The adoption of online e-waste collection platform to improve environmental sustainability: an empirical study of Chinese millennials

Purpose: The study aims to explore how young consumers perceive and adopt the online e-waste collection platform, by developing a conceptual framework that integrates the theory of planned behavior, the technology acceptance model and the perceived risk. Based on conceptual framework, the study further identifies factors that positively or negatively influence the Chinese millennials' decision on the use of online collection platform. Design/methodology/approach: The study conducts a questionnaire survey from 807 Chinese millennials living in urban and rural areas. Based on the collected data, the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is employed to conduct PLS path modeling and multi-group analysis. Findings: The study results support the proposed conceptual framework and confirm its robustness in investigating Chinese millennials' intentions to adopt online e-waste collection platform. The findings suggest that the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control have positive impact, while perceived risk has negative impact on the behavioral intentions of millennials on the adoption of the platform. Originality/value: With the emergence of Internet technology, online e-waste collection platform has arisen as an innovative and alternative solution to improve environmental sustainability by encouraging e-waste collection through formal recycling channels in China. In order to divert the consumers from informal recycling channels to online e-waste collection platform, it is necessary to understand what factors impact the adoption of this platform among consumers. The study provides theoretical contribution and practical implications relevant to regulators and practitioners to encourage the adoption of online e-waste collection platform.