Illuminating the consumer viewpoint in plans for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment treatment: leveraging Twitter data analysis
Subject Areas : General ManagementAkbar Alam Tabriz 1 * , sara shafahi 2 , alireza motameni 3
1 - Department of Management, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
2 - دانشجوی دکتری رشته مدیریت فناوری اطلاعات دانشگاه شهید بهشتی
3 - عضو هیات علمی
Keywords: Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), End-of-Life (EOL), WEEE treatment, WEEE management ,
Abstract :
Rapid advancements in technology have led to a significant rise in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), necessitating the development of effective strategies for managing this growing waste stream. This study explores consumer perspectives and preferences regarding End-of-Life (EOL) options for WEEE. By analyzing a substantial dataset of 2,905,579 Twitter tweets collected between May 2019 and April 2022, and utilizing the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) technique, we were able to identify the key factors influencing consumer decisions. These factors include accessibility of recycling centers, consumer awareness regarding EOL options, trust in government initiatives, potential economic incentives, involvement of charitable organizations in collection processes, and data security concerns during electronic waste disposal. FAHP was further employed to assess the suitability of each EOL option (reuse, remanufacturing, recycling, and disposal) based on these identified factors. The findings from this study offer valuable insights that can inform WEEE management practices, promote the development of efficient electronic waste disposal strategies, and contribute to the establishment of a circular economy for electronic waste.