From linear to a circular economy in the e-waste management sector: Experience from the transition barriers in the United Kingdom

E-waste generation is rising apace, and it is estimated that e-waste production could reach 74.7 Mt by 2030. Hence, it is essential to develop tactics and methodologies for the formal management and treatment of e-waste. The implementation of the concepts of a circular economy (CE) has been perceived as an efficient methodology for the efficacious management of such waste; however, the transition process from the linear economy to CE still involves several barriers. There are only a few studies that have integrated the concept of CE with e-waste management for sustainability. This study will focus on the UK's household e-waste management sector to identify and analyze the key barriers that impede the transition of the UK's e-waste management sector to the CE model. For this purpose, a team of experts was formulated and their expertise was captured using the Decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) methodology. The DEMATEL technique employs critical evaluation principles, measures the weights of the evaluation criteria, and helps in finding the most critical barriers through a visual structural model. The DEMATEL method also categorizes the factors into cause-and-effect groups and utilizes a visualization model to simplify the interdependence and intensity of the impacts of the various factors. The results revealed that the "Lack of processing technologies," "Lack of returns and profits," "Lack of expert knowledge," "Lack of effective guidance and standards for the proper collection methods," and "Lack of proper knowledge" are the most significant barriers obstructing the adoption of CE in the management of e-waste in the United Kingdom. Thus, the government needs to take strong actions to give financial support in terms of incentives to the stakeholders for effective e-waste handling.