Post Date: 17 April 2026

Circular Economy of End-of-life Electronics: Case Analysis of Material Flow, Socio-economic and Environmental Impacts in Hong Kong

Abstract:

In Hong Kong, the continuously growing quantities of end‑of‑life electrical and electronic equipment (EOL‑EEE), which at household level reached an estimated 101,854 tonnes per year (13.21 kg per capita), constitute an enormous waste management challenge. Aiming to explore sustainable solutions to this problem, the present thesis examines practiced solutions and future potential transition pathways toward a circular economy (CE) such as reduce, reuse, repair, recycle, etc., for EOL‑EEE. Having conducted surveys among Hong Kong households and EOL‑electronic traders and repairers, the thesis analyses EOL-EEE pathways, models behavioural patterns, combines material flow analysis and carbon footprint assessment, and projects shared socioeconomic pathway scenarios. In sum, the study produces a comprehensive assessment on consumers’ and downstream processors’ behavioural dynamics, evaluates policy effectiveness and determines environmental outcomes of EOL‑EEE management systems in Hong Kong.

The findings show that while the WEEE Producer Responsibility Scheme (WPRS) has strengthened recycling (50.42%), substantial informal leakage persists through repair (12.98%), reuse (8.13%), export (9.51%) and recovery pathways (7.15%). The behavioural intention for repair (R² = 0.54) is primarily driven (p < 0.001) by environmental concern (β = 0.473), perceived behavioural control (β = 0.224), awareness of consequences (β = 0.195), subjective norms (β = 0.175) and attitude (β = 0.164). The “policy concern” is not a significant predictor, indicating that the current WPRS should be revised to more actively support the full EOL hierarchy through measures such as right‑to‑repair legislation. The subsequent life cycle assessment further demonstrates that reuse and repair deliver substantially higher carbon savings (up to 6,800 kg CO₂e per tonne) than recycling, which further suggests the need for a shift in official policymaking. Projected into the future, a more repair- and reuse-oriented CE pathway (SSP1) indicates potential cumulative emission reductions of approximately -15.41 million tonnes CO₂eq by 2050, equivalent to a 13.6% improvement relative to business‑as‑usual.

Overall, the results advocate prioritising repair subsidies, right‑to‑repair legislation and informal‑sector integration to shift the hierarchy from recycling toward reuse and repair, while leveraging consumers’ environmental concern and perceived control to shift higher circularity. These measures would better align Hong Kong’s EOL‑EEE management with the Waste Blueprint for Hong Kong 2035 and the Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050, supporting the city’s carbon‑neutrality and zero‑landfill targets.

Keywords: circular economy, EOL-EEE generation, EOL-EEE pathway, repair behaviour, material flow, carbon footprint, CE policy, e-waste, Hong Kong