Paper Title: Proposing Circular Economy for Enhancing the e-Waste Recycling in Turkiye

Author: Ayman Mohammad Bakr, Mohamed Cherif El Amri, Mustafa Omar Mohammed, Hüsrev Kastacı and Turan Erol

Publisher:  Turkish Journal of Islamic Economics, Vol 11(2), pp. 166 – 192.

The authors in this paper address the need and plan to instigate circulate economy in Turkiye. The authors note that wastes from electrical and electronics equipment (WEEE) also referred to as e-waste, contain high-value of precious metals. Yet WEEE has huge adverse environmental threats and health hazards.

Goal is to recycle the precious metals within e-waste back into the economy. However, the current recycling processes tend to be costly and their results are not viable for the economy.

Authors argue that Turkiye lacks the efficiency, proper planning, and adequate law related to e-waste management. The legal regulations related to WEEE management are stale and undeveloped while recycling in Turkiye is underdeveloped.

While Turkiye has taken steps to align with standards for managing WEEE, there are challenges impeding the improvement of its recycling framework.

These challenges encompass not only economic and efficiency concerns but also extend to deficiencies in expertise and the underdevelopment of both recycling infrastructure and regulatory frameworks. Consequently, the transitioning of current recycling practices towards a circular economy within the country is anticipated to confront a host of intricate complexities.

Among the myriad challenges confronting the recycling landscape, one of the most pivotal is the economic feasibility of recycling and the associated high costs.

Authors explain that recycling costs often surpass the recoverable value of circuit components. Additionally, stringent environmental sustainability mandates exert further pressure on recycling companies’ profit margins. This renders recycling endeavours increasingly unattractive.

Consequently, sustained government intervention becomes imperative for the continuity of WEEE recycling businesses. Governments must provide on-going incentives and support to bolster recycling efforts. However, the authors argue that to alleviate the burden, incentivizing recycling could be coupled with attracting investments in novel projects, start-ups, and innovations aimed at revolutionizing recycling processes.

Developing an efficient strategy for managing WEEE effectively has the potential to substantially reduce recycling costs. To achieve this goal, several initiatives can be pursued. The authors recommend that municipalities must allocate budgets for comprehensive awareness campaigns to transition passive household behaviour toward active participation in electronic waste disposal. Combining targeted household awareness with incentives can significantly enhance household engagement in recycling initiatives.

To capitalize on the valuable extracts from the un-recycled material, the government must invest in research and development to enhance existing recycling equipment.

Authors also shed light on how universities could play a vital role in this endeavour by developing interdisciplinary research programs and cultivating knowledgeable experts capable of spearheading innovation in recycling technology.

Though, recycling is quite important, but a detailed research needs to look at empirics of cost-benefit analysis and evaluate different proposals. It is easier to put every planned action in government’s basket. Nonetheless, the governments in general and Turkiye in particular are facing many economic challenges including monetary and fiscal problems. Researchers in this field can inform policymaking further through empirical analysis and detailed account of successful case studies and policy interventions tried globally.