E-waste Take-Back and Producer Eco-innovation: Empirical Analysis of State Regulations in the United States

E-waste take-back regulation in the United States requires producers to manage their products at the end of life. This legislation aims to stimulate product and process innovations that reduce the environmental impact of E-waste. In this study, we employ a staggered difference-in-differences approach to explore the causal relationship between state E-waste regulations and eco-innovation among producers. Our results indicate that E-waste regulations significantly boost the number of eco-patents filed by producers, with the effect intensifying as regulatory pressure increases. Additionally, our findings show that regulated producers tend to focus more on upstream resource efficiency innovations than on downstream waste management. This research offers valuable insights for policymakers and industry practitioners aiming to enhance practices for E-waste management.