PurposeThe purpose of this paper, an empirical research, is to identify the psychological and functional barriers that result in e-waste recycling resistance.Design/methodology/approachThe study is equipped with the theoretical lens of the innovation resistance theory. Households living in an Indian city were surveyed using a pre-validated questionnaire. Statistical analysis for the study was done with partial least squares – structural equation modeling.FindingsThe outcome of the survey exhibited that the significant factors contributing to e-waste recycling resistance are usage barrier, value barrier, risk barrier and tradition barrier.Practical implicationsThe study offers implications for multiple stakeholders, which aid them in formulating strategies to overcome e-waste recycling resistance.Originality/valueThis research has remarkable importance as it is the pioneering study that extensively investigates the reasons for e-waste recycling resistance in an emerging economy. The study also empirically validates the moderating role of environmental awareness, age, gender and income in the relationship between barriers and resistance to e-waste recycling.

The primary objective of this empirical study is to identify the antecedents of e-waste recycling and the role played by economic incentives in encouraging this behaviour among Indians. The theory of planned behaviour was employed to achieve the motive, and a webbased survey was used to collect data. A total of 338 responses from Indian urban households were taken for the PLS-SEM analysis. The statistical analysis revealed that environmental concern and attitude contribute to e-waste recycling intention. The study also documented the insignificant moderating role of green economic incentives in the relationship between the antecedents and e-waste recycling intention. This paper offers practical implications for fuelling e-waste recycling, especially regarding the implementation of economic incentives to promote e-waste recycling.