Sustainability of Electronic Waste Management in Uganda: Driving Factors for the Extended Producer Responsibility Systems

Abstract

Uganda recognized the Strategic Development Goals (SDGs), a worldwideblueprint to be reached by 2030 for a brighter and more sustainable future forall, and incorporated them into the development of its Vision 2040 and NationalDevelopment Plan (NDP) for the 2020–2024–2025 timeframe. The need forsolutions to the worldwide e-waste problem is growing since e-waste is one ofthe waste streams that is developing the quickest and needs immediateattention. The study examined the driving factors for the successful ExtendedProducer Responsibility (EPR) systems implementation in Uganda based onelectronic products. The study employs the Behavioural Reasoning Theory(BRT) to understand Government employees’ perspective on drivers ofsuccessful EPR systems implementation in Uganda. Through a questionnairesurvey, data were collected conveniently from government employees, at thepolicy level, knowledgeable in E-waste and environmental-related issues. Dataanalysis was done through the Partial Least Squares – Structural-EquationModeling - (PLS-SEM). Findings show that the establishment of the economic,administrative and informative instruments, as well as their properenforcement, in implementing the EPR approach results in sustainable E-wastemanagement outcomes. The government should encourage concertedstakeholder partnerships, establish a sustainable E-waste management systemand fast-track the implementation of the EPR model that works for Uganda.For instance, deliberate government efforts towards green development paths,laws, policies, and enforcement of appropriate government legislation,strategic recycling of E-waste, enforcement of the 3R (Reduce, Reuse andRecycle) and local country processing. However, implementation of the EPRscheme also has several obstacles. Study implications and recommendationsare also included. Keywords: Extended Producer Responsibility, Policy, Instruments, Electronic Waste,Sustainable E-waste Management