Examining Consumer Preferences & Behaviors Related to Recycling

Hilary Nixon San Jos State University

 Jean-Daniel Saphores, Ph.D.

Oladele Ogunseitan, Ph.D. Andrew A. Shapiro, Ph.D.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Collaborators & Support

University of California, Irvine

University of California, Irvine

National Science Foundation AT&T University of California University of California, Irvine

The Scope of the Problem...Rough National Estimates

EPA (2006) ~180M TVs,
monitors, PCs, peripherals

Our data... ~230M selected ~750M all (~4 small, 2

large per household)

Policy Options for End-of-Life EWaste Management

Status quo... disposal
Disposal bans EOL recycling fees Advanced recycling fees

Extended producer
responsibility

Barriers to Effective E-waste Management Policy

Pro-Environmental Behavior Recycling/Reuse Conservation Green purchasing

Keys to Human Behavior

Demographic/socioecono
mic characteristics

Internal characteristics External influences

Research Questions
What factors influence willingness to recycle ewaste (at drop-off centers)?
How much are people willing to pay for an advanced recycling fee on electronics? How much are people willing to pay for drop-off e-waste recycling? How much are people willing to pay for green electronics? How does the source of information influence the decision to recycle?

Methodological Approach
Surveys: CA & U.S.
Questions on environmental
attitudes/behaviors, e-waste knowledge/recycling preferences, demographics

Respondents generally
representative of population

Multivariate analyses

Willingness to Recycle E-Waste

Why drop-off?
Key factors: environmental attitudes experience with curbside
collection proximity to drop-off site gender, age, education rural

Policy considerations...

Financing E-waste Recycling: ARFs Californias Advanced Recycling

Fee

Factors influencing support: age, education current recycling convenience income role of business/ govt in
protecting environment

Most support 1% ARF

Willingness to Pay for Green Electronics

Upstream approach Cell phones / PCs Small premium (1-5%) Influential factors: age, income, education environmental attitudes ideology

E-waste Recycling Preferences

Drop-Off (Regional)

Curbside Recycling

DepositRefund

Pay As You Drop-Off Throw (Retail)

Rankings of Recycling Options

1st Drop-Off (Regional) Curbside Recycling Deposit-Refund 2nd 3rd 19.6 19.9 10.6 15.7
25.0 19.6

4th 14.7

5th 2.1

33.6 30.1 29.1 19.1 26.1 21.8

15.6 16.3 13.4 25.2 17.9 31.4

30.7 14.7

Pay As You 15.0 20.0 Throw Drop-Off (Retail) 6.4 30.0

2.1

Rankings of Recycling Options

1st Drop-Off (Regional) Curbside Recycling Deposit-Refund 2nd 3rd 19.6 19.9 10.6 15.7
25.0 19.6

4th 14.7

5th 2.1

33.6 30.1 29.1 19.1 26.1 21.8

15.6 16.3 13.4 25.2 17.9 31.4

30.7 14.7

Pay As You 15.0 20.0 Throw Drop-Off (Retail) 6.4 30.0

2.1

Rankings of Recycling Options

1st Drop-Off (Regional) Curbside Recycling Deposit-Refund 2nd 3rd 19.6 19.9 10.6 15.7
25.0 19.6

4th 14.7

5th 2.1

33.6 30.1 29.1 19.1 26.1 21.8

15.6 16.3 13.4 25.2 17.9 31.4

30.7 14.7

Pay As You 15.0 20.0 Throw Drop-Off (Retail) 6.4 30.0

2.1

Rankings of Recycling Options

1st Drop-Off (Regional) Curbside Recycling Deposit-Refund 2nd 3rd 19.6 19.9 10.6 15.7
25.0 19.6

4th 14.7

5th 2.1

33.6 30.1 29.1 19.1 26.1 21.8

15.6 16.3 13.4 25.2 17.9 31.4

30.7 14.7

Pay As You 15.0 20.0 Throw Drop-Off (Retail) 6.4 30.0

2.1

Policy Considerations
Convenience is key Environmental
attitudes influential

Role of public
information campaigns face-to-face, multiple sources

Key References
Understanding preferences for recycling electronic waste
in California: The influence of environmental attitudes and beliefs on willingness to pay. Environment & Behavior, 2009, vol. 41 (http://eab.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/101 ) households willingness to pay advanced recycling fees. Journal of Environmental Management, 2007, vol. 84 (http://repositories.cdlib.org/postprints/2569/) electronics. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 2007, vol. 51

Financing electronic waste recycling: Californian

California households willingness to pay for green

Key References
Household willingness to recycling electronic waste: An Information and the decision to recycle: Results from a
survey of US households. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, forthcoming (Special Waste Issue) application to California. Environment & Behavior, 2006, vol. 38 (http://repositories.cdlib.org/postprints/1165/)

Image References

http://www.ban.org/ban_news/2008/images/080415_beware_free_electronic_waste_collect ion_events_300dpi.jpg http://briansrapier.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/recycle_electronics.jpg http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/photosvideos/photos?page=3&related_item_id=147953 http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/image_full/international/photosvideos/photos/electronicwaste-in-guangdong-4664.jpg http://www.ban.org/photogallery/nigeria_lagos/pages/image4346.html http://www.novanewsnow.com/imgs/dynamique/articles/gros/EWasteEastHants_pic_feb7_1 .jpg http://www.erecycle.org/banners.htm http://recycle.dpw.dc.gov/recycle/lib/recycle/RecyclingSymbolGreen.JPG http://www.gloucesterva.info/util/images/wateruseitwisely.gif

http://www.fypower.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/1007energystar21.png
http://4uc.org/secure/422/33623/download/images/icon.jpg http://www.hindu.com/2005/05/12/images/2005051217850301.jpg http://stillwater.org/content/2008/images/e-waste-08.jpg

Image References

http://www.electronichouse.com/images/uploads/recycle_money.jpg http://away.com/images/outside/200704/green-tv.jpg http://www.globalwarmingsolutions.org/wp-content/uploads/e-waste.jpg