Exploring consumer's attitudes and willingness toward e-waste recycling for reverse logistics in Ho Chi Minh City: a pathway to support the circular economy

Abstract

Every year, millions of tons of electronic garbage (e-waste) are produced worldwide. This tendency is predicted to increase, which has governments, experts, legislators, and academics concerned about how to manage and recycle e-waste. Lately, the behavioral components of e-waste recycling have gained more attention. Some analyses suggest that the seriousness of the e-waste crisis largely results from consumers’ low participation in proper disposal methods. Understanding the elements influencing consumers' behavioral intentions is essential to increasing their involvement in recycling. This study fills this gap by examining attitudes and intentions toward the recycling of e-waste using Behavioral Reasoning Theory, a novel paradigm for consumer behavior. It also integrates Valence Theory and Innovation Resistance Theory to assess how consumers evaluate their recycling choices. The research examined the relative impact of motivations for and against e-waste recycling on attitudes and intentions within a unified framework. The model was tested through structural equation modeling with 342 participants in Ho Chi Minh City. The results indicated that motivations for recycling positively impacted attitudes and intentions, while consumer values were negatively related to motivations against recycling. These findings support regulatory hypotheses, demonstrating how perceived advantages of recycling, environmental concerns, and value compatibility influence recycling intentions. Thus, this investigation makes sense for policymakers, scholars, and decision-makers who want to learn more about consumer intentions in recycling e-waste.