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 wasteproblem in relation to the consumption and its generation posing serious threatto the management of wastes. Uganda government is yet to enact an ExtendedProducerResponsibilityrelatedlawswithintheirnationallegislationstomanage E-wasteeffectively. The paperaimsto examine theExtended ProducerResponsibility (EPR)system critical success factors based on the Theory ofPlanned Behavior(TPB)and consider ecological design concept as a potentialextension of the TPB in promoting sustainable electronic waste management.The survey questionnaires were administered to expert environmental-orientedgovernment employees. Data was analysed by means ofthe Partial-Least-SquaresStructural-Equation-Modelling.Thefindingsdemonstratethatthedeveloped conceptual framework explain 52.4% variance in the intentions toparticipate and practice EPR systems, thus reflecting a good explanatory powerwhile confirming the model robustness. The results illustrate all TPB constructsofattitude,intentions, perceivedbehavioralcontrolandsubjectivenorm,towardsEPR schemes have significantpositive effecton the outcome ofsustainable E-waste management. Exceptionally, it indicates ecological designisthemostinfluentialpredictorofsustainableE-wastemanagementforimplementation of EPR systems. Building on the study results, for properelectronicwastemanagementprogramsdeployment,andsuccessfulimplementation of EPR systems, developing countries should target the TPBconstructs, and ecological design as an extension factor. As policy implication,government should emphasize the nurturing of good ecological design behaviorof organizations and also encourage effort toward green actions taken throughpenalties and incentives and by laws and regulations.Key words: Theory of Planned Behavior, Ecological design, E-waste, Sustainability,Extended Producer Responsibility