Home⇛Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives⇛vol. 3 no. 1 (2025)

Toward Sustainable E-Waste Management: Bridging Gaps and Insights from General Santos City, Philippines

Renante M. Garcia | Allan D. Marcilla | Leonard V. Flores | Edward R. Lapong

Discipline: social sciences (non-specific)

 

Abstract:

Electronic waste (e-waste) management in the Philippines remains underexplored, particularly regarding consumer behaviors, with limited research on the disposal practices of residents in General Santos City. This mixed-method study addresses this gap by exploring the psychosocial factors influencing e-waste management in the city using the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) model across three segments of electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) consumers. Data were collected from 102 participants across five barangays using stratified proportionate sampling via a self-administered survey. Qualitative insights were gathered through an in-depth interview with a key informant from the Solid Waste Management Office. Commercial users show high knowledge (3.68) and positive attitudes (3.81) but lower sustainable disposal practices (3.29). Residential consumers exhibit moderate knowledge (3.36) and attitudes (3.72), with behaviors like hoarding. Educational institutions have the highest knowledge (3.79) and attitudes (3.62) but face adoption challenges. Thus, awareness of environmental and economic impacts alone does not guarantee responsible e-waste disposal. The study emphasizes the need for systemic solutions, such as adopting Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) at the local level by leveraging the Local Government Code of 1991. Local governments can pass ordinances requiring stakeholders to manage end-of-life EEEs, such as establishing e-waste collection points in commercial business districts. Establishments can adopt EPR practices, partnering with educational institutions and NGOs for take-back programs. Integrating urban mining into local EPR frameworks supports a circular economy, reduces reliance on virgin materials, creates jobs, and mitigates environmental impacts. Optimizing municipal solid waste management to include e-waste processing, alongside the "Best-of-2-Worlds" approach, bridges technological gaps. A robust institutional mechanism and strong political commitment are essential to address the underutilization of the city's Material Recovery Facilities. Embracing "think globally, plan regionally, act locally" helps cities develop sustainable, tailored e-waste strategies.



References:

