Waste of electrical and electronic equipment: Trends and awareness among youths in Lithuania

Abstract

Waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has gained significant attention recently because of increasing consumption and related environmental impacts. This work focuses on Lithuania and analyses the trends of WEEE generation and management during the period 2008-2015. Attitudes and behaviour of students and pupils (main future consumers) regarding WEEE are also determined in this work. The analysis shows that the generation and collection of WEEE in Lithuania have been on the rise since the global economic crisis. In total, approximately 16260 metric tonnes of WEEE were collected in 2015 in Lithuania. Most of the collected WEEE consisted of large home appliances and information technology and telecommunication equipment. In addition, the survey highlights that some small WEEE is still discarded together with municipal waste. Results also report that there is a need for more information about WEEE as such, as well as the need for more collection points and possibly a refund system. The study suggests that those aspects could be of importance for the efficiency of WEEE management systems and related policy implementation.

A global review of consumer behavior towards e-waste and implications for the circular economy

“…Furthermore, the consumers' geographical locations impacted waste TV storage behavior, and in that case, the age of the sets was equal or greater than 16 years old. Dagiliūtė et al (2019) indicated that age has a positive association with storage. For example, due to limited purchase power, students tended to use the products as spares.…”

“…(2020) mentioned that community-based interventions to improve awareness levels have significance. Dagiliūtė et al (2019) mentioned that despite self-reported awareness, consumers were not familiar with the various classifications of e-waste (category of EEE) under the national EM of Lithuania. Among the various categories of e-waste, SE has a relatively shorter lifespan, and Echegaray (2016) found that the products' expected lifespan decreases with the electronic device's portability.…”

“…The study also found that a vast amount of the products was stored and reused before reaching the collection scheme. In Lithuania, Dagiliūtė et al (2019) found that approximately 31% of respondents stored obsolete EEE, which later transferred to the collection points. In Poland, Nowakowski (2019) found that computer accessories and other information technology equipment were frequently stored by households (by over 60% of the respondents).…”

“…Improvement of WEEE returns' convenient methods is a crucial factor enhancing the collection rate (for recycling) of stockpiled ewaste. Dagiliūtė et al (2019) found that consumers tended to repair their MPs if they were malfunctioning and if the operation is economically feasible; otherwise, the phones were stored or to a limited extent threw with household municipal waste.…”

Collecting Small-Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment in Poland—How Can Containers Help in Disposal of E-Waste by Individuals?

“…In Lithuania, the survey results highlight that a small amount of WEEE was discarded together with municipal waste. Residents expected more information about WEEE disposal options and more collection points [30]. A study in Portugal identified the sociodemographic factors that influence consumption and recycling behaviors on a case study of tablets and smartphones [31].…”