Consumer Attitudes Toward E-waste Reuse and Recycling in Selected Villages in Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and China

Abstract

Consumer attitudes toward e-waste management systems were studied by questionnaire surveys of residents from two villages selected in each of Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and China. Villagers from Japan scored highest in having a positive attitude toward extracting gold from e-waste for Tokyo Olympics medals. The attitude of the villagers from Kamikatsu, Japan was consistently more willing to support and volunteer to improve their environment than that from Tokushima; but more resistant to involvement in improper e-waste dumping and having solutions to the problem. Similar attitudes were also found in the villagers of Hong Ren Old Village and New Village, China. Among the villages with the e-waste management practice, the villagers of Bui Village (Vietnam) and Hong Ren Old Village have demonstrated more of their positive attitudes than those of Kamikatsu and Village #3 (Thailand) toward improving their environment, satisfying with e-waste-related laws, and supporting for extracting precious metals from e-waste. Among the villages not adopting the e-waste management practice, however, the villagers of Duong Xa (Vietnam) demonstrated the highest positive attitudes in their satisfaction with e-waste-related laws, and led with Village #5 (Thailand) and Tokushima in their commitment to improving the environment and support for extracting precious metals from e-waste.