Development of an analytical method for quantitative comparison of the e-waste management systems in Thailand, Laos,...

This study employed a set of quantitative criteria to analyse the three parameters; namely policy, process, and practice; of the respective e-waste management systems adopted in Thailand, Laos, and China. Questionnaire surveys were conducted to determine the current status of the three parameters in relation to mobile phones. A total of five, three, and six variables under Policy (P₁), Process (P₂), and Practice (P₃), respectively, were analysed and their weighted averages were calculated. The results showed that among the three countries surveyed, significant differences at p<0.01 were observed in all the P₁, P₂, and P₃ variables, except P₃₀₅ (sending e-waste to recovery centres) and P₃₀₆ (treating e-waste by retailers themselves). Based on the quantitative method developed in this study, Laos' e-waste management system received the highest scores in both P_{1 average} (0.130) and P_{3 average} (0.129). However, in the combined P_total, China scored the highest (0.141), followed by Laos (0.132) and Thailand (0.121). This method could be used to assist decision makers in performing quantitative analysis of complex issues associating with e-waste management in a country.