Testing the existence of waste Kuznets curve hypothesis in 45 emerging economies: Evidence from an e-waste panel data survey

This study examines the Waste Kuznets Curve (WKC) hypothesis by integrating it with the Tapio decoupling model to explore the relationship between economic development and e-waste imports in 45 emerging economies from 2002 to 2022. The empirical results show that (1) the relationship between economic growth and e-waste imports exhibits an inverted U-shaped curve, with decoupling achieved when GDP per capita exceeds the WKC turning point of $10,755.23; (2) Emerging economies are categorized into six quadrants based on their e-waste decoupling status: high-income non-decoupling, low-income non-decoupling, low-income relative decoupling, high-income relative decoupling, low-income absolute decoupling, and high-income absolute decoupling; (3) Most emerging economies remain in low-income non-decoupling state, with only a few countries like China and Poland achieving high-income absolute decoupling. And (4) tailored policy interventions are crucial for enhancing environmental regulations in low-income non-decoupling countries and improving recycling technologies in high-income non-decoupling countries. This study creates a robust framework for understanding the economic-environmental relationship in emerging economies.