The Effects of Environmental Values on Gen Z’s E-Waste Recycling Intention
Keywords:
E-waste recycling, environmental values, Theory of Planned Behavior, perceived behavioral control
Abstract
The rapid growth of electronic waste (e-waste) has become a pressing environmental concern, necessitating a deeper understanding of individuals' intentions toward responsible e-waste management. This study aims to explore the relationship between e-waste recycling intentions using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) while considering the influence of environmental values. The research design employs a quantitative approach, utilizing a survey questionnaire to collect data from 115 Gen Z respondents. The findings show that perceived behavioral control, subjective norms and environmental values influence the intention to recycle e-waste while attitude was not impactful in influencing e-waste recycling intention. The findings will offer valuable insights for policymakers, environmental organizations, and practitioners seeking to promote sustainable e-waste practices. Ultimately, the study aims to foster a more comprehensive understanding of how individual attitudes can be leveraged to drive positive changes in e-waste management and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 50(2), 179-211.
Ajzen, I. (2002). Perceived behavioral control, self?efficacy, locus of control, and the theory of planned behavior 1. Journal of applied social psychology, 32(4), 665-683.
Amoabeng Nti, A. A., Arko-Mensah, J., Botwe, P. K., Dwomoh, D., Kwarteng, L., Takyi, S. A. & Fobil, J. N. (2020). Effect of particulate matter exposure on respiratory health of e-waste workers at Agbogbloshie, Accra, Ghana. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(9), 3042.
Bagozzi, R. P. & Yi, Y. (1988). On the evaluation of structural equation models. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 16(1), 74-94.
Bamberg, S. (2002). Effects of implementation intentions on the actual performance of new environmentally friendly behaviors—results of two field experiments, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 22(4), 399-411.
Batra, R. & Ahtola, O. T. (1991). Measuring the hedonic and utilitarian sources of consumer attitudes. Marketing letters, 2, 159-170.
Business Today, By. & Business Today. (2023, February 2). E-waste in Malaysia – a gnawing problem. Business Today. https://www.businesstoday.com.my/2023/02/02/e-waste-in-malaysia-a-gnawing-problem/
Byrne, B. M. (2010). Structural equation modeling with AMOS: basic concepts, applications, and programming (multivariate applications series). New York: Taylor & Francis Group, 396, 7384.
Comber, R. & Thieme, A. (2013). Designing beyond habit: Opening space for improved recycling and food waste behaviors through processes of persuasion, social influence and aversive effect. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 17(6), 1197-1210.
Davis, J. M. & Garb, Y. (2019). A strong spatial association between e?waste burn sites and childhood lymphoma in the West Bank, Palestine. International Journal of Cancer, 144(3), 470-475.
Dhir, A., Malodia, S., Awan, U., Sakashita, M. & Kaur, P. (2021). Extended valence theory perspective on consumers' e-waste recycling intentions in Japan. Journal of Cleaner Production, 312, 127443.
Fornara, F., Carrus, G., Passafaro, P. & Bonnes, M. (2011). Distinguishing the sources of normative influence on pro-environmental behaviors: The role of local norms in household waste recycling. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 14(5), 623-635. doi: 10.1177/1368430211408149
Fornell, C. & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50.
Forti V., Baldé C. P., Kuehr R. & Bel G. (2020). The Global E-waste Monitor 2020: Quantities, flows and the circular economy potential. United Nations University (UNU)/United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) – co-hosted SCYCLE Program, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) & International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), Bonn/Geneva/Rotterdam.
Han, H., Yu, J., Kim, H. & Kim, W. (2018). Impact of social/personal norms and willingness to sacrifice on young vacationers’ pro-environmental intentions for waste reduction and recycling. J. Sustain. Tourism, 26(12), 2117e2133.
Hair Jr, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. & Sarstedt, M. (2016). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) Sage Publications. Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.
Huo, X., Wu, Y., Xu, L., Zeng, X., Qin, Q. & Xu, X. (2019). Maternal urinary metabolites of PAHs and its association with adverse birth outcomes in an intensive e-waste recycling area. Environmental Pollution, 245, 453-461.
Huffman, A. H., Van Der Werff, B. R., Henning, J. B. & Watrous-Rodriguez, K. (2014). When do recycling attitudes predict recycling? An investigation of self-reported versus observed behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 38, 262-270.
Jiang, L., Zhang, J., Wang, H. H., Zhang, L., He, K. (2018). The impact of psychological factors on farmers’ intentions to reuse agricultural biomass waste for carbon emission abatement. J. Clean. Prod. 189, 797e804. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.jclepro.2018.04.040.
