A Comprehensive Strategy Framework in the Adoption of Green Technology in Waste Management in Industries: A Case Study of Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, industrial waste has significantly increased due to industrial development, posing a threat to the health and welfare of the people, soil and water resources while degrading ecosystems. Where regulation and infrastructure are loose and substandard, green technologies, such as advanced recycling facilities, cleaner production processes, energy recovery systems and effective pollution abatement techniques, can help to minimize environmental damage and encourage a circular economy approach. This study builds a new theory and empirically tests an integrated framework of the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) theory and sustainability transition theory. The study combines survey data of 153 stakeholders in the industry and semi-structured interviews with managers, policy makers, and environmental experts. The results of the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) show that environmental awareness is the strongest predictor of green technology adoption intention (β = 0.357, p < 0.001). In addition, economic feasibility (β = 0.243, p = 0.007) and institutional support (β = 0.220, p = 0.006) have a significant positive direct effect, while technological readiness has a non-significant direct effect (β = 0.053, p = 0.504). Qualitative analysis suggests that the finding is not significant due to misalignment between technologies available and operational realities, skill gaps in several sectors, and chronic infrastructure gaps. The model could account for 54.3% of the variance in the adoption intention (R² = 0.543) and had good predictive power (Q² = 0.503). This indicates that in low resource settings, particularly post-conflict, managerial awareness and institutional enablers are more important than the technical availability. The framework not only strengthens knowledge and understanding of technology adoption and sustainability transitions, but also helps to guide policy makers, industry actors, and international organizations in working toward better industrial waste management in an Afghanistan and other developing contexts.

Green technology adoption; Industrial waste management

1. Geels, F. W. (2002). Technological transitions as evolutionary reconfiguration processes: A multi-level perspective and a case-study. Research Policy, 31(8–9), 1257–1274. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Geels, F. W. (2011). Sustainability transitions: A multi-level perspective. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 1(1), 24–40. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Horbach, J. (2008). Determinants of environmental innovation—New evidence from German panel data. Research Policy, 37(1), 163–173. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Seuring, S., & Müller, M. (2008). From a literature review to a conceptual framework for sustainable supply chain management. Journal of Cleaner Production, 16(15), 1699–1710. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Hwang, B. N., Chen, C. Y., & Lin, Y. H. (2016). A TOE strategy for green supply chain adoption. Sustainability, 8(2), 168. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Khan, F., Ali, S., & Shah, M. (2021). Enabling smart waste management in developing countries: A circular economy perspective. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Shahzad, M., Rehman, A., & Khan, S. (2022). Green innovation technology adoption for sustainable manufacturing in developing economies. Cleaner Engineering and Technology. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Liu, S., Wang, Y., & Zhang, L. (2024). Innovation determinants and outcomes of green technology adoption in Chinese third-party logistics.Systems, 12(9), 331. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Mehmood, K., Raza, S., & Iqbal, M. (2026). Growing green futures: A TOE-based roadmap for green innovation in manufacturing SMEs. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Tornatzky, L. G., & Fleischer, M. (1990). The Processes of Technological Innovation. Lexington Books. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Azimi, A. N., Rahimi, M., & Ahmadi, S. (2020). Analyzing waste management system alternatives for Kabul city, Afghanistan. Sustainability, 12(23), 9872. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Empowering SME Performance Through Social Media: The Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Orientation in Malaysian Manufacturing SMEs
• Effective School Bullying Prevention Strategies: A Thematic Review
• Impact of Workplace Conflict on the Operational Performance of Deposit Money Banks in Enugu State.
• Towards Digital Financial Solutions: A Conceptual Model of SME Strategies and Strategic Development
• Effect of Work-Life Balance and Affective Commitment on Employee Performance in the Hotel Industry in Plateau State