Innovative Platform and Incentive Mechanism Are the Keys for Electronic Waste Collection in Developing Countries

摘要

Electronic waste is ubiquitous with the development of information technology and replacement of electronic products. The volume of electronic waste worldwide was 50 million tons in 2012, which will increase by thirty-three percent by 2017. Developing a circular economy is an important way to construct an environmentally friendly society and achieve sustainability. For an end-of-life electronic product, collecting and recycling close its life cycle loop by sending the materials back into the industrial chain. Efficient collection of electronic waste is a prerequisite for formal recycling. In this viewpoint, we argue that an innovative platform and incentive mechanism are the keys for electronic waste collection.