Digital Technology Adoption, E-Waste Generation, and the Sustainability Paradox

Abstract

In the past two decades, digital technologies and automation have become primary facilitators of efficiency, innovation, and sustainable development. However, the rapid diffusion of digital technologies has coincided with a continuous increase in electronic waste (e-waste), creating a sustainability paradox. The chapter examines how the adoption of digital technologies, characterized by high device ownership, rapid innovation, and automation infrastructure, leads to increased e-waste. The chapter analyzes diverse technological, human, and institutional factors that affect environmental outcomes from a socio-technical systems viewpoint. The chapter goes further to explore cross-country variations in the coupling and decoupling effects between digital technology adoption and e-waste production. The analysis concludes that digital transformation does not necessarily ensure sustainability, as impacts depend on whether institutions are ready and have effective product lifecycle management.