E-waste Take-Back and Producer Eco-innovation: Empirical Analysis of State Regulations in the United States
采用交错双重差分法，研究美国各州电子废弃物回收法规对生产者生态创新的因果影响，发现法规显著增加了生态专利数量，且效果随监管压力增强而加大，生产者更侧重上游资源效率创新。
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.