Khan, F., Ahmed, W. & Najmi, A. (2019). Understanding consumers’ behavior intentions towards dealing with the plastic waste: perspective of a developing country. Resource Conservation Recycle, 142, 49e58. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.resconrec.2018.11.020.
Khalil, M. S., Abdullah, S. H., Manaf, L. A., Sharaai, A. H. & Nabegu, A. B. (2017). Examining the moderating role of perceived lack of facilitating conditions on household recycling intention in Kano, Nigeria, Recycling, 2(4), 18.
Kianpour, K., Jusoh, A., Mardani, A., Streimikiene, D., Cavallaro, F., Nor, K. M. & Zavadskas, E. K. (2017). Factors influencing consumers’ intention to return the end-of-life electronic products through reverse supply chain management for reuse, repair and recycling. Sustainability, 9(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/ su9091657.
Kline, R. B. (2011). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (3. Bask?). New York, NY: Guilford.
Nguyen, H. T. T. (2023). Integrating the valence theory and the norm activation theory to understand consumers’ e-waste recycling intention. Chinese Journal of Population, Resources and Environment, 21(1), 26-36.
Nordlund, A. M. & Garvill, J. (2003). Effects of values, problem awareness, and personal norm on willingness to reduce personal car use, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 23(4), 339-347.
Ofori, D. & Opoku Mensah, A. (2022). Sustainable electronic waste management among households: A circular economy perspective from a developing economy. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, 33(1), 64-85.
Perloff, R. M. (2020). The dynamics of persuasion: Communication and attitudes in the twenty-first century. Routledge.
Ramzan, S., Liu, C., Xu, Y., Munir, H. & Gupta, B. (2021). The adoption of online e-waste collection platform to improve environmental sustainability: An empirical study of Chinese millennials. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, 32(2), 193-209.
Ramayah, T., Cheah, J., Chuah, F., Ting, H. & Memon, M. A. (2018). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using smartPLS 3.0.
Russell, S., Young, C., Unsworth, K. & Robinson, C. (2017). Bringing habits and emotions into food waste behavior. Resource Conservation. Recycle, 125, 107e114.
Saphores, J. D. M., Ogunseitan, O. A. & Shapiro, A. A. (2012). Willingness to engage in a pro-environmental behavior: An analysis of e-waste recycling based on a national survey of US households. Resources, conservation and recycling, 60, 49-63.
Schwartz, S. H. (1977). Normative influences on altruism. In Advances in experimental social psychology, 10, 221-279). Academic Press.
SEMUELS, A. (n.d.). The World Has an E-Waste Problem. Time. https://time.com/5594380/world-electronic-waste-problem/
Soetrisno, F. N. & Delgado-Saborit, J. M. (2020). Chronic exposure to heavy metals from informal e-waste recycling plants and children's attention, executive function and academic performance. Science of the Total Environment, 717, 137099.
Schwartz, S. H. (2012). An overview of the Schwartz theory of basic values. Online readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(1), 2307-0919.
Steg, L. & Nordlund, A. (2018). Theories to explain environmental behavior. Environmental Psychology: an introduction, 217-227.
Stern, P. C., Dietz, T., Abel, T., Guagnano, G. A. & Kalof, L. (1999). A value-belief-norm theory of support for social movements: The case of environmentalism. Human ecology review, 81-97.
Sorkun, M. F. (2018). How do social norms influence recycling behavior in a collectivistic society? A case study from Turkey, Waste Management, 80, 359-370
Timm, S. N. & Deal, B. M. (2016). Effective or ephemeral? The role of energy information dashboards in changing occupant energy behaviors. Energy Research & Social Science, 19, 11-20.
Ting, H., Thaichon, P., Chuah, F. & Tan, S. R. (2019). Consumer behavior and disposition decisions: The why and how of smartphone disposition. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 51, 212-220.
Triandis, H. C. (1977). Interpersonal behavior. Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.
Tonglet, M., Phillips, P. S. & Read, A. D. (2004). Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to investigate the determinants of recycling behavior: a case study from Brixworth, UK. Resources, conservation and recycling, 41(3), 191-214.
Riebl, S. K., Estabrooks, P. A., Dunsmore, J. C., Savla, J., Frisard, M. I., Dietrich, A. M. & Davy, B. M. (2015). A systematic literature review and meta-analysis: The Theory of Planned Behavior's application to understand and predict nutrition-related behaviors in youth. Eating behaviors, 18, 160-178.
