Electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) recycling and management strategies in South Asian region: a systematic review from Sri Lankan context

Abstract

Electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) has become a global crisis. Managing this ever-growing problem has become very critical and yet challenging, especially in the South Asian region; otherwise, it may undermine the sustainability of development and growth of numerous industries. Hence, to explore the current context of e-waste management, recycling, and strategies in Sri Lanka, we conducted a systematic literature review process using peer-reviewed research articles retrieved from Google Scholar Database. We searched for articles containing keywords such as “e-waste”, “management strategies and recycling”, and “Sri Lanka”. We screened out papers (n = 20) selected from papers (n = 327) initially retrieved over a 17 period of time (2005–2022). The analysis of the screened articles showed that the main challenges to successful e-waste management were a lack of management strategies, policies, and inadequate recycling practices as well as identifying the potential and opportunities to actively enhance the comprehensive awareness, collection, storage, proper disposal, and other e-waste management steps in Sri Lanka. Further, the study identified technological, financial, socio-economic, and institutional sectors as fundamental sectors to formulate a strategic plan for e-waste management. Also, the study suggests that enacting laws to practice and adopt e-waste management, establishing central command and management institutes to control all e-waste management bodies, providing financial assistance to informal e-waste collectors and recyclers, and introducing e-waste management to school curricula are some of the possible actions that can be taken along with enhancing the awareness of  e-waste management.

Graphical abstract