E-Waste as Perceived by Different World Economies: Critical Review of Literature

Abstract

This article outlines how different world economies define e-waste. It further looks at how the narratives coming from these definitions affect the scope of management of e-waste.  Geographical and social-economic dynamism does affect similarities and differences in approaches to the management of e-waste.   As much as each geographical location defines e-waste in its own familiar context and peculiarity, several definitions have major components left out or added, creating strengths or weaknesses for each one of them. Each definition on its own uniquely shows the regional integration in thought and how diverse it is in beliefs of what are uniquely them. This article sums up by showing how an aspect of e-waste management – disposal, has predicted how economies define e-waste and why there is need to understand different contextual definitions for different world economies so as to effectively manage electrical and electronic equipment once they reach their end of life in the context of the user. The study identifies factors that have aided disposal of e-waste, these factors include; legal and regulatory frameworks, e-waste concept, availability and affordability of the EEE. This study considers Disposal of EEE as a determinant measure of e-waste definition.