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Abstract

Electronic waste (e-waste) is increasing at an unprecedented rate, with China as the world’s largest contributor. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has emerged as a key policy tool in China's effort to control the environmental and health impacts of e-waste. However, existing research on EPR tends to focus narrowly on government perspectives and policy design, overlooking how industries, associations, and researchers perceive and implement the system. This study addresses this gap by exploring the stakeholder dynamics within China’s formal e-waste management ecosystem. It hypothesizes that stakeholder perceptions diverge according to their roles, financial incentives, and policy understanding, influencing EPR’s effectiveness in practice. This qualitative research uses semi-structured interviews and on-site observations to collect primary data from green industries, national associations, and research institutions. Manual coding and thematic analysis were applied to identify recurring patterns related to EPR implementation, subsidy reform, and institutional alignment. The findings show that industries prioritize financial sustainability and often lack a full comprehensive understanding of EPR, while associations serve as policy intermediaries and research institutions emphasize the risks of sudden subsidy withdrawal. The study also identifies role confusion between producers and recyclers, particularly following the suspension of the WEEE subsidy scheme in 2023. These findings confirm the hypothesis and suggest that policy effectiveness is heavily shaped by stakeholder motivation, capacity, and interdependence. This paper concludes that the successful EPR systems depends not only clear regulations but also shared responsibility mechanisms, targeted education, and adaptive financial support. The insights offer valuable lessons for developing countries aiming to establish resilient e-waste governance frameworks aligned with local institutional capacities.

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