Circular Economy Transition in E-waste Management in Indonesia: A Systematic Review of Current Status and Key Challenges

¹ Mechanical Engineering Education, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia
² Golisano Institute for Sustainability, Rochester Institute of Technology, USA

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Globally, electronic waste generation is projected to reach 82 million tonnes by 2030, with Asia contributing the largest share. As the largest consumer electronics market in Southeast Asia, Indonesia faces growing e-waste challenges. Accordingly, the country's recently launched the National Action Plan on Circular Economy (RAN CE) 2025–2045, which identified the electronic sector as one of the five priority sectors for advancing Indonesia's transition toward a Circular Economy. However, scholarly research on e-waste within the Circular Economy approach remains underexplored. This study aims to systematically review the state of the art, current management, and key challenges of e-waste management in Indonesia. A total of 53 core studies were analyzed and classified into nine analytical dimensions. The study revealed that Indonesia's e-waste handling is largely dominated by the informal sector. They play a key role in the collection network. However, their practices often raise occupational and environmental concerns. Hoarding behavior remained dominant, with 59.9 % of households storing unused cell phones at home. The archipelagic geography contributes to high logistic costs. Limited advanced domestic processing infrastructure leads to the export of complex components, such as PCBs. Policy implications are discussed. These findings provide insights into developing countries facing similar challenges.