End-of-life management of electric and electronic equipment: A literature review based on mapping knowledge domains

Abstract

Electronic waste (e-waste) refers to obsolete electronic and electrical equipment and its materials. Due to the complex structure and composition of e-waste, improper disposal may generate substances harmful to humans and the environment and result in the loss of recyclable substances. To tackle the challenges in the end-of-life management of e-waste, there is a need for a systematic review of what the literature has investigated and found. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the extensive scientific literature related to e-waste management using a visualized approach. Overall, 8149 research articles were selected and exported from the Web of Science and then analyzed based on mapping knowledge domains. CiteSpace and Gephi, as effective tools, were utilized to identify hidden patterns and correlations from large and complex research outcomes from 1998 to 2019. This research discussed the evolution of global e-waste management, the knowledge-based network, research topics, frontiers and the cooperation relationships. Finally, this state-of-the-art review generated a few research directions that can be further investigated in this research field.