Abstract:
This study aimed to examine household effective e-waste management behaviour in the
Trincomalee District of Sri Lanka. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 200
households using a structured questionnaire. The conceptual framework integrated the
theory of planned behaviour and behavioral reasoning theory to investigate the
relationships between e-waste attitudes, reasons for and against e-waste management,
intentions, and management behaviour. This study aimed to examine household e-waste
management behaviour and potential for effective e-waste management in the
Trincomalee District of Sri Lanka. Households exhibited . high levels of e-waste
awareness but engaged in suboptimal disposal practices, such as throwing small e-waste
in the garbage and selling larger items to scrap dealers. E-waste reasons for behaviour
positively influenced attitudes (B : 0.862, p < 0.001) and intentions towards e-waste
management (P : 0.813, p < 0.001). The findings highlight the need for a multi-faceted
approach to e-waste management, addressing psychological and structural barriers.
Practical implications include establishing formal collection and recycling
infrastructure, implementing extended producer responsibility programs, and
promoting repair and refurbishment initiatives. The study contributes to the growing
body of research on sustainable e-waste management in developing countries. The
study's limitations include its small sample size, cross-sectional design, and reliance on
self-reported data. Future research should employ longitudinal and experimental
designs, integrate insights from multiple disciplines, and evaluate interventions to
promote sustainable e-waste management.
