Scenario of e-waste management: Navigating business prospects overcoming environmental challenges

https://doi.org/10.35912/joste.v6i3.2674
Published: May 19, 2025

Abstract:

Purpose: The main objective of this study is to determine the scenario of e-waste management from a global and Bangladeshi perspective and navigate potential business prospects in the procedure of e-waste management minimizing health hazards.

Research Methodology: The research was conducted by collecting data from reports and research papers from different international and national sources, interviews with 500 residents of Dhaka City, and five no. of recycling companies in Bangladesh. Upon descriptive analysis of the scenarios of global and Bangladeshi e-waste management, we tried to establish a relationship between proper e-waste management and business prospects.

Results: The study found that home appliances and cell phones form the majority of e-waste. Informal recycling practices are responsible for high environmental and health risks. Moving towards a structured, formal recycling process can bring significant economic benefits in the form of employment opportunities and recovery of resources from e-waste.

Conclusions: Effective e-waste management, supported by advanced technology and strong policy enforcement, is essential for protecting health and the environment while generating economic and employment opportunities.

Limitations: The sample for the interview was taken from Dhaka City only. A larger population could make the study richer.

Contribution: The study suggests setting up advanced recycling facilities and transforming entire e-waste management practices through internationally and cooperatively adopted sustainable measures. It emphasizes developing proactive policies and enhancing public awareness of proper e-waste management with a view to effectively facing the challenges and grabbing the business opportunities available from the e-waste management process.

Novelty: This research has tried to bring out economic benefits and business opportunities from the process of e-waste management. It highlights that structured and sustainable e-waste management fosters economic growth, mitigates health hazards, and saves the environment.

Keywords:
1. Business opportunity
2. E-waste management
3. Prospects
4. recycling
5. WEEE
Authors:
1 . Debobrota Kumar Sarker
SouthAsia Research & Corporate Advisory Ltd, Dhaka, Bangladesh
2 . Shompa Rani Shaha
South Asia Research and Corporate and Advisory Ltd, Dhaka, Bangladesh
3 . Deepongkor Saha
South Asia Research and Corporate and Advisory Ltd, Dhaka, Bangladesh
4 . Mrinal Kanti Saha
EQMS Consulting Limited, Dhaka, Bangladesh
5 . S. Mridul Kanti Saha
Dept. of EEE, Gono Bishwabidyalay, Savar, Bangladesh
6 . Bipul Kumar Sarker
Habibullah Bahar College, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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How to Cite
Sarker, D. K., Shaha, S. R., Saha, D., Saha, M. K., Saha, S. M. K., & Sarker, B. K. (2025). Scenario of e-waste management: Navigating business prospects overcoming environmental challenges. Journal of Sustainable Tourism and Entrepreneurship, 6(3), 209–226. https://doi.org/10.35912/joste.v6i3.2674
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Vol. 6 No. 3 (2025): May
Articles
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References

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    Ahirwar, R., & Tripathi, A. K. (2021). E-waste management: A review of recycling process, environmental and occupational health hazards, and potential solutions. Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring & Management, 15, 100409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enmm.2020.100409

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    Mann, A., Saxena, P., Almanei, M., Okorie, O., & Salonitis, K. (2022). Environmental impact assessment of different strategies for the remanufacturing of user electronics. Energies, 15(7), 2376. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15072376

    Masud, M. H., Akram, W., Ahmed, A., Ananno, A. A., Mourshed, M., Hasan, M., & Joardder, M. U. H. (2019). Towards the effective E-waste management in Bangladesh: a review. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 26(2), 1250-1276.

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    Mor, R. S., Sangwan, K. S., Singh, S., Singh, A., & Kharub, M. (2021). E-waste management for environmental sustainability: an exploratory study. Procedia CIRP, 98, 193-198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2021.01.029

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    Rautela, R., Arya, S., Vishwakarma, S., Lee, J., Kim, K.-H., & Kumar, S. (2021). E-waste management and its effects on the environment and human health. Science of the Total environment, 773, 145623. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145623

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    Roy, H., Islam, M. S., Haque, S., & Riyad, M. (2022). Electronic waste management scenario in Bangladesh: policies, recommendations, and case study at Dhaka and Chittagong for a sustainable solution. Sustainable Technology and Entrepreneurship, 1(3), 100025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stae.2022.100025