Rosenthal, S. (2017). Procedural information and behavioral control: a longitudinal analysis of the intention-behavior gap in the context of recycling. Recycling, 3, 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling3010005.
Venkatesh, V. & Davis, F. D. (2000). A theoretical extension of the technology acceptance model: Four longitudinal field studies. Management Science, 46(2), 186-204.
Voss, K. E., Spangenberg, E. R. & Grohmann, B. (2003). Measuring the hedonic and utilitarian dimensions of consumer attitude. Journal of marketing research, 40(3), 310-320.
Wan, C., Shen, G. Q. & Choi, S. (2017). Experiential and instrumental attitudes: Interaction effect of attitude and subjective norm on recycling intention. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 50, 69-79.
White, K. M., Smith, J. R., Terry, D. J., Greenslade, J. H. & McKimmie, B. M. (2009). Social influence in the theory of planned behavior: The role of descriptive, injunctive, and in?group norms. British Journal of Social Psychology, 48(1), 135-158.
Xu, L., Huo, X., Liu, Y., Zhang, Y., Qin, Q. & Xu, X. (2020). Hearing loss risk and DNA methylation signatures in preschool children following lead and cadmium exposure from an electronic waste recycling area. Chemosphere, 246, 125829.
Yuriev, A., Dahmen, M., Paillé, P., Boiral, O. & Guillaumie, L. (2020). Pro-environmental behaviors through the lens of the theory of planned behavior: A scoping review. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 155, 104660.
Zhang, Y., Xu, X., Chen, A., Davuljigari, C. B., Zheng, X., Kim, S. S. & Huo, X. (2018). Maternal urinary cadmium levels during pregnancy associated with risk of sex-dependent birth outcomes from an e-waste pollution site in China. Reproductive toxicology, 75, 49-55.
Zhang, B., Lai, K., Wang, B. & Wang, Z. (2019). From intention to action: how do personal attitudes, facilities accessibility, and government stimulus matter for household waste sorting? Journal Environment Management, 233, 447e458.
Zuo, J., Rameezdeen, R., Hagger, M., Zhou, Z. & Ding, Z. (2017). Dust pollution control on construction sites: awareness and self-responsibility of managers, Journal of Cleaner Production, 166, 312-320.
Ajzen, I. (2002). Perceived behavioral control, self?efficacy, locus of control, and the theory of planned behavior 1. Journal of applied social psychology, 32(4), 665-683.
Amoabeng Nti, A. A., Arko-Mensah, J., Botwe, P. K., Dwomoh, D., Kwarteng, L., Takyi, S. A. & Fobil, J. N. (2020). Effect of particulate matter exposure on respiratory health of e-waste workers at Agbogbloshie, Accra, Ghana. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(9), 3042.
Bagozzi, R. P. & Yi, Y. (1988). On the evaluation of structural equation models. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 16(1), 74-94.
Bamberg, S. (2002). Effects of implementation intentions on the actual performance of new environmentally friendly behaviors—results of two field experiments, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 22(4), 399-411.
Batra, R. & Ahtola, O. T. (1991). Measuring the hedonic and utilitarian sources of consumer attitudes. Marketing letters, 2, 159-170.
Business Today, By. & Business Today. (2023, February 2). E-waste in Malaysia – a gnawing problem. Business Today. https://www.businesstoday.com.my/2023/02/02/e-waste-in-malaysia-a-gnawing-problem/
Byrne, B. M. (2010). Structural equation modeling with AMOS: basic concepts, applications, and programming (multivariate applications series). New York: Taylor & Francis Group, 396, 7384.
Comber, R. & Thieme, A. (2013). Designing beyond habit: Opening space for improved recycling and food waste behaviors through processes of persuasion, social influence and aversive effect. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 17(6), 1197-1210.
Davis, J. M. & Garb, Y. (2019). A strong spatial association between e?waste burn sites and childhood lymphoma in the West Bank, Palestine. International Journal of Cancer, 144(3), 470-475.
Dhir, A., Malodia, S., Awan, U., Sakashita, M. & Kaur, P. (2021). Extended valence theory perspective on consumers' e-waste recycling intentions in Japan. Journal of Cleaner Production, 312, 127443.
Fornara, F., Carrus, G., Passafaro, P. & Bonnes, M. (2011). Distinguishing the sources of normative influence on pro-environmental behaviors: The role of local norms in household waste recycling. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 14(5), 623-635. doi: 10.1177/1368430211408149
Fornell, C. & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50.
