Building an Agent-Based Simulation Framework of Smartphone Reuse and Recycling: Integrating Privacy Concern and Behavioral Norms

Wenbang Hou, Dingjie Peng, Jianing Chu, Yuelin Jiang, Yu Chen () and Feier Chen ()
Additional contact information
Wenbang Hou: Department of Human and Engineered Environmental, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 2778563, Japan
Dingjie Peng: Graduate School of Fundamental Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 1698050, Japan
Jianing Chu: Department of Human and Engineered Environmental, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 2778563, Japan
Yuelin Jiang: Department of Global Environmental Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 1138654, Japan
Yu Chen: Department of Human and Engineered Environmental, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 2778563, Japan
Feier Chen: State Key Laboratory of Ocean Engineering, School of Ocean and Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 15, 1-23

Abstract: The rapid proliferation of electronic waste, driven by the short lifecycle of smartphones and planned obsolescence strategies, presents escalating global environmental challenges. To address these issues from a systems perspective, this study develops an agent-based modeling (ABM) framework that simulates consumer decisions and stakeholder interactions within the smartphone reuse and recycling ecosystem. The model incorporates key behavioral drivers— privacy concerns , moral norms , and financial incentives —to examine how social and economic factors shape consumer behavior. Four primary agent types—consumers, manufacturers, recyclers, and second-hand retailers—are modeled to capture complex feedback and market dynamics. Calibrated using empirical data from Jiangsu Province, China, the simulation reveals a dominant consumer tendency to store obsolete smartphones rather than engage in reuse or formal recycling. However, the introduction of government subsidies significantly shifts behavior, doubling participation in second-hand markets and markedly improving recycling rates. These results highlight the value of integrating behavioral insights into environmental modeling to inform circular economy strategies. By offering a flexible and behaviorally grounded simulation tool, this study supports the design of more effective policies for promoting responsible smartphone disposal and lifecycle extension.

Keywords: privacy concern; agent-based modeling; consumer behavior; smartphone recycling; circular economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/15/6885/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/15/6885/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:15:p:6885-:d:1712550

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().