Survey: Consumers Believe Recycling is the Way to Handle E-Waste

In a recent Pike Research survey of more than 1,000 Americans, 76 of the respondents said that recycling is the best way to handle e-waste.

“The consumer is an integral link in the chain for electronics recycling and e-waste management,” said Pike Research managing director Clint Wheelock in a press release. “In order for the industry to achieve its goals, consumer values, attitudes, and behavior will need to support responsible handling of end-of-life electronics equipment. Popular sentiment is also essential to support the political will of governments as they strive to mitigate e-waste issues through legislation and regulation.”

Among the surveys other findings:

• Thirty-seven percent of respondents said that e-waste recycling should be free and 35 percent said the material should be collected by a curbside recycling program.

• Fourteen percent believe that the expense of e-waste recycling should be paid by consumers when the product is purchased or at the time of recycling. Ten percent supported a “producer responsibility” responsibility system in which the manufacturer pays.

For more on the survey, click here.