Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior Approach in the Sustainability of Electronic Waste Management: Critical Success Factors for Extended Producer Responsibility in Uganda

Abstract

Governments and its citizens contribute enormously to the electronic waste problem in relation to the consumption and its generation posing serious threat to the management of wastes. Uganda government is yet to enact an Extended Producer Responsibility related laws within their national legislations to manage E-waste effectively. The paper aims to examine the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system critical success factors based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and consider ecological design concept as a potential extension of the TPB in promoting sustainable electronic waste management. The survey questionnaires were administered to expert environmental-oriented government employees. Data was analysed by means of the Partial-LeastSquares Structural-Equation-Modelling. The findings demonstrate that the developed conceptual framework explain 52.4% variance in the intentions to participate and practice EPR systems, thus reflecting a good explanatory power while confirming the model robustness. The results illustrate all TPB constructs of attitude, intentions, perceived behavioral control and subjective norm, towards EPR schemes have significant positive effect on the outcome of sustainable E-waste management. Exceptionally, it indicates ecological design is the most influential predictor of sustainable E-waste management for implementation of EPR systems. Building on the study results, for proper electronic waste management programs deployment, and successful implementation of EPR systems, developing countries should target the TPB constructs, and ecological design as an extension factor. As policy implication, government should emphasize the nurturing of good ecological design behavior of organizations and also encourage effort toward green actions taken through penalties and incentives and by laws and regulations.