Why do Spanish households separate their e-waste for proper disposal? An econometric analysis

Improving e-waste separate collection rates is of the utmost importance to achieve the environmental targets set in the Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the factors influencing the intentions of Spanish households to separate their e-waste for proper disposal. To...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science and pollution research international 2022-01, Vol.29 (5), p.7185-7201
Main Authors: Arbués, Fernando, Villanúa, Inmaculada
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic Pollution
Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution
Bivariate analysis
Cities
Earth and Environmental Science
Econometrics
Economic analysis
Ecotoxicology
Electronic Waste
Environment
Environmental Chemistry
Environmental Health
Environmental perception
Environmental science
Family Characteristics
Garbage collection
Households
Humans
Refuse Disposal
Research Article
Solid Waste
Sustainable development
Waste Management
Waste sorting
Waste Water Technology
Water Management
Water Pollution Control
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Summary:Improving e-waste separate collection rates is of the utmost importance to achieve the environmental targets set in the Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the factors influencing the intentions of Spanish households to separate their e-waste for proper disposal. To this end, we carry out an econometric analysis revealing that the preoccupation with environmental issues is an endogenous regressor, so a bivariate model is required to avoid inconsistent results. The analysis shows that environmental concern and the origin of the individuals are relevant factors that influence the e-waste separation decision. Additionally, we observe an interaction between age and city size, so the effect of one of these factors on the probability of separating e-waste depends on the other factor. Another important result is that several socio-economic variables and knowledge of environmental issues only indirectly affect attitudes, by way of environmental concern. In summary, this study offers a useful methodology to policymakers who have to deal with e-waste management, allowing them to identify the priority groups on which should be focused, as well as to design specific measures tailored to their characteristics.
ISSN:0944-1344
1614-7499
DOI:10.1007/s11356-021-15933-9