Characteristics and Dynamics of University Students’ Awareness of Retired Mobile Phones in China

Ang Li, Bo Li (), Xia Liu (), Ying Zhang, Haiyan Zhang, Xuyang Lei, Suxia Hou and Bin Lu
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Ang Li: Department of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Xingtai Polytechnic College, Xingtai 054000, China
Bo Li: Department of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Xingtai Polytechnic College, Xingtai 054000, China
Xia Liu: School of Mathematics and Information Technology, Xingtai University, Xingtai 054000, China
Ying Zhang: School of Resources and Environment, Xingtai University, Xingtai 054000, China
Haiyan Zhang: School of Economy and Trade, Xingtai University, Xingtai 054000, China
Xuyang Lei: Department of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Xingtai Polytechnic College, Xingtai 054000, China
Suxia Hou: Department of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Xingtai Polytechnic College, Xingtai 054000, China
Bin Lu: State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 17, 1-14

Abstract: In order to obtain accurate data about university students’ awareness of retired mobile phones in China, a survey was conducted in both 2012 and 2020. There were 1011 respondents in 2012 and 1830 in 2020 that completed the questionnaire, respectively, aged 18–30 years old. This work proposes the following conclusions: lifetime is reduced from 1.95 years in 2012 to 1.92 years in 2020, with a standard deviation of 1.12 in 2012 and 0.99 in 2020; broken is the most common reason for replacements, but there are also many replacements caused by poor function, poor model, or stolen, while more than half of the retired mobile phones are stockpiled, instead of being donated or sold; voucher or cash incentives are the most efficient, while environmental and charitable incentives are also efficient; when participating in take-back services with mobile phones manufactured in the last five years, or even with broken ones, the expectant amount of cash refund is 20–300 CNY in 2012 and 20–500 CNY in 2020; most results are consistent with previous research, while the distinctions are important and helpful; policy implications are proposed to improve sustainable WEEE management systems.

Keywords: WEEE; e-waste; retired; phone; awareness; dynamics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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