3. Materials and methods

The methodical conception for this article is based on both reviews from available literature on sustainability, innovations and management strategies for e-waste, and results from e-waste survey carried out in Southeastern Nigeria. The survey was carried out in mutually exclusive strata of States (Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo and Abia) with 95 local government areas (LGAs). A local government area (LGA) was purposefully chosen from every senatorial district in each State, and the fourth LGA was taken as the State's capital. This selection was predicated on the high volume of e-waste generated and handled in these LGAs. Altogether, 20 LGAs were picked for the survey, with 4 LGAs selected from each State. Questionnaires were administered in each of these LGAs to end-users, traders/recyclers, and policy makers/monitors assessing the "socioeconomic of WEEE" of the study area. A population of 280 respondents was surveyed. From the table for determining sample size [30], a population of 280 respondents gives 162 sample size representatives of the respondents. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the study measured e-waste needs and demands; generation, collection and final disposal; recycling measures; associated jobs; incomes to traders and technicians; as well as technology frontiers. Both Table 3 and Figure 2 shows methodological approach employed. The analysis that followed established the extent of reliability and a 95% confidence level placed on the information elicited.

Sketchy findings suggest that a sustainable WEEE management scheme requires sufficient and continuous financing, frontier technologies, an equipped working environment and the right institutional motivations for key players [10]. The endusers of WEEE are mainly responsible for the patronage/usage of these UEEE. WEEE traders (or recycling firms) serve to collect and distribute these items, while the monitoring agencies ensure execution of policies, taking feedbacks and acting as check on other stakeholders. Hence, we administered three distinct questionnaires to these three players. Table 4 shows an outline of the main areas of interest captured in the respective questionnaire.

Three distinct questionnaires were administered to stakeholders. These are (1) the policy regulators and managers vis-a-vis "NESREA, SON, State Environment Protection Agencies, Environmental Health offices & Nigeria Customs Service"; (2) e-waste traders/recyclers—"Dealers, Marketer, Retailers, Technicians and Refurbishers/Recyclers of WEEE"; and (3) e-waste consumers/end-users—"Households, Government Institutions, Industries, Private Offices, Communication/Entertainment Businesses, Educational and Health-Care Centers".

The responses are presented in tables and figures in the sections that follow. The tables depict a collection of these stakeholders, managerial framework and endusers' participation. It then measured waste disposal pattern by the consumers, as


well as factors leading to choice of strategies adopted for the final disposal of e-waste recyclers and traders. It showed some of the strategies used by these entrepreneurs in the gathering, management and final disposal of WEEE. Lastly, it reflected on the socioeconomic drivers of e-waste, and the issues militating on

Stakeholder(s) Questionnaire

End-users/consumers B 137

Distributors/recyclers C 29

Distributors/recyclers C 29

Monitoring/control agencies

Wastes from Industrialized Nations: A Socio-economic Inquiry on E-waste Management…

Monitoring/control agencies

Monitoring/control agencies; end-users/ consumers; distributors/ recyclers

> Monitoring/control agencies

type administered

A 35

A 35

A, B and C 201

A 35

No. of respondents

sustainable framework for e-waste management systems.

Figure 2.

Table 4.

67

Representation of the retrieved administered questionnaire.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.88075

S/No Outline of key areas of interest of the questionnaire for "Socioeconomic assessment of e-waste"

1 Administrative framework for WEEE

2 End-user participation in WEEE management activities

3 e-Waste disposal practices and patterns by the consumers/endusers

4 Factors considered in adopting strategies for final disposal of WEEE by recyclers and dealers

5 WEEE collection, handling and disposal methods by entrepreneurs and recyclers in South Eastern Nigeria

6 Socio-economic drivers on trends in generation, collection and disposal of WEEE

7 Factors influencing technical planning and design for WEEE management systems

Key sections of the questionnaire.

#### Table 3. Schedule of questionnaire administered.

Wastes from Industrialized Nations: A Socio-economic Inquiry on E-waste Management… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.88075

#### Figure 2.

e-waste, and results from e-waste survey carried out in Southeastern Nigeria. The survey was carried out in mutually exclusive strata of States (Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo and Abia) with 95 local government areas (LGAs). A local government area (LGA) was purposefully chosen from every senatorial district in each State, and the fourth LGA was taken as the State's capital. This selection was predicated on the high volume of e-waste generated and handled in these LGAs. Altogether, 20 LGAs were picked for the survey, with 4 LGAs selected from each State. Questionnaires were administered in each of these LGAs to end-users, traders/recyclers, and policy makers/monitors assessing the "socioeconomic of WEEE" of the study area. A population of 280 respondents was surveyed. From the table for determining sample size [30], a population of 280 respondents gives 162 sample size representatives of the respondents. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the study measured e-waste needs and demands; generation, collection and final disposal; recycling measures; associated jobs; incomes to traders and technicians; as well as technology frontiers. Both Table 3 and Figure 2 shows methodological approach employed. The analysis that followed established the extent of reliability and a 95%

Sketchy findings suggest that a sustainable WEEE management scheme requires sufficient and continuous financing, frontier technologies, an equipped working environment and the right institutional motivations for key players [10]. The endusers of WEEE are mainly responsible for the patronage/usage of these UEEE. WEEE traders (or recycling firms) serve to collect and distribute these items, while the monitoring agencies ensure execution of policies, taking feedbacks and acting as check on other stakeholders. Hence, we administered three distinct questionnaires to these three players. Table 4 shows an outline of the main areas of interest

Three distinct questionnaires were administered to stakeholders. These are (1) the policy regulators and managers vis-a-vis "NESREA, SON, State Environment Protection Agencies, Environmental Health offices & Nigeria Customs Service"; (2) e-waste traders/recyclers—"Dealers, Marketer, Retailers, Technicians and Refurbishers/Recyclers of WEEE"; and (3) e-waste consumers/end-users—"Households, Government Institutions, Industries, Private Offices, Communication/Entertain-

The responses are presented in tables and figures in the sections that follow. The tables depict a collection of these stakeholders, managerial framework and endusers' participation. It then measured waste disposal pattern by the consumers, as

> % of Number retrieved

Total 280 206 73.6% 201 71.79%

40 40 100 35 12.50%

40 29 72.5 29 22.86%

200 137 68.5 137 48.93%

Number of valid retrieved questionnaire

% of valid retrieved questionnaire

confidence level placed on the information elicited.

Assessment and Management of Radioactive and Electronic Wastes

ment Businesses, Educational and Health-Care Centers".

Number retrieved

captured in the respective questionnaire.

Stakeholders Number

Monitoring/ control agencies

Distributors/ recyclers

Consumers/ end-users

Table 3.

66

Source: Field Survey, 2015.

Schedule of questionnaire administered.

administered

Representation of the retrieved administered questionnaire.


#### Table 4.

Key sections of the questionnaire.

well as factors leading to choice of strategies adopted for the final disposal of e-waste recyclers and traders. It showed some of the strategies used by these entrepreneurs in the gathering, management and final disposal of WEEE. Lastly, it reflected on the socioeconomic drivers of e-waste, and the issues militating on sustainable framework for e-waste management systems.
