Barriers and opportunities in waste electrical and electronic equipment management in Brazil and Colombia: Insights from recycling companies and cooperatives

Abstract

This study investigates the challenges and institutional dynamics of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) management in Brazil and Colombia through the perspectives of recycling companies and cooperatives. A qualitative research approach was employed using semi-structured interviews with 33 organizations. The findings reveal persistent operational, financial, and technological barriers, including limited technical training, low levels of automation, and restricted access to financing. Brazil exhibits comparatively more developed infrastructure and regulatory coordination, whereas Colombia faces greater institutional fragmentation and enforcement gaps. In both contexts, low public awareness and weak reverse logistics systems continue to limit collection efficiency and circular economy (CE) performance. Beyond identifying sectoral barriers, the study highlights how legal, financial, structural, and organizational conditions interact to shape CE implementation in WEEE systems. The results suggest that circular transitions in emerging economies are constrained not only by resource limitations but also by socio-technical mismatches between formal CE frameworks and local institutional realities. Building on these findings, the study proposes a socio-technical framework for understanding CE implementation in WEEE systems in the Global South. By providing a comparative analysis of Brazil and Colombia, the study contributes to the literature on CE implementation in emerging economies and offers insights into how institutional arrangements, capacity-building initiatives, and public-private coordination can support more effective and context-sensitive WEEE management systems.