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    Uddin, B. (2023). Consumers' purchase behavior in Bangladesh: green products perspectives. Journal of Sustainable Tourism and Entrepreneurship, 4(2), 117-130. https://doi.org/10.35912/joste.v4i2.475

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    Zhang, L., & Zhang, Z. (2022). Dynamic analysis of the decision of authorized remanufacturing supply chain affected by government subsidies under cap-and-trade policies. Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, 160, 112237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chaos.2022.112237

    Zhang, Y., Qu, Y., Wang, W., Yu, S., & Liu, Y. (2019). Joint collection mode of waste mobile phones based on residents' preferences: A case of Dalian in China. Journal of cleaner production, 223, 350-359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.03.017

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  2. Ahirwar, R., & Tripathi, A. K. (2021). E-waste management: A review of recycling process, environmental and occupational health hazards, and potential solutions. Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring & Management, 15, 100409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enmm.2020.100409
  3. Akter, N., & Hossain, M. I. (2025). Interdependencies of stakeholders in e-waste management. Retrieved from https://www.tbsnews.net/thoughts/interdependencies-stakeholders-e-waste-management-752602
  4. Alam, M., & Bahauddin, K. (2015). E-waste in Bangladesh: evaluating the situation, legislation and policy and way forward with strategy and approach. Present Environment and Sustainable Development(2), 25-46. 10.1515/pesd-2015-0023
  5. Awasthi, A. K., Zeng, X., & Li, J. (2016). Comparative examining and analysis of e-waste recycling in typical developing and developed countries. Procedia Environmental Sciences, 35, 676-680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proenv.2016.07.065
  6. Bhattacharjee, P., Howlader, I., Rahman, M. A., Taqi, H. M. M., Hasan, M. T., Ali, S. M., & Alghababsheh, M. (2023). Critical success factors for circular economy in the waste electrical and electronic equipment sector in an emerging economy: Implications for stakeholders. Journal of cleaner production, 401, 136767. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136767
  7. BTRC. (n.d.). Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). Retrieved from https://btrc.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/btrc.portal.gov.bd/page/2f2e55a5_f856_40a4_b0f3_6839b3905318/2022-07-15-14-44-122c822b2b838d1f56ff844212a1f5c7.pdf
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  11. Forti, V., Balde, C. P., Kuehr, R., & Bel, G. (2020). The Global E-waste Monitor 2020: Quantities, flows and the circular economy potential.
  12. Garlapati, V. K. (2016). E-waste in India and developed countries: Management, recycling, business and biotechnological initiatives. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 54, 874-881. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2015.10.106
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  19. Masud, M. H., Akram, W., Ahmed, A., Ananno, A. A., Mourshed, M., Hasan, M., & Joardder, M. U. H. (2019). Towards the effective E-waste management in Bangladesh: a review. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 26(2), 1250-1276.
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  22. Nguyen, H., Lee, C.-H., & Hung, R.-J. (2021). Willingness of end users to pay for e-waste recycling. Global journal of environmental science and management, 7(1), 47-58.
  23. Parvez, S. M., Huda, M. M., Rahman, M., Jahan, F., Fujimura, M., Hasan, S. S., . . . Knibbs, L. D. (2024). Hormonal, liver, and renal function associated with electronic waste (e-waste) exposure in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Toxicology, 505, 153833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tox.2024.153833
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  25. Rautela, R., Arya, S., Vishwakarma, S., Lee, J., Kim, K.-H., & Kumar, S. (2021). E-waste management and its effects on the environment and human health. Science of the Total environment, 773, 145623. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145623
  26. Rene, E. R., Sethurajan, M., Ponnusamy, V. K., Kumar, G., Dung, T. N. B., Brindhadevi, K., & Pugazhendhi, A. (2021). Electronic waste generation, recycling and resource recovery: Technological perspectives and trends. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 416, 125664. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125664
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  37. Zhang, L., & Zhang, Z. (2022). Dynamic analysis of the decision of authorized remanufacturing supply chain affected by government subsidies under cap-and-trade policies. Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, 160, 112237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chaos.2022.112237
  38. Zhang, Y., Qu, Y., Wang, W., Yu, S., & Liu, Y. (2019). Joint collection mode of waste mobile phones based on residents' preferences: A case of Dalian in China. Journal of cleaner production, 223, 350-359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.03.017