Recycle Your E-waste the Right Way

Have faulty or antiquated electronic devices that you want to discard? Well, don’t just throw them into your regular rubbish bin. There is a proper way to dispose of electronic devices. When e-waste is mixed with other general waste and disposed of, it ends up in the landfill where it undergoes incineration. This process releases carbon emissions that are harmful for the environment.

Annually, Singapore generates a staggering 60,000 tonnes of e-waste. This is equivalent to 70 discarded mobile phones per person. Due to technological advancement and an increased use of electronic devices, Singapore’s e-waste is expected to increase further in the coming years.

To view the location of your nearest sustainability collection point, click here to download the map in PDF format

Regulated and non-regulated consumer e-waste

E-waste as a category encompasses a myriad of electronics and household appliances – typically computers, mobile phones and TV sets. It is important that you distinguish between regulated and unregulated e-waste. If your electronic item does not fall within this list, you will need to bring it to a non-regulated e-waste recycling bin. Some of the non-regulated e-waste includes household appliances, digital watches, thermometers, electric toys, coffee machines, hairdryers, electric massager, medical equipment, soundbars, walkie talkies, cameras, speakers and game consoles.

You can find the National Environment Agency’s consolidated list of non-regulated e-waste bins here.

The 5 Golden Rules of E-waste Recycling

1. Unless your device/appliance is broken, you should always remove its packaging (such as any accompanying plastic bags or cardboard boxes)
2. Ensure that your e-waste is properly secured.
3. Prior to the disposal of your e-waste, make sure that the bin you have chosen is an appropriate one.
4. While disposing your items, do not litter around the bin.
5. For data-containing devices, make sure your data is erased.