  1. Adejumo, O. A., & Oluduro, O. F. (2021). Ticking time bomb: Implications of the COVID-19 lockdown on e-waste management in developing countries. UCL Open Environment, 3. https://doi.org/10.14324/111.444/ucloe.000023
  2. Afroz, R., Muhibbullah, M., Farhana, P., & Morshed, M. N. (2020). Analyzing the intention of the households to drop off mobile phones to the collection boxes: Empirical study in Malaysia. Ecofeminism and Climate Change, 1(1), 3–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/EFCC-03-2020-0004
  3. Alam, Z. F. (2016). The assessment of the e-waste management generated from cellular phones, laptops, and personal computers in the Philippines. Manila Journal of Science, 9(2016), 27-42. https://tinyurl.com/yj4x3xt6
  4. Attia, Y., Soori, P. K., & Ghaith, F. (2021). Analysis of households’ e-waste awareness, disposal behavior, and estimation of potential waste mobile phones towards an effective e-waste management system in Dubai. Toxics, 9(10), 236. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics9100236
  5. Baldé, C. P., Wang, F., Kuehr, R., & Huisman, J. (2015). The global e-waste monitor – 2014. Retrieved from https://ewastemonitor.info/gem-2014/
  6. Blake, V. M. (2018). The e-waste management behaviours of household consumers in Whangarei, New Zealand (Master's thesis). Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
  7. Boateng, G. O., Neilands, T. B., Frongillo, E. A., Melgar-Quiñonez, H. R., & Young, S. L. (2018). Best practices for developing and validating scales for health, social, and behavioral research: A primer. Frontiers in Public Health, 6, 149. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00149
  8. Borthakur, A., & Govind, M. (2017). Emerging trends in consumers’ e-waste disposal behaviour and awareness: A worldwide overview with special focus on India. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 117, 102–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2016.11.011
  9. Bovea, M. D., Ibáñez-Forés, V., & Pérez-Belis, V. (2016). Reuse of small household waste electrical and electronic equipment: A study of consumer behavior. Waste Management, 58, 246-253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2016.03.038
  10. Celestial, R. G. (2018). E-waste management in the Philippines. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.17965.74728
  11. Chen, D. M. C., Bodirsky, B. L., Krueger, T., Mishra, A., & Popp, A. (2020). The world’s growing municipal solid waste: Trends and impacts. Environmental Research Letters, 15(7), 074021. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ab8659/pdf
  12. Coracero, E. E., Gallego, R. J., Frago, K. J. M., & Gonzales, R. J. R. (2021). A long-standing problem: A review on the solid waste management in the Philippines. Indonesian Journal of Social and Environmental Issues (IJSEI), 2(3), 213-220. https://doi.org/10.47540/ijsei.v2i3.144
  13. Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16(3), 297–334. https://tinyurl.com/yyrmena9
  14. Cultura, M. V., Aranico, E. C., Vedra, S. A., & Amparado Jr, R. F. (2013). Utilization and management of electronic goods by different households in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. Advances in Environmental Sciences, 5(3), 316-327. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/3d9aktpe
  15. Dayaday, M. G., & Galleto Jr, F. A. (2022). Electronic waste (e-waste) management of higher education institutions in South Central Mindanao, Philippines. Environment and Natural Resources Journal, 20(5), 534-542. https://doi.org/10.32526/ennrj/20/202200053
  16. Diekmann, A., & Preisendörfer, P. (2003). Green and greenback: The behavioral effects of environmental attitudes in low-cost and high-cost situations. Rationality and Society, 15(4), 441–472. https://doi.org/10.1177/1043463103154002
  17. Domingo, S. N., & Manejar, A. J. A. (2021). An analysis of regulatory policies on solid waste management in the Philippines: Ways forward. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/4dbd9ewr
  18. Dunn, T. J., Baguley, T., & Brunsden, V. (2014). From alpha to omega: A practical solution to the pervasive problem of internal consistency estimation. British Journal of Psychology, 105(3), 399–412. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12046
  19. Echegaray, F., & Hansstein, F. V. (2017). Assessing the intention-behavior gap in electronic waste recycling: The case of Brazil. Journal of Cleaner Production, 142, 180-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.05.064
  20. El Refae, G. A., Kaba, A., & Eletter, S. (2021). Distance learning during COVID-19 pandemic: Satisfaction, opportunities, and challenges as perceived by faculty members and students. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 18(3), 298-318. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITSE-08-2020-0128
  21. Forti, V., Baldé, C. P., Kuehr, R., & Bel, G. (2020). Global E-Waste Monitor 2020. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/2s46prer
  22. Gecit, B. B. (2020). Planned obsolescence: A keyword analysis. Journal of Management Marketing and Logistics, 7(4), 227-233. https://doi.org/10.17261/Pressacademia.2020.1335
  23. Goldman, D., Hansmann, R., Činčera, J., Radović, V., Telešienė, A., Balžekienė, A., & Vávra, J. (2020). Education for environmental citizenship and responsible environmental behaviour. In D. Goldman (Ed.), Environmental Citizenship and the Politics of Sustainability (pp. 149-161). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20249-1_8
  24. Gregson, N., Metcalfe, A., & Crewe, L. (2007). Identity, mobility, and the throwaway society. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 25(4), 682-700. https://doi.org/10.1068/d418t
  25. Gunarathne, N., de Alwis, A., & Alahakoon, Y. (2020). Challenges facing sustainable urban mining in the e-waste recycling industry in Sri Lanka. Journal of Cleaner Production, 251, 119641. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119641
  26. Gupta, S. (2011). E-waste management: Teaching how to reduce, reuse and recycle for sustainable development—Need of some educational strategies. Journal of Education and Practice, 2(3), 2222-1735. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/234633162.pdf
  27. Hauser, P. (1993). The limitations of KAP surveys. In M. Bulmer & D.P. Warwick (Eds.), Social research in developing countries (pp. 65-69). New York: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
  28. Heacock, M., Kelly, C. B., Asante, K. A., Birnbaum, L. S., Bergman, Å. L., Bruné, M. N., & Suk, W. A. (2016). E-waste and harm to vulnerable populations: A growing global problem. Environmental Health Perspectives, 124(5), 550–555. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509699
  29. Heeks, R., Subramanian, L., & Jones, C. (2015). Understanding e-waste management in developing countries: Strategies, determinants, and policy implications in the Indian ICT sector. Information Technology for Development, 21(4), 531-553. https://doi.org/10.1080/02681102.2014.886547
  30. Hossain, M. S., Al-Hamadani, S. M. Z. F., & Rahman, M. T. (2015). E-waste: A challenge for sustainable development. Journal of Health and Pollution, 5(9), 3–11. https://doi.org/10.5696/2156-9614-5-9.3