Forti V., Baldé C. P., Kuehr R. & Bel G. (2020). The Global E-waste Monitor 2020: Quantities, flows and the circular economy potential. United Nations University (UNU)/United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) – co-hosted SCYCLE Program, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) & International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), Bonn/Geneva/Rotterdam.
Han, H., Yu, J., Kim, H. & Kim, W. (2018). Impact of social/personal norms and willingness to sacrifice on young vacationers’ pro-environmental intentions for waste reduction and recycling. J. Sustain. Tourism, 26(12), 2117e2133.
Hair Jr, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. & Sarstedt, M. (2016). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) Sage Publications. Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.
Huo, X., Wu, Y., Xu, L., Zeng, X., Qin, Q. & Xu, X. (2019). Maternal urinary metabolites of PAHs and its association with adverse birth outcomes in an intensive e-waste recycling area. Environmental Pollution, 245, 453-461.
Huffman, A. H., Van Der Werff, B. R., Henning, J. B. & Watrous-Rodriguez, K. (2014). When do recycling attitudes predict recycling? An investigation of self-reported versus observed behavior. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 38, 262-270.
Jiang, L., Zhang, J., Wang, H. H., Zhang, L., He, K. (2018). The impact of psychological factors on farmers’ intentions to reuse agricultural biomass waste for carbon emission abatement. J. Clean. Prod. 189, 797e804. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.jclepro.2018.04.040.
Khan, F., Ahmed, W. & Najmi, A. (2019). Understanding consumers’ behavior intentions towards dealing with the plastic waste: perspective of a developing country. Resource Conservation Recycle, 142, 49e58. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.resconrec.2018.11.020.
Khalil, M. S., Abdullah, S. H., Manaf, L. A., Sharaai, A. H. & Nabegu, A. B. (2017). Examining the moderating role of perceived lack of facilitating conditions on household recycling intention in Kano, Nigeria, Recycling, 2(4), 18.
Kianpour, K., Jusoh, A., Mardani, A., Streimikiene, D., Cavallaro, F., Nor, K. M. & Zavadskas, E. K. (2017). Factors influencing consumers’ intention to return the end-of-life electronic products through reverse supply chain management for reuse, repair and recycling. Sustainability, 9(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/ su9091657.
Kline, R. B. (2011). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (3. Bask?). New York, NY: Guilford.
Nguyen, H. T. T. (2023). Integrating the valence theory and the norm activation theory to understand consumers’ e-waste recycling intention. Chinese Journal of Population, Resources and Environment, 21(1), 26-36.
Nordlund, A. M. & Garvill, J. (2003). Effects of values, problem awareness, and personal norm on willingness to reduce personal car use, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 23(4), 339-347.
Ofori, D. & Opoku Mensah, A. (2022). Sustainable electronic waste management among households: A circular economy perspective from a developing economy. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, 33(1), 64-85.
Perloff, R. M. (2020). The dynamics of persuasion: Communication and attitudes in the twenty-first century. Routledge.
Ramzan, S., Liu, C., Xu, Y., Munir, H. & Gupta, B. (2021). The adoption of online e-waste collection platform to improve environmental sustainability: An empirical study of Chinese millennials. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, 32(2), 193-209.
Ramayah, T., Cheah, J., Chuah, F., Ting, H. & Memon, M. A. (2018). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using smartPLS 3.0.
Russell, S., Young, C., Unsworth, K. & Robinson, C. (2017). Bringing habits and emotions into food waste behavior. Resource Conservation. Recycle, 125, 107e114.
Saphores, J. D. M., Ogunseitan, O. A. & Shapiro, A. A. (2012). Willingness to engage in a pro-environmental behavior: An analysis of e-waste recycling based on a national survey of US households. Resources, conservation and recycling, 60, 49-63.
Schwartz, S. H. (1977). Normative influences on altruism. In Advances in experimental social psychology, 10, 221-279). Academic Press.
SEMUELS, A. (n.d.). The World Has an E-Waste Problem. Time. https://time.com/5594380/world-electronic-waste-problem/
Soetrisno, F. N. & Delgado-Saborit, J. M. (2020). Chronic exposure to heavy metals from informal e-waste recycling plants and children's attention, executive function and academic performance. Science of the Total Environment, 717, 137099.
Schwartz, S. H. (2012). An overview of the Schwartz theory of basic values. Online readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(1), 2307-0919.
Steg, L. & Nordlund, A. (2018). Theories to explain environmental behavior. Environmental Psychology: an introduction, 217-227.
Stern, P. C., Dietz, T., Abel, T., Guagnano, G. A. & Kalof, L. (1999). A value-belief-norm theory of support for social movements: The case of environmentalism. Human ecology review, 81-97.
