Extended Producer Responsibility in Mitigating E-waste: A Study of Mobile Phone Users in India
摘要
The paper explores the issue of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) as a means of addressing electronic waste (e-waste) caused by the use of mobile phones in India. As an evolving policy tool, EPR shifts the responsibility of recycling and end-of-life product management back to the manufacturers, which in turn promotes environmentally friendly design, the use of fewer materials, and products that last longer. These actions do not only reduce environmental impact but also help to reduce the costs of e-waste disposal that usually was paid by the taxpayers. Although the application of EPR in India is accompanied by regulatory and logistical issues, the recent policy frameworks proposed by the Central Pollution Control Board, which is modeled after the Japanese and the European Union experience, indicates the rising trend of sustainable e-waste management. Large smartphone producers such as Apple, Google, Huawei, Motorola, OnePlus, Samsung, and Xiaomi have started to recognize and respond to their obligations under EPR requirements. This paper also examines the role of corporate marketing and consumer behaviour in the replacement of devices and e-waste build-up. It ends with specific policy suggestions and implementation plans to integrate EPR in the mobile device industry of India. The paper also examines the role of corporate marketing strategy and consumer behaviour in the device replacement cycle and e-waste accumulation. It ends up with suggesting specific policy recommendations and implementation plans to achieve successful integration of EPR in the mobile device industry in India.