  31. Ilankoon, I. M. S. K., Ghorbani, Y., Chong, M. N., Herath, G., Moyo, T., & Petersen, J. (2018). E-waste in the international context – A review of trade flows, regulations, hazards, waste management strategies, and technologies for value recovery. Waste Management, 82, 258-275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.10.018.
  32. Iqbal, M., Breivik, K., Syed, J. H., Malik, R. N., Li, J., Zhang, G., & Jones, K. C. (2015). Emerging issue of e-waste in Pakistan: A review of status, research needs, and data gaps. Environmental Pollution, 206, 322-331. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2015.09.002  
  33. Islam, A., Ahmed, T., Awual, M. R., Rahman, A., Sultana, M., Abd Aziz, A., & Hasan, M. (2020). Advances in sustainable approaches to recover metals from e-waste: A review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 244, 118815. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118815
  34. Kaza, S., Yao, L. C., Bhada-Tata, P., & Van Woerden, F. (2018). What a waste 2.0: A global snapshot of solid waste management to 2050. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10986/30317.  
  35. Kochan, C. G., Pourreza, S., Tran, H., & Prybutok, V. R. (2016). Determinants and logistics of e-waste recycling. The International Journal of Logistics Management, 27(1), 52–70. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-02-2014-0021
  36. Kollmuss, A., & Agyeman, J. (2002). Mind the gap: Why do people act environmentally, and what are the barriers to pro-environmental behavior? Environmental Education Research, 8(3), 239–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504620220145401
  37. Laeequddin, M., Kareem Abdul, W., Sahay, V., & Tiwari, A. K. (2022). Factors that influence the safe disposal behavior of E-waste by electronics consumers. Sustainability, 14(9), 4981. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14094981
  38. Launiala, A. (2009). How much can a KAP survey tell us about people's knowledge, attitudes, and practices? Some observations from medical anthropology research on malaria in pregnancy in Malawi. Anthropology Matters, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.22582/am.v11i1.31
  39. Lawlor, R. (2015). Delaying obsolescence. Science and Engineering Ethics, 21(2), 401–427. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-014-9548-6
  40. Licy, C., Raghavan, V., Saritha, K., Anies, T., & Josphina, C. (2013). Awareness, attitude, and practice of school students towards household waste management. Journal of Environment, 2, 147-150.  https://tinyurl.com/yrx77zvx
  41. Murthy, V., & Ramakrishna, S. (2022). A review on global E-waste management: Urban mining towards a sustainable future and circular economy. Sustainability, 14(2), 647. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020647
  42. Nguyen, T. T. H., Hung, R. J., Lee, C. H., & Nguyen, T. T. H. (2018). Determinants of residents’ e-waste recycling behavioral intention: A case study from Vietnam. Sustainability, 11(1), 164. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su11010164
  43. Nurcahyo, R., Wibowo, N., Gabriel, D. S., Sopha, B. M., & Ma'aram, A. (2024). Model development of community-based willingness to recycle for urban mining. Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 19, 100732. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clet.2024.100732
  44. Osibanjo, O., & Nnorom, I. C. (2007). The challenge of electronic waste (e-waste) management in developing countries. Waste Management & Research, 25(6), 489–501. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X07082028
  45. Parajuly, K., & Fitzpatrick, C. (2020). Understanding the impacts of transboundary waste shipment policies: The case of plastic and electronic waste. Sustainability, 12(6), 2412. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su12062412
  46. Rahman, M. M., Tabash, M. I., Salamzadeh, A., Abduli, S., & Rahaman, M. S. (2022). Sampling techniques (probability) for quantitative social science researchers: A conceptual guideline with examples. SEEU Review, 17(1), 42–51. https://doi.org/10.2478/seeur-2022-0023
  47. Robinson, B. H. (2009). E-waste: An assessment of global production and environmental impacts. Science of the Total Environment, 408(2), 183–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.09.044
  48. Sahajwalla, V., & Gaikwad, V. (2018). The present and future of e-waste plastics recycling. Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 13, 102-107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsc.2018.06.006
  49. Saidan, M. (2013). Households awareness, behaviors, and willingness to participate in e-waste management in Jordan. International Journal of Ecosystem, 3(5), 124-131.  https://tinyurl.com/3tmabhnu
  50. Sapuay, G. P. (2016). Resource recovery through RDF: Current trends in solid waste management in the Philippines. Procedia Environmental Sciences, 35, 464–473. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proenv.2016.07.030
  51. Shevchenko, T., Laitala, K., & Danko, Y. (2019). Understanding consumer E-waste recycling behavior: Introducing a new economic incentive to increase the collection rates. Sustainability, 11(9), 2656. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11092656
  52. Siddiqi, M. M., Naseer, M. N., Abdul Wahab, Y., Hamizi, N. A., Badruddin, I. A., Hasan, M. A., ... & Kamangar, S. (2020). Exploring e-waste resources recovery in household solid waste recycling. Processes, 8(9), 1047. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8091047  
  53. Solé, M., Watson, J., Puig, R., & Fullana-i-Palmer, P. (2012). Proposal of a new model to improve the collection of small WEEE: A pilot project for the recovery and recycling of toys. Waste Management & Research, 30(11), 1208-1212. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X11434563
  54. Tansel, B. (2017). From electronic consumer products to e-wastes: Global outlook, waste quantities, recycling challenges. Environment International, 98, 35-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2016.10.002
  55. Wan, T. T., Rav-Marathe, K., & Marathe, S. (2016). A systematic review of KAP-O framework for diabetes. Medical Research Archives, 3(9). https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/483/314
  56. Wath, S. B., Vaidya, A. N., Dutt, P. S., & Chakrabarti, T. (2010). A roadmap for development of sustainable E-waste management system in India. Science of the Total Environment, 409(1), 19-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2010.09.030
  57. Widmer, R., Oswald-Krapf, H., Sinha-Khetriwal, D., Schnellmann, M., & Böni, H. (2005). Global perspectives on e-waste. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 25(5), 436–458. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2005.04.001
  58. Wilkinson, A., & Williams, I. (2020). Why do (W)EEE hoard? The effect of consumer behaviour on the release of home entertainment products into the circular economy. Detritus, 12, 18-33. https://doi.org/10.31025/2611-4135/2020.14004

Tools


Copyright © 2025  KITE Digital Educational Solutions |  Exclusively distributed by CE-Logic