Designing a Digital solution for improving Electronics waste recycling practices supporting SDGs: A Case study using Participatory design principles
Authors
Subedi, Roshan ; Pokharel, Sugam
Term
4. term
Publication year
2020
Submitted on
2020-08-04
Abstract
Kathmandu Valley, Nepal’s largest market for electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), faces growing challenges from electronic waste (e-waste). Nepal’s Department of Environment reports that 18,000 metric tons of e-waste were generated in the valley in 2017. Government attention and clear rules for safe disposal and reuse remain limited, which harms public health, the environment, and sustainable development. This thesis examines Nepal’s current e-waste recycling practices and uses these insights to design a digital solution that supports a shared, step-by-step shift toward more sustainable practices. The study draws on an extensive literature review, interviews with multiple stakeholders, a survey of a young user group, and a virtual future workshop. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior (which links attitudes, social norms, and perceived control to actions), the findings show that many people want to recycle their electronic devices but are held back by a lack of facilities, insufficient information, and limited awareness of options. These insights guided the design of a mobile app as a practical digital intervention. The concept follows the 3Rs: Recycle, Repair, Reuse. The app’s core features span five roles: providing information, using gamification for motivation, offering educational content, enabling communication between users and service providers, and hosting a trading platform for devices and parts. The research thus moves from mapping barriers faced by recyclers and households in Nepal to proposing a mobile app as a step toward better e-waste management.
Kathmandu-dalen, Nepals største marked for elektriske og elektroniske produkter (EEE), står over for stigende udfordringer med elektronisk affald (e-affald). Ifølge Nepals miljømyndigheder blev der genereret 18.000 metriske tons e-affald i dalen i 2017. Regeringen har endnu ikke prioriteret problemet tilstrækkeligt, og manglen på klare retningslinjer og regulering for sikker bortskaffelse og genbrug skader både menneskers sundhed, miljøet og den bæredygtige udvikling. Denne afhandling undersøger den nuværende genanvendelsessituation i Nepal og bruger indsigterne til at designe en digital løsning, der kan støtte en gradvis, fælles omstilling mod mere bæredygtige praksisser. Studiet bygger på en omfattende litteraturgennemgang, interviews med forskellige interessenter, et spørgeskema til en yngre brugergruppe og en virtuel fremtidsworkshop. Med udgangspunkt i teorien om planlagt adfærd (som forbinder holdninger, sociale normer og oplevet handlemulighed med faktisk adfærd) viser resultaterne, at mange gerne vil aflevere og genanvende deres elektroniske produkter, men bliver hæmmet af manglende faciliteter, utilstrækkelig information og ringe oplysning om mulighederne. Disse fund har informeret designet af en mobilapp som en praktisk, digital løsning. Konceptet følger 3R-tilgangen: Recycle, Repair, Reuse (genanvend, reparer, genbrug). Appens kernefunktioner dækker fem roller: at levere information, motivere gennem spilelementer (gamification), tilbyde læringsindhold, facilitere kommunikation mellem brugere og serviceudbydere samt muliggøre handel med udstyr og reservedele. Afhandlingen går således fra at kortlægge barrierer for både genanvendelsesvirksomheder og borgere i Nepal til at foreslå en mobilapp som et skridt mod bedre håndtering af e-affald.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]