Sorkun, M. F. (2018). How do social norms influence recycling behavior in a collectivistic society? A case study from Turkey, Waste Management, 80, 359-370
Timm, S. N. & Deal, B. M. (2016). Effective or ephemeral? The role of energy information dashboards in changing occupant energy behaviors. Energy Research & Social Science, 19, 11-20.
Ting, H., Thaichon, P., Chuah, F. & Tan, S. R. (2019). Consumer behavior and disposition decisions: The why and how of smartphone disposition. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 51, 212-220.
Triandis, H. C. (1977). Interpersonal behavior. Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.
Tonglet, M., Phillips, P. S. & Read, A. D. (2004). Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to investigate the determinants of recycling behavior: a case study from Brixworth, UK. Resources, conservation and recycling, 41(3), 191-214.
Riebl, S. K., Estabrooks, P. A., Dunsmore, J. C., Savla, J., Frisard, M. I., Dietrich, A. M. & Davy, B. M. (2015). A systematic literature review and meta-analysis: The Theory of Planned Behavior's application to understand and predict nutrition-related behaviors in youth. Eating behaviors, 18, 160-178.
Rosenthal, S. (2017). Procedural information and behavioral control: a longitudinal analysis of the intention-behavior gap in the context of recycling. Recycling, 3, 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling3010005.
Venkatesh, V. & Davis, F. D. (2000). A theoretical extension of the technology acceptance model: Four longitudinal field studies. Management Science, 46(2), 186-204.
Voss, K. E., Spangenberg, E. R. & Grohmann, B. (2003). Measuring the hedonic and utilitarian dimensions of consumer attitude. Journal of marketing research, 40(3), 310-320.
Wan, C., Shen, G. Q. & Choi, S. (2017). Experiential and instrumental attitudes: Interaction effect of attitude and subjective norm on recycling intention. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 50, 69-79.
White, K. M., Smith, J. R., Terry, D. J., Greenslade, J. H. & McKimmie, B. M. (2009). Social influence in the theory of planned behavior: The role of descriptive, injunctive, and in?group norms. British Journal of Social Psychology, 48(1), 135-158.
Xu, L., Huo, X., Liu, Y., Zhang, Y., Qin, Q. & Xu, X. (2020). Hearing loss risk and DNA methylation signatures in preschool children following lead and cadmium exposure from an electronic waste recycling area. Chemosphere, 246, 125829.
Yuriev, A., Dahmen, M., Paillé, P., Boiral, O. & Guillaumie, L. (2020). Pro-environmental behaviors through the lens of the theory of planned behavior: A scoping review. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 155, 104660.
Zhang, Y., Xu, X., Chen, A., Davuljigari, C. B., Zheng, X., Kim, S. S. & Huo, X. (2018). Maternal urinary cadmium levels during pregnancy associated with risk of sex-dependent birth outcomes from an e-waste pollution site in China. Reproductive toxicology, 75, 49-55.
Zhang, B., Lai, K., Wang, B. & Wang, Z. (2019). From intention to action: how do personal attitudes, facilities accessibility, and government stimulus matter for household waste sorting? Journal Environment Management, 233, 447e458.
Zuo, J., Rameezdeen, R., Hagger, M., Zhou, Z. & Ding, Z. (2017). Dust pollution control on construction sites: awareness and self-responsibility of managers, Journal of Cleaner Production, 166, 312-320.
Published
2023-11-10
How to Cite
Ang, Y. S., Mohammad, N., & Mohammad Shobri, N. D. (2023). The Effects of Environmental Values on Gen Z’s E-Waste Recycling Intention. Information Management and Business Review, 15(4(SI)I), 27-37. https://doi.org/10.22610/imbr.v15i4(SI)I.3574
Issue
Section
Research Paper
Copyright (c) 2023 Yvonne S.M. Ang, Noorita Mohammad, Nor Diyana Mohammad Shobri
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Author (s) should affirm that the material has not been published previously. It has not been submitted and it is not under consideration by any other journal. At the same time author (s) need to execute a publication permission agreement to assume the responsibility of the submitted content and any omissions and errors therein. After submission of revised paper in the light of suggestions of the reviewers, the editorial team edits and formats manuscripts to bring uniformity and standardization in published material.
This work will be licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) and under condition of the license, users are free to read, copy, remix, transform, redistribute, download, print, search or link to the full texts of articles and even build upon their work as long as they credit the author for the original work. Moreover, as per journal policy author (s) hold and retain copyrights without any restrictions.
