardo César da Silva Guabiroba & Marco Antonio Conejero & Marcelino Aurélio Vieira Silva & Aldara da Silva César, 2021. "Economic analysis of waste electrical and electronic equipment management: a study involving recycling cooperatives in Brazil," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(12), pages 17628-17649, December.
    5. Chen, Wu & Wang, Minxi & Li, Xin, 2016. "Analysis of copper flows in the United States: 1975–2012," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 67-76.
    6. Karla Yohannessen & Daniela Pinto-Galleguillos & Denisse Parra-Giordano & Amaranta Agost & Macarena Valdés & Lauren M. Smith & Katherine Galen & Aubrey Arain & Felipe Rojas & Richard L. Neitzel & Pabl, 2019. "Health Assessment of Electronic Waste Workers in Chile: Participant Characterization," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-14, January.
    7. de Oliveira Neto, Geraldo Cardoso & de Jesus Cardoso Correia, Auro & Schroeder, Adriano Michelotti, 2017. "Economic and environmental assessment of recycling and reuse of electronic waste: Multiple case studies in Brazil and Switzerland," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 42-55.
    8. Mohammed Laeequddin & Waheed Kareem Abdul & Vinita Sahay & Aviral Kumar Tiwari, 2022. "Factors That Influence the Safe Disposal Behavior of E-Waste by Electronics Consumers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-16, April.
    9. Moura, J.M.B.M. & Gohr Pinheiro, I. & Lischeski, D. & Valle, J.A.B., 2017. "Relation of Brazilian institutional users and technical assistances with electronics and their waste: What has changed?," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 68-75.
    10. Felipe Seabra D’Almeida & Roberto Bentes de Carvalho & Felipe Sombra dos Santos & Rodrigo Fernandes Magalhães de Souza, 2021. "On the Hibernating Electronic Waste in Rio de Janeiro Higher Education Community: An Assessment of Population Behavior Analysis and Economic Potential," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-16, August.
    11. Tanzila Akmal & Faisal Jamil, 2021. "Testing the Role of Waste Management and Environmental Quality on Health Indicators Using Structural Equation Modeling in Pakistan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-11, April.
    12. Shu-Hao Li & Qiang Sun, 2022. "Stackelberg Game Analysis of E-Waste Recycling Stakeholders under Recovery Time Sensitivity and CRMs Life Expectancy Sensitivity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-29, July.
    13. Wenyan Zhao & Jianxin Yang, 2018. "An Effectiveness Assessment of China’s WEEE Treatment Fund," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-15, May.
    14. Amanda M. Y. Chu, 2021. "Illegal Waste Dumping under a Municipal Solid Waste Charging Scheme: Application of the Neutralization Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-10, August.
    15. Qixiang Wang & Linghui Kong & Jin Li & Bangyi Li & Fan Wang, 2020. "Behavioral Evolutionary Analysis between the Government and Uncertified Recycler in China’s E-Waste Recycling Management," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-15, October.
    16. Marta Nalej & Elżbieta Lewandowicz, 2023. "An Analysis of Recreational and Leisure Areas in Polish Counties with the Use of Geographically Weighted Regression," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-26, December.
    17. Hilal Shams & Altaf Hossain Molla & Mohd Nizam Ab Rahman & Hawa Hishamuddin & Zambri Harun & Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar, 2023. "Exploring Industry-Specific Research Themes on E-Waste: A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-22, August.
    18. Isaac Tebogo Rampedi & Ayodeji Peter Ifegbesan, 2022. "Understanding the Determinants of Pro-Environmental Behavior among South Africans: Evidence from a Structural Equation Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-14, March.
    19. Borthakur, Anwesha & Govind, Madhav, 2017. "Emerging trends in consumers’ E-waste disposal behaviour and awareness: A worldwide overview with special focus on India," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 117(PB), pages 102-113.
    20. Wang, Huaidong & Zhang, Shuhao & Li, Bin & Pan, De’an & Wu, Yufeng & Zuo, Tieyong, 2017. "Recovery of waste printed circuit boards through pyrometallurgical processing: A review," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 209-218.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:18:p:11753-:d:918793. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.