PERCEPTION OF RURAL AND URBAN CONSUMERS ON E- WASTE MANAGEMENT
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Date
2020
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PROFESSOR JAYASHANKAR TELANGANA STATE AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
Abstract
Growth in the IT and communication sectors has enhanced the usage of the
electronic product exponentially world-wide. Faster upgradation and development of
new electrical and electronic products is attracting consumers to purchase latest ones
and discarding of old products is driving the ever-increasing production of electronic
waste (E-waste) to the solid waste stream which contains hazardous components leads
to a threat of deterioration in environmental conditions and mankind.
With a view to minimize environmental impacts, collection schemes for E-waste
management and awareness on its safe disposal, maximum re-use, recovery and
recycling of valuable materials are being implemented. So, a study has been conducted
to assess the perception of rural and urban consumers on E-waste management.
An exploratory research design was adopted in the study to assess the perception
on E-waste management. Urban consumers were selected from the twin cities of
Hyderabad and Secunderabad whereas rural consumers were selected from the
Rangareddy district of Telangana state. Respondents were selected through simple
random sampling technique. Out of 120 samples, 60 samples were taken from urban
areas and 60 samples from rural areas. Statistical procedures like frequency, percentage,
mean and chi-square test were employed to analyze and interpret the data. Survey
research method was adopted by using structured questionnaire to collect the relevant
data. The socio-demographic profile was distributed according to the different
categories given in Modified Kuppuswamy’s socio-economic status scale updated for
the year 2019 and perception levels was analyzed by using likert scale.
Results revealed that 37 per cent from the rural areas belonged to age group of
30-40 years, mostly males, diploma holders with elementary occupation, income
ranged between Rs. 29,200 to 39,032, represented lower middle class whereas urban
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respondents belonged to 40-50 years, were females, had graduate degree with
professional ranged between Rs. 39,033 to 78,062 represented upper middle class.
All the respondents owned lighting equipment, while 95-98 per cent of the
respondents owned consumer equipment and small household appliances in which
rural respondents (68%) bought second-hand electronic products after its physical
damage contradictory to urban respondents.
However, rural respondents were totally unaware whereas urban respondents
were somewhat aware of the effects of discarding electronic products. The results
showed that the overall mean score of perception level were at the middle end within
the range of 2.53 to 3.53 of value for both categories.
It was noticed that both the rural and urban respondents sold the electronic
products to scrap dealer and replaced their existing electronic products when it was
unrepairable due to high repairing cost.
The results showed that 39.17 per cent of the respondents gathered
information about the way to dispose from user manual of the product. However, it
was noted that 42 per cent of the rural respondents gathered information about the
way to dispose from user manual of the product whereas 55 per cent of the urban
respondents gathered information from the internet.
Observations depicted that 52 per cent of the rural respondents felt that the
responsibility of E-waste should be taken up by the government whereas 48 per cent
urban respondents opted for the responsibility of consumers or ones’ own fault in the
collection and disposal of E-waste.
It was found that the rural respondents expressed the lack of convenience in
recycling E-waste while urban respondents felt that lack of awareness in E-waste
recycling as an obstacle.
It was further observed that the rural respondents thought that their discarded
equipment were re-sold in the second-hand market (81.67%) while urban respondents
had divided opinions like valuable and non-valuable products were extracted
(38.33%), equipments were recycled (35%) and sent to landfill (26.67%).
Irrespective of location, a significant association was observed between socio demographic profile characteristics and perception level of rural and urban
respondents
